The skin is our body's largest and fastest growing organ, so why do we tend to neglect it the most?
As a young, vibrant teenager, my skincare routine was nonexistent and my face was blessed to have whatever dollar store body wash I had at the time. As a grown ass woman, I follow my A.M. and P.M. skin and body care routine to the letter because the alternative is a pair of relentlessly ashy knees and a face full of cystic acne that just won't quit.
I know that I can't be the only woman in the world who has spent hundreds of dollars in search of a miracle cure that will stop my sebum-making glands in their tracks, but Meagan Good just dropped a few beauty tips that might help us on our quest.
Meagan Good was cast in her first major film in 1995, and she hasn't aged since. Since the days of Cousin Skeeter, the bare-faced beauty has been our #BeautyGoals, and even after more than a decade, she's finally spilling the tea on how to find this elusive fountain of youth. Recently, the 37-year-old actress sat down with ESSENCE and dished about how she keeps her hair, skin, and body on 10 at all times, here's what we learned:
Less > More
After landing her first role in Friday, Meagan was forced to grow up in the spotlight. After years of heavy-duty glam, she's decided to take a different approach to her daily beauty routine. The Intruder actress said that these days, less is more and her daily essentials are minimal AF.
Meagan's everyday beauty routine includes lip balm, sunscreen, and eyelash extensions. Earlier this year, Meagan shared via Instagram that she stopped using foundation four years ago and it was the best decision she could have ever made. She said in her caption:
"I decided four years ago never to wear foundation again. Instead I opt for tinted moisturizer or nothing. On fancy days I'll add a lil concealer under the eyes, bronzer and light contour. I've got to say: best decision I've made to combat the pre-aging and damage that foundation and some face make up can do."
Switch Up Those Tresses
When a a woman switches up her hair, nine times out of ten, she's about to change her life. Meagan says that she keeps her beauty game exciting by making her tresses match her mood.
"When I change my hair it's about expressing what I'm feeling in that season."
She warned that although she's rocking a short, blonde cut, for now, being too heavy-handed with the bleach can be a bad idea.
"So far I've only bleached it four times, but I know my hair is like, 'Girl, we've been so patient and kind, but if you keep going in this direction, we're going to start getting crispy.'"
Start From The Inside-Out
Your skin can't reach it's ultimate glow-up if you're out here stressing. One of the most essential practices that Meagan employs to reach optimum beauty is self-care. Along with making sure to switch it up and keep it simple, Meagan also makes sure to make herself feel good with bountiful bubble baths and mindful meditation sessions:
"I get up, I pray, meditate and say my affirmations. I'm a massage connoisseur, especially deep tissue. Anywhere, anytime, any chance I get, I make it happen."
If You Tired, Be Quiet & Go To Sleep
In a previous interview, Meagan emphasized that all the products in the world won't do you any good if you're exhausted. According to Meagan, one of the best things you can do for your skin is take a nap. She explained:
"Let me reiterate rest. No matter how much good food you eat or exercise you do, sometimes you just need to take time, breathe, and rest. There's nothing like it to help recharge your batteries."
Along with these body care tips, here are the skincare products that Meagan has used to get her epidermis all the way together:
To read Meagan's exclusive in full, check out her interview with ESSENCE here.
Featured image by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Originally published May 24, 2019.
- Meagan Good Addresses Skin Bleaching Rumors - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- How To Get Glowing Skin: Natural Ways, Tips - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Meagan Good On Chloe Bailey Critics, Backlash - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Chloe Bailey Skincare Beauty Routine - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Boost Energy Levels When Tired Fatigue - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Actress Meagan Good Reveals the Secrets to Her Glow! - YouTube ›
- Meagan Good Dishes On Her Secret Beauty Regimen - YouTube ›
- After 30 Years In The Game Meagan Good Is Still Skin-sational ... ›
- Meagan Good Revealed What's In Her Bag. Let's Take a Look ... ›
- What does Megan Good use on her skin??? | Lipstick Alley ›
RELATED
At the beginning of the year, we are being shown how significant 2025 will be for love. From March 1, 2025, until April 12, 2025, Venus, the planet of love and relationships, will be retrograde. Venus goes retrograde approximately every 18 months and hasn’t been retrograde since the Summer of 2023. With love taking a step back at the beginning of the year, we move through a time of understanding the emotional world better and letting go of trying to control outcomes here.
What Does 2025 Have in Store for Love?
