Lover girls, tap in. Galentine’s Day season has officially arrived.
Traditionally, February marks a time of year that’s been reserved for romantic love and those who are in committed relationships — but single girls need love too. Gathering the girls on or before Valentine’s Day takes a spin on the holiday’s conventions, providing a space for women to come together in celebration of sisterhood and friendship; no matter their relationship status.
Hosting your girlfriends for brunch, a 90’s rom-com marathon, with (lots of) wine, is a special way to celebrate the ladies that have held you through thick and thin.
And no need to come empty-handed. To help, we’ve tapped Marissa Kearney, creator of the viral social platforms, TargetWhileBlack and RetailWhileBlack for her top recommendation on gifts for your gals this Galentine’s Day.
Courtesy of Marissa Kearney
Since 2020, retail shopping expert Marissa Kearney has been bridging the gap between retailers and consumers through her viral social platforms, TargetWhileBlack and RetailWhileBlack. Dedicated to highlighting the best Black-owned and Black-founded brands from big-box retailers, including Target, Nordstorm, HomeGoods, Walmart, JCPenney, and more, Marrisa has garnered a community of over 550k followers and counting.
Understanding the importance of representation in the retail space, Marrisa shares how “Buying Black” is one of the greatest acts of love we can show each other. “It’s been so refreshing to walk into stores like Target and see items that reflect who we are and what we love,” she tells xoNecole. “It makes you feel like you're finally getting a regular shopping experience; like you don't have to go digging to find things that look like you.”
Ready to spread the love? Here, Marissa drops her favorite Black-owned products to make your Galentine’s Day one to remember.
Love Jones Candle
Frères Branchiaux
Love Jones Candle
Want to light up the night and set the vibe? Marrissa recommends this soy candle from Frères Branchiaux to do the trick.
Galentine’s Gift Bag
Black Paper Party
Galentine's Bag
Bag secured. Black Paper Party’s decorative designs are the perfect way to pack your gifts and deliver them in style.
Rose & Geranium Sea Salt Bar Soap
Iyoba
Rose & Geranium Sea Salt Bar Soap
As Marissa mentions, every woman deserved to be pampered. Grab a bar of Iyoba’s calming sea salt soap as a treat to your girlfriends or yourself.
Faux Mink Lashes
Luna Magic
Faux Mink Lashes
Marissa says these lashes from Luna Magic are “the perfect present” for a friend who likes to keep their face beat. Pick up a pair—or two—to make their look complete.
Vegan Sweet & Salty Organic Popcorn
Tabitha Brown For Target
Vegan Sweet & Salty Organic Popcorn
Our fairy god-auntie, Tabitha Brown, just dropped the tastiest (vegan!) snacks to hit the shelves. Add a bag to your charcuterie spread; the ladies won’t be able to put them down.
'Shine' Pillow Pink
Pillowscript
'Shine' Pillow Pink
What woman doesn’t love words of affirmation? This accent pillow from Pillowscript is not only adorable but will give your bestie the perfect pop of color and positivity to her living space.
Hella Awkward Card Game
Hella Awkward Card Game
Turn your Galentine’s into a game night. Put the phones away and break the ice with the new card game, Hella Awkward.
"Black Plum" by Craig
Puzzles of Color
"Black Plum" by Craig
We may live in a digital world, but the joy that comes from analog play never goes out of style. Pick up the pieces of this puzzle and gift it to your gal who loves a good challenge.
Casablanca Eau de Parfum
Brown Girl Jane
Casablanca Eau de Parfum
There’s no better way to say, “I love you, girl,” than through the gift of scent. Brown Girl Jane’s Casablanca fragrance is the perfect way to show your bestie that she deserves all the finer things in life; and more.
Black Girl Magic Rosé Wine
McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic
Black Girl Magic Rosé Wine
To Marissa, the perfect girl's night is not complete without a glass of wine (or two). Keep the libation in rotation and sip slow with the crowd-favorite Black Girl Magic Rosé Wine.
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Featured image by Prostock-Studio/Getty Images
RELATED
The seeds for these entrepreneurs were planted during their time as students at schools like Spelman, North Carolina A&T, and more, which is why xoNecole caught up with Look Good Live Well’s Ariane Turner, HBCU Buzz’s Luke Lawal and Morehouse Senior Director of Marketing and Comms and Press Secretary Jasmine Gurley to highlight the role their HBCU roots play in their work as entrepreneurs, the legacy they aim to leave behind through the work that they do, and more as a part of Hyundai’s Best In Class initiative.
On Honoring HBCU Roots To Create Something That Is For Us, By Us
Ariane Turner
Courtesy
When Ariane Turner launched Look Good, Live Well, she created it with Black and brown people in mind, especially those with sensitive skin more prone to dryness and skin conditions like acne and eczema.
