In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on the daily. Here they break down their beauty routines on the inside and out, as well as the highly coveted products that grace their shelves and their skin.
I remember watching Cycle 4 of America's Next Top Model like it was yesterday. My mother would let me stay up just a few hours later than my scheduled bedtime so we could watch Tyra Banks' worldwide phenomenon and cheer on our home favorite. From the moment I was introduced to Naima Mora, I was intrigued by her ambiguity, mysterious nature, and sweet aura in comparison to some of her other competitors. Needless to say, when she reigned victorious as the cycle winner, I couldn't have been more thrilled. Who would have thought that 15 years later, I would be on a Zoom call with her to talk about all things beauty and skincare?
I logged into my Zoom conference room and turned my camera on only for the 36-year-old "Model Know How" workshop founder to sign in a few minutes later. It was almost as though time stood still and the Model Behavior author looked exactly the same from when she was 21 years old on the reality television show. "I got my makeup done. I'm looking cute," she said with a giggle after telling me she had just wrapped up a morning show based in Sacramento. With her face naturally beat and her voice as soft and melodic as it was on the UPN when I was 10 years old, she and I were both ready to get this conversation started about all things beauty, skincare and the world of the modeling industry.
In this installment of xoNecole's About Face, the New York-based EMG Models signee talks about using a hydrating mist when she travels, her memories of painting her white cat with lipstick as a kid and supporting her good friend Miranda Kerr's skincare line.
How my view on beauty and skincare changed over the years…
"I thought you didn't have to pay too much attention to your skin and it was supposed to be naturally flawless. I realize now that it's the largest organ in our body, it changes all the time, and it evolves as well, so it requires some pampering and care. I realized that beauty rest is an actual thing!
"Working in the modeling industry can sometimes be very challenging because it's an industry that's based on perceptions of beauty. For a long time, I felt like what I looked like and what I had to offer the industry didn't necessarily fit in, but that was when I first started modeling. Now, the industry has totally changed and all types of beauty are being celebrated. There's so much diversity and inclusion, and I love working with the brands that I work with because they just want to celebrate people for who they are."
Image via Instagram/NaimaMora
My morning routine consists of....
"My mornings are different every day. Sometimes I'm waking up super early—like 5 am—to get to a photo shoot by 7 am. Other days, I'll make it to the gym, which is also a big part of my job: keeping in shape and keeping fit. I give my 'Model Know How' classes twice a week on the weekends, which is really cool. [My routine] really depends because I'm doing business meetings throughout the day and I'm writing throughout the day. I'm [working on] a one-woman show with a director I really love. It's different every day, but I definitely keep myself really busy."
My AM skincare routine looks like…
"There are two product lines that I really love which are Liz Earle and KORA Organics. Liz Earle is based out of the UK and KORA Organics is a new line by my friend and fellow model, Miranda Kerr. It's organic skincare, so I love it. It's gentle on the skin, it's purifying, and the whole premise of the line is just naturalistic beauty. She sends little crystals in a gift box like rose quartz and stuff. It's really cute.
"In the morning, I will wash probably with a Neutrogena acne wash just to keep the skin clear. I only exfoliate once or twice a week at the most. I realized from the beauty specialist at Liz Earle when I was visiting them in Leeds [during] my book tour there, they told me that it's really bad to exfoliate your skin so much because it causes more hormonal release. The skin wants to keep itself moisturized and repaired. I use a really gentle cleanser in the morning, a toner, and as much moisturizer as I can. I normally use an oil-free Neutrogena moisturizer or one from KORA Organics depending on whether or not I'm going to be wearing makeup."
My evening routine consists of…
"I normally come home, order food, and watch TV. My acting coach says that I should do more reading and spend more time by myself. I normally watch TV. I like great shows on Netflix or HBO. I'll get into a show and binge-watch it for hours."
Image via Instagram/NaimaMora
My PM skincare routine looks like....
"At night, I do a whole process. Of course I have to cleanse the skin, tone it again, and I use [microcurrent] sometimes to kill all of the bacteria. I will put on a nighttime oil from KORA Organics and they also have something called a Noni Glow. I'll also use a serum for my eyes, and maybe if I have some blemishes, I'll use a topical treatment called tretinoin, which is good for helping out with skin problems and skin like mine. That's my nighttime ritual which I think is part of my self-love and self-care, you know?"
How my skincare changes for the seasons…
"I've realized that the most important thing regardless of the time of year is to keep my skin moisturized, to get a lot of sleep, and to not stress out. In the summertime, I'll wear sunblock to keep the sun off my skin and keep it from being damaged, but besides that, it doesn't really change."