It’s time to refocus your relationship priorities overall, and with this retrograde happening in both Aries and Pisces, Aries being the first sign of the zodiac and Pisces being the last; there is a chapter we are closing and a new one we are walking into.
Another significant factor that is influencing relationships this year, is Jupiter’s entry into Cancer. Jupiter brings blessings, abundance, luck, and expansion, and in water sign Cancer, brings these gifts to your emotions. Cancer rules emotional safety, foundations, close loved ones, family, support, and emotional well-being, and with Jupiter in this sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, we experience blessings in stability within love. This is a good year for building stronger foundations in love, aligning with those who are loyal and supportive, knowing what you need emotionally, and being a lot clearer on it.
Letting Go of the Past: The Astrological Theme of 2025
Overall, the guideline for the year when it comes to love is to focus on the bigger picture and let things work themselves out without forcing them to. Magic will come in for you this year when you can assess your needs and wants, let go of illusions or smoke and mirrors, and focus on the things you want for yourself rather than what you don’t. Your focus and beliefs on love are the priority right now, and things will be coming full circle for the better.
Read below to see your personal 2025 love forecast. Read for your sun, moon, and rising signs.
ARIES
2025 is one of the more significant years for you, Aries. A lot of the major transits are happening in your sign, which includes Venus retrograde in Aries at the beginning of the year, Neptune in Aries from March 2025 until 2039, and Saturn in Aries from May 2025 until 2028. Not to mention, Chiron, the wounded healer is currently in your sign until 2027.
What this means for you when it comes to love, is that you have learned a lot about where you want to be here, and it’s the year to implement more of these tools and knowledge of the heart.
This year for love is about honoring your integrity and what you need personally to thrive in life and creating that space to let it in. You need someone who will be there for you through whatever you are experiencing in life and not someone who adds to these challenges. This year is a time of rising above, and choosing better for yourself.
TAURUS
2025 for you when it comes to love, is all about perspective and taking better care of your heart, Taurus. Uranus, the planet of change, rebellion, progress, and upheaval, has been in your sign since 2019, and this year you get a break from all of the surprises. From Jul. 7, 2025, until Nov. 7, 2025, Uranus leaves your sign and enters Gemini, giving your mind and your heart some time to breathe.
This year you are being given the opportunity to see things for what they are, rather than what you fear them to be. You are able to see your relationship dynamics clearer, allowing you to feel more confident in what you are building and creating for yourself in this area of your life. What you are working on this year is letting go of overthinking, and allowing things to play out the way they are meant to in love.
GEMINI
This year you are feeling in balance when it comes to love, Gemini. Relationships are important to you in life overall, as you are a relationship-oriented sign, but it can be difficult at times to keep the balance and perspective here. This year, with lucky Jupiter in your sign until June, you have the opportunity to be blessed with some fortunate circumstances personally and within romance.
You are feeling yourself this year, and this is attracting you success and new opportunities within love.
Uranus will also be in your sign this year from Jul. 7 until Nov. 7, and some surprises are in store for you. Pay attention to what happens in your love life during this period, as similar themes will be coming back around for you when Uranus officially enters its Gemini transit from 2026 - 2032. Overall, this year is about balancing what’s coming and going in love, and finding your peace within your inner confidence for it all.
CANCER
2025 for you, Cancer, is about stability in love. You are growing emotionally from the ground up, and are feeling a sense of support, confidence, romance, and receptivity in your love life this year. You are one of the lucky signs of 2025, and this is due to Jupiter, the planet of blessings, entering your sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026. While Jupiter is in your sign, your life expands and you are able to see the gifts of your world that may have been harder to come by previously.
This is a year of spending more time with your loved ones and feeling more heard and supported emotionally. Safety and security are especially important to you this year, and you are only entertaining the people who feel that way about you and provide that. Many Cancers will be expanding their families this year or developing a long-term relationship, and overall this is a year of feeling stronger when it comes to love.
LEO
When it comes to love this year for you, Leo, it’s about trusting your intuition and listening more to what your heart is telling you. There are not many major transits happening in Leo in 2025, which means there is a lot of room to grow, but you may be feeling a lack of support or encouragement to do so. A lot of Leos are taking a step back to look at where they are currently in love, and yearning for some change and a new direction here.
Neptune will be in your 9th house of adventure for most of this year, and you are being asked to get inspired and do things differently, but don’t take unnecessary risks in love that may not serve you in the long run.