The Florida A&M University graduate launched her business to create something that addressed topical skin care needs and was intentional about its approach without negative terminology.
Turner shared that it is important to steer clear of language often adopted by more prominent brands, such as “banishing breakouts” or “correcting the skin,” because, in reality, Turner says there is nothing wrong with the way that our skin and bodies react to various life changes.
“I think what I have taken with me regarding my HBCU experience and translated to my entrepreneurial experience is the importance of not just networking,” Turner, the founder and CEO of Look Good, Live Well, tellls xoNecole.
“We hear that in business all the time, your network is your net worth, but family, there’s a thing at FAMU that we call FAMU-lee instead of family, and it’s very much a thing. What that taught me is the importance of not just making relationships and not just making that connection, but truly working on deepening them, and so being intentional about connecting with people initially, but staying connected and building and deepening those relationships, and that has served me tremendously in business, whether it’s being able to reach back to other classmates who I went to school with, or just networking in general.”
She adds, “I don’t come from a business background. As soon as I finished school, I continued with my entrepreneurial journey, and so there’s a lot of that traditional business act and the networking, those soft skills that I just don’t have, but I will say that just understanding how to leverage and network community and to build intentional relationships is something that has taken me far and I definitely got those roots while attending FAMU.”
On Solving A Very Specific Need For The Community
Luke Lawal Jr.
Courtesy
When Luke Lawal Jr. launched HBCU Buzz, his main focus was to represent his community, using the platform to lift as they climbed by creating an outlet dedicated to celebrating the achievements and positive news affecting the 107 historically HBCUs nationwide.
By spotlighting the wonderful things that come from the HBCU community and coupling it with what he learned during his time at Bowie State University, Lawal used that knowledge to propel himself as an entrepreneur while also providing his people with accurate representation across the internet.
“The specific problem in 2011 when I started HBCU Buzz was more so around the fact that mainstream media always depict HBCUs as negative,” Lawal says. “You would only see HBCUs in the mainstream media when someone died, or the university president or someone was stepping down. It was always bad news, but they never shed light on all the wonderful things from our community."
So, I started HBCU Buzz to ensure the world saw the good things that come from our space. And they knew that HBCUs grew some of the brightest people in the world, and just trying to figure out ways to make sure our platform was a pedestal for all the students that come through our institutions.”
“The biggest goal is to continue to solve problems, continue to create brands that solve the problems of our communities, and make sure that our products, our brands, our companies, and institutions are of value and they’re helping our community,” he continues. “That they’re solving problems that propel our space forward.”
On How Being An HBCU Alum Impacts The Way One Shows Up In The World
Jasmine Gurley
Courtesy
Jasmine Gurley is a proud North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum. She is even more delighted with her current role, which enables her to give back to current HBCU students as the Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Communications and official press secretary at Morehouse College.
“It was a formative experience where I really was able to come into my own and say yes to all the opportunities that were presented to me, and because of that, it’s been able to open the doors later in life too,” says Gurley of her experience at North Carolina A&T. “One thing I love about many HBCUs is that we are required to learn way more about African American history than you do in your typical K through 12 or even at the higher ed level."
She adds, “It allowed us to have a better understanding of where we came from, and so for me, because I’m a storyteller, I’m a history person, I’m very sensitive to life in general, being able to listen to the stories and the trials that our ancestors overcame, put the battery pack in my back to say, ‘Oh nothing can stop me. Absolutely nothing can stop me. I know where I came from, so I can overcome something and try anything. And I have an obligation to be my ancestors’ wildest dreams. Simultaneously, I also have a responsibility to help others realize that greatness.
Gurley does not take her position at an HBCU, now as a leader, lightly.
“People think I’m joking when I say I’m living the dream, but I really am,” she notes. “So I wake up every day and know that the work that I do matters, no matter how hard it might be, how frustrating it may be, and challenging it. I know the ripple effect of my work, my team, and what this institution does also matter. The trajectory of Black male experiences, community, history, and then just American advancement just in general.”
On the other hand, through her business, Sankofa Public Relations, Gurley is also on a mission to uplift brands in their quest to help their respective communities. Since its inception in 2017, Sankofa PR has been on a mission to “reach back and reclaim local, national, and global communities by helping those actively working to move” various areas of the world, focusing on pushing things forward for the better.
“Through Sankofa, we’ve worked with all different types of organizational brands and individuals in several different industries, but I would think of them as mission-based,” says Gurley.
“So with that, it’s an opportunity to help people who are trying to do good in the world, and they are passionate about what they’re doing. They just need help with marketing issues, storytelling, and branding, and that’s when my expertise can come into play. Help them get to that moment where they can tell their story through me or another platform, and that’s been super fulfilling.”
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
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