My go-to makeup look consists of…
"I have a couple different makeup looks—usually four. I talk about this in my 'Model Know How' course, and I teach the girls and the models that I work with how to do the makeup right and live through Zoom classes. We do our makeup together super cute. I have my casting look which is pretty much my day-to-day look. It's pretty simple makeup that looks like you don't have on makeup and the 'bare face.' Then I have a commercial look that I'll do when I have audition tapes to send in or interviews that I'm doing via Zoom. I have a glam look that I wear when I go out to dinner with all of my other model friends. I normally do a smokey eye if I want to be extreme and go for it. The one I have on now is a mix between my glam look and a little smokey eye."
Image via Instagram/NaimaMora
How I approach beauty from the inside-out…
"I know it sounds funny, but I love tea, and I love scented candles specifically that smell like grapefruit or really citrus-smelling fruits. Perfume also makes me feel beautiful. It's just self-care rituals and routines that make me feel beautiful from the inside out. If I take care of myself, then I feel beautiful."
My travel skincare routine looks like…
"[My skincare routine] doesn't switch up. I have my travel containers and I just try to keep it moisturized. Usually, if I'm on a plane, I'll have a hydrating mist as well that keeps my skin dewy, glowy, and hydrated because traveling can be very dehydrating. You're not drinking enough water most of the time because you're stuck in airports or train stations and you want snacks, but there's unhealthy snacks on the way."
The most significant beauty lesson I’ve learned…
"Love yourself and be kind to yourself. Be patient because when you do that, you accept yourself and you feel more beautiful from the inside-out."
Image via Instagram/NaimaMora
My earliest beauty memory…
"My first beauty memory was, of course, playing in my mom's makeup when I was a little girl. It was one of those memories where it was vague but you kind of remember it, you know? I was probably really young. My mom told me that she came home one day—we had a white cat—and the cat was covered in lipstick. That was a really cute memory of beauty and makeup."
How my view on beauty and skincare has evolved…
"I've been modeling for a long time so I've always had issues with my skin which were problematic issues like acne, blackheads, scars, and blemishes. I didn't necessarily know how to take care of my skin for a long time, and I recently started researching how to do that and what're the best products to use for my skin type. I think the evolution really began last year, which is late in the game."
For more on Naima, follow her on Instagram. For more information about Model Know How, visit their Instagram page.
Featured image via Instagram/NaimaMora
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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.
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Featured image by Anchiy/Getty Images
We landed in Lyon on Thursday before heading to Strasbourg and were instantly charmed by the classic French façades and smiley locals. We had an amazing first night enjoying the Festival of Lights all through the city.
Fresh off an amazing first evening, we headed to Strasbourg on Friday in a BlaBlaCar (a ride-share system in Europe) with two friendly local women who gave us tons of expert recommendations on what to do, see, and eat in Strasbourg.
They dropped us off in the center, and our faces lit up. The town was decked out in Christmas decor from head to toe, and the streets were buzzing with folks clambering around stalls selling Christmas decorations, hot drinks, and other artisan knick-knacks. They don’t call it Europe’s Christmas Capital for nothing!
We rushed to our Airbnb to put our bags down and start exploring, and that’s when everything went south.
Photo courtesy of Ambar Mejia
Sleep Tight, Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite
I always check my lodgings before settling in because I’ve walked into hotel rooms that haven’t properly been cleaned or other situations where I haven’t felt safe enough to stay.
So we looked around the Airbnb to make sure everything was okay when I heard my friend say, “I see something moving on the sheets.” “Are you messing with me?” I responded.
I double-checked, and my heart sank. “I see it too, fuck.”
“There’s another one on this side, too.”
“Damn,” I said, “I just spotted a third.”
“We can’t stay here.” We grabbed all of our stuff and ran for the nearest cafe to strategize where we were going to stay. Only one major problem: Everything in town was booked.
Enrique, Our Christmas Angel
We looked all around Strasbourg and even at nearby towns and villages. Booked. Booked. Booked. We even started considering taking a train to a nearby town in Switzerland or Germany, which had affordable lodgings available and were only about one hour away by train.
But we still had a bus back to Lyon early Sunday morning to consider and felt going to another country would derail our whole trip to see the Christmas Capital of Europe.
I checked Booking.com for just one night instead of two, and there were three options. But every time I’d make a booking it would immediately cancel because they weren’t ACTUALLY available. Now I had over $1K in holds on my account and nowhere to stay when finally our last attempt went through.
Phew! “At least we have somewhere to stay tonight, and we can figure out what to do about tomorrow.”