It can be easy to get lost in the fantasy of love rather than the actual reality you’ll live in here, and taking more time to understand yourself, your relationships, and the dynamics in your love life will be necessary. Overall, your heart is healing this year and you are moving away from the past and creating your new future.
VIRGO
This year when it comes to love, you are going through changes that are aligning you closer to your goals and dreams here, Virgo. You are focused on making things work that you want to see bloom, and also letting go of putting effort into people that aren’t reciprocating the same energy. With the North Node entering your sister sign Pisces and the South Node moving into your sign from Jan. 11, 2025, until Jul. 26, 2026, you are doing a lot of letting go over the next year.
However, with the North Node being in your 7th house of love, new doors and gifts are also opening up for you and your partnerships. The more you can let go of perfection and overworking your mind and your heart, the more blessings you will experience when it comes to love this year. In 2025, you also have two Eclipses in your sign, and there are overall a lot of changes Virgos are moving through this year. Your main guidance for love is to stand by the things that serve your heart and release yourself from what burdens it.
LIBRA
Love is coming to fruition for you this year, Libra. You have been through a lot in your personal life these past few years, and walking into 2025, you are ready for some positive change. This is a year of feeling in balance with your personal goals and dreams, and what you are experiencing romantically and financially as well. Relationship dynamics are serving you and your sense of abundance, and many gifts are coming your way in love this year.
With Neptune, Chiron, and Saturn all being in your 7th house of love, your love life and partnerships are the main focus for you in 2025.
You are moving through changes, overcoming previous obstacles, and bringing back the dreamy energy here. With Chiron in the 7th, you are still doing some healing of the heart, but with Neptune now entering, it all feels a little more romantic and spiritual at the same time. This year is about believing in the impossible in love, taking care of yourself, and allowing someone else to take care of you as well.
SCORPIO
This year is all about opportunity when it comes to love, Scorpio. You have your eyes on the prize and are focused on what you want for yourself, but also how you want to show up for love as well. You have goals and intentions that you are setting for your love life this year, and a lot of them reflect the passion and strength you are feeling as you enter the year. Vesta is in your sign this year until September, and you have a spark within you that is a magnet for success and love. You are walking forward confidently and are feeling inspired, sexy, and magical this year.
This is a very sensual and powerful year for you, and this energy is being reflected in the relationship experiences you are having. Jupiter also enters your 9th house of adventure halfway through the year, and there is something special about the trips you are taking and the risks you are taking in love. Overall, this is a year of doing things your way and attracting love to you through your inner confidence and charisma.
SAGITTARIUS
This is a beautiful year of feeling balanced and abundant in love, Sagittarius. There is a lot of energy coming in and you are giving a lot of love as well. This sense of synergy you are feeling within your love life this year has a lot to do with Juno, the asteroid of soulmates, in your sign from Feb. 19 - Apr. 15. Your people are coming in and you have options this year, Sag.
This is a year of feeling loved for the inspiring, outgoing, and unique being you are, and meeting more people who match your energy.
Saturn also enters your 5th house of romance this year, and you are learning a lot through your experiences with others. You are learning how to be more confident in who you are and what you want for yourself and also recognizing the importance of making more time for fun and playful experiences. This is the year to see love as a more light-hearted experience and to not take yourself too seriously.
CAPRICORN
You are letting things come to you when it comes to love this year, Capricorn. You are feeling beautiful, capable, and worthy, and you are receiving the gifts that come from this sense of confidence and patience. This past year, you were setting a lot of new goals for yourself and your relationships, and in 2025, you are experiencing the results of these efforts.
Jupiter moves into your sister sign Cancer from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, and enters your 7th house of love, partnerships, romance, marriage, and harmony. Your love life and experience of it all are expanding this year, and benevolent Jupiter is sending blessings to this area of your life. This is a year of things coming full circle for you in love, and you feel less confused about it all and more sure of yourself and what is becoming for you here.
AQUARIUS
Love is a highlight for you this year, Aquarius. You are coming together with another, and many Aquarius’ will be forming new relationships or growing within a strong relationship. You are experiencing the fruition of your dreams in love, and are also able to heal and let go of past emotional experiences that have been overwhelming for you in the past.
The North Node enters your 12th house of closure this year, and you are motivated towards change, cleaning house, and releasing the cobwebs of the past.
You are walking into new emotional experiences with less baggage and self-doubt, and are experiencing a fresh start in love. This is a year of asking for what you need emotionally and receiving it. Love is coming in for you in harmonious and magical ways, and you are rewriting your story in love in 2025.
PISCES
You are moving through a lot of changes when it comes to love in 2025, Pisces. This is a year of closure, healing, and giving yourself a fresh start, and the way you enter the year will be a lot different than the way you end it. The North Node of Destiny enters your sign this year, and the South Node of Karma enters your 7th house of love. So, a lot of your focus this year is on your personal goals and path, and there may be some neglect or lack of focus on your relationships.
This can create some discord with those close to you, and your guidance for this year is to try to balance the personal successes and wins you are experiencing, with the love changes that also need your attention right now. Know that what leaves your life this year is being replaced by something better, and also know that your healing doesn’t need to have a timeline and you can take as much time as you need to grow. Overall, you are turning a new page in love in 2025.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Anchiy/Getty Images
I can honestly say that I had no issues with not drinking. Even with all the social activities I participated in that involved drinking, I never felt pressured to do so. I didn’t even want it. One of the benefits of not drinking was not feeling bad the next day and, of course, no migraines.
Caribe Hilton
Courtesy
But then, I got the opportunity to stay at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is celebrating 75 years and the home of the piña colada, and let’s just say I wanted to know what the hype was about.
The week before my exciting trip, I actually had my first drink. So you can say I was preparing myself. It was my first time in Puerto Rico, and when I arrived at Caribe Hilton, I was immediately floored by its beauty.
It’s located on a secluded beach and only a few minutes away from downtown and no more than 15 minutes from the airport. My room was nice and spacious, with a gorgeous view of the water.
Sips
Piña colada tasting at Caribe Hilton
Courtesy
After settling in, I prepared for the first activity, the piña colada tasting. The original piña colada was created in 1954 by the hotel’s bartender, Ramón "Monchito" Marrero. It includes only five ingredients: 2 oz of white rum, 1 oz of coconut cream, 1 oz of heavy cream, 6 oz of pineapple juice, and ½ cup of crushed ice.
My first taste of the original piña colada was a dreamy, creamy delight. It was so fresh and delicious, and it instantly became one of my favorite drinks from the trip.
Coquito tasting
Courtesy
I visited the island during the holidays, so it was only right that I had the opportunity to indulge in some coquito. Coquito is a Christmas drink in Puerto Rico akin to eggnog. Traditionally, it’s made with vanilla, coconut cream, coconut milk, rum and spices. During a coquito tasting, a group of us tried many flavors, from the original recipe to Nutella-flavored coquito.
Another favorite was the coffee. I don’t consider myself a real coffee drinker as I prefer lattes, but the Starbucks in the hotel, as well as a local coffee shop had some of the best coffee. Not to mention, I had the best chai latte at Caribe’s Ice Cream & Cookies Co cafe.
Eats
Fried plantain
Courtesy
Caribe Hilton has a host of restaurants like Néctar del Caribe, Lola’s Puerto Rican Cuisine, Rustica Ristorante, Ocean Restaurant & Lounge, and more. At Lola’s, I tried the shrimp & rice stew with a side of tostones, which are fried plantains. While I’ve had plantains before, I really enjoyed them fried.
Our group also went on a historic food tour of Old San Juan, where we were introduced to more authentic Puerto Rican food like mofongo, which was one of the dishes that stood out amongst the crowd. It’s mashed fried green plantains, but this particular mofongo was made with cassava. Our food tour guide also walked us through the history of the beautiful town of San Juan and shared how its food is rooted in West African cuisine.
Activities
Caribe Hilton's Pool
Courtesy
Besides the tastings that took place at the hotel, some other fun activities I participated in were tennis, drinking champagne in the cabana, and taking a tour of the historic property. Caribe Hilton has an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, hammocks to lounge in, a tropical garden and bird sanctuary and more.
I also got to experience San Juan’s nightlife. Old San Juan has a street filled with bars on both sides, and our group popped into a few spots, including La Factoría, which was named one of the World’s 50 Best Bars.
Overall, I had an amazing time Puerto Rico. While its an American territory, you feel like you're in another country thanks to its tropical paradise vibes.
San Juan, Puerto RicoCourtesy
Since I made the decision to reintroduce alcohol into my diet, I haven’t been experiencing migraines, which I’m so happy about. However, I have become more conscious about how many drinks I consume, though, and entering a new year, who knows, I might participate in Dry January.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always been a social drinker, and not drinking for a year has taught me that I don’t need alcohol to be social. Sometimes, a glass of water, a mocktail, or nothing is okay.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by courtesy