We showed up at the hotel to hear the receptionist getting an ear-shattering lashing from a livid guest. Needless to say, Enrique looked like he was having a worse evening than we were.
Photo courtesy of Ambar Mejia
When we tried to check in, he said, “I’m sorry, but that booking shouldn’t have gone through on Booking.com. We are full.” I wished I was one of those people who could go into a rage. I wished I could throw an adult tantrum until I got my way, but I’ve never been capable of raising my voice. And I was one more round of bad news away from tears.
“Please, sir, we are in a desperate situation. We are two young women with nowhere to stay tonight. Our Airbnb was canceled, it’s close to freezing temperatures outside, and if we don’t figure something out, we are going to sleep on that bench outside. If there’s anything you can do, we would really appreciate it.”
He melted, “Okay, let me see what I can do.”
It took hours. And as each minute passed, even our options of going to Switzerland or Germany were off the table. The last trains had left.
We heard him clacking away on the computer between stressed sighs, and I hoped he would at least be kind enough to let us sit in the lobby all night where it was warm.
Close to midnight, he came over with two mugs of warm cocoa and cookies, and said, “I have a room for you.” I felt so much relief the tears just started rolling down my face.
Gratitude (And Hot Wine) Is The Best Medicine
The next morning, we tried to make the best of it. Between calls to our host and Airbnb customer service, it felt like our minds were still tied up in resolving our situation.
But we were still alive and well. We were fortunate to have had the money to resolve the situation even after multiple holds. And we were so grateful for Enrique’s kindness.
We just wanted to shake it off and enjoy our girls’ trip.
We took a train to Colmar as we had originally planned. The town and its nearby villages inspired the village in Beauty and the Beast, and there was a Christmas market down every quaint, cobblestoned street. It was hard to continue sulking while surrounded by so much Christmas cheer. (The multiple cups of mulled wine didn’t hurt either.)
After a few hours, we returned to Strasbourg to check out the Christmas markets. With no lodgings available in the city, we decided to take an overnight bus back to Lyon and cut our trip short.
It Got Worse Before It Got Better
More back-and-forth calls to our host and Airbnb, getting soaked at a bus station with no indoor waiting area, freezing temperatures, delayed buses, and midnight bus transfers where the only thing open for shelter was a rock and roll bar and rats. Trust and believe we were ready to go home!
Photo courtesy of Ambar Mejia
Life Is A Box Of Chocolates But It’s Also What You Make It
There were so many times on this trip that I just broke out into hysterical laughter because, with all the chaos of the trip, I was left thinking, what is this a sitcom? Did I somehow end up on the set of Eurotrip 2? Am I really in a rock and roll bar at 1 a.m. singing "Wonderwall" by Oasis in exchange for shelter?
But with every round of setbacks comes an opportunity for reflection, and here are mine:
1. Airbnb might not be the best choice during busy times, especially in smaller cities with fewer options. While we selected accommodations with a Super Host and everyone was responsive, it took three days to initiate a refund, it will take longer to hit my account, and they didn’t necessarily help find us other accommodations. At least with a hotel, there is someone onsite to help you immediately.
2. Always, and I mean always, have wiggle room in your budget or credit cards for things to go wrong. If we had waited for Airbnb to find us a solution, we could’ve been stranded for days. I joked that 25-year-old me would’ve just had the energy to party for two days straight and not sleep, but I was so grateful 31-year-old me had the money to make sure I was safe and could get a good night’s rest.
3. Strasbourg was ripping at the seams with tourists visiting the markets. You could barely get through the markets without standing in a pedestrian traffic jam—even with the rain! It felt like being at an American theme park during spring break.
If I had to do it again, I would fly into Switzerland, rent a car, and drive into Strasbourg in the middle of the week instead of a weekend. Then you could also take time to see the Christmas markets in nearby villages, which I thought were less crowded, more enjoyable, and so adorable.
Photo courtesy of Ambar Mejia
You Catch More Flies With Honey
While previously in my story, I wished I could go into a rage on everyone, like the woman at reception, I think kindness, being respectful, and keeping a cool head saved us.
Enrique could’ve turned us away. The Airbnb host initially suggested we were wrong and that it was a different kind of bug we found, not bed bugs. She is a Super Host, and this is her business. She could get shut down, and I get that. But we had no incentive to fabricate this.
In both situations, we remained respectful, expressed ourselves calmly, and reinforced what we wanted. And in both situations, we were able to get the resolution we needed.
So, if you’re also the kind of person who struggles to raise your voice and feels that sometimes makes you feel unheard, this is your reminder (and mine) that softness is powerful too.
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Feature image courtesy of Ambar Mejia
Originally published on December 25, 2023