It’s not like I’ve been totally unfamiliar with hyaluronic acid and its potential. I mean, I don’t know about y’all, but several years back, it seemed like I couldn’t go one day without seeing actor Eva Longoria talking about it in a commercial (she was on loop just as much as those annoying and borderline obnoxious Lumē ads). Still, you know how it is — if you’re not someone who is proactive or even just somewhat intentional about skincare, the things that you need to do to keep your face, neck, and other parts of your body looking youthful and radiant are probably not something that you choose to investigate very often (if at all).
Oh, but as time is moving and, interestingly enough, more people are complimenting me on not looking the age that I am, I’ve become a student of products that are proven to keep the affirmations and acknowledgments coming — and one of them is, yep, hyaluronic acid. Give me a few moments of your time, and I’ll explain why.
What Is Hyaluronic Acid? Why Should You Care?
Yeah. If you just watched the video above, you heard Sanaa Lathan actually shout hyaluronic acid out. She recently observed her 52nd birthday, and so, if that’s not a powerful endorsement for all that we’re about to get into, I promise you…I don’t know what is.
So, what is hyaluronic acid to begin with? For starters, did you know it’s something that your body naturally produces? Yep, not only is it a substance that helps to keep your body hydrated, thanks to its slippery texture, but it’s also great at keeping your joints well-lubricated, speeding up the healing process of wounds, fighting gum disease, reducing acid reflux, and keeping your vagina moist. So, even though we’re going to focus on the beauty benefits that come from it today, it’s important to know that hyaluronic acid is something that your body needs on a daily basis — whether you ever realize it or not.
Oh, and if you’re wondering if there are ways that you can get more of this acid actually into your system, the answer is “yes.” Aside from the supplements that exist, there are certain foods that are high in the acid too. Some of those include bone broth, almonds, sweet potatoes, oranges, and kale.
With all of this on record, let’s get into some of the ways that hyaluronic acid can benefit you, on the beauty front, if you opt to use it in topical form.
What Hyaluronic Acid Does for Your Skin
Getty Images
For the past few months now, I’ve been applying hyaluronic acid to my face and neck, every morning and every night after washing my face with sulfur soap — and yes, I have noticed a difference! More than anything, it’s made my skin feel and stay hydrated, which would make sense since that is what this kind of acid is designed to do.
Since I’ve read that hyaluronic acid plays a significant role in actually giving our skin structure, no wonder it also provides skin more elasticity and flexibility, smooths out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and it can provide a barrier for your skin so that it’s more difficult for bacteria to penetrate it. There are even some studies that state using this acid, in foam form, can bring much relief to eczema.
As far as the kind of hyaluronic acid that’s best, going with one that’s as pure as possible is always ideal. Avoid a brand that contains alcohol (especially in the top three ingredients) because that can actually dry out your skin. Also, if the product also contains vitamin C, that will definitely work in your favor; that’s because vitamin C is a nutrient that helps to produce the production of collagen, plus it contains antioxidants that complement hyaluronic acid very well. And definitely stay away from fragrance if your skin is naturally sensitive; otherwise, you could end up with redness or breakouts.
Personally, the brand that I use is Good Molecules’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum. It’s priced reasonably, is easy to apply, and feels really refreshing and light. If you want to read up on some other brands that are available, Allure has 15 listed here, and Byrdie has 12 listed here.
What It Does for Your Hair
Getty Images
Even though hyaluronic acid and I have been rocking for a hot minute when it comes to my skin, I’m just now taking it seriously when it comes to my hair. The reason why it’s seriously worth considering when it comes to your tresses is, since Black hair tends to be naturally dry (because it’s challenging for the natural sebum on our scalp to twist and turn around all of the curls we’ve got on our head), this is an acid that can add some additional moisture to our locks as well. As a result, it will reduce breakage, decrease frizz, and add shine to your locks. Something else that’s pretty cool about it is, if like me, you have a dry scalp, you can apply the acid directly to it, and it will moisturize that part of your body, too.
So, just how should you apply this acid to your hair and scalp? There are a few different ways that will work in your favor. You can use it as a pre-poo treatment. You can apply it after giving your hair a final rinse on wash day in order to “lock in” the moisture that remains. You can mix it in with a carrier oil like avocado, plum oil, or grapeseed oil in order to seal your ends. You can apply it to your hair after dyeing it to give it some extra hydration (by the way, I recently watched Natural Reign’s YouTube channel, and she also recommends Wella Professionals’s Ultimate Repair too; she’s got quite a bit of hair on her head and it stays healthy so…that’s just a bonus tip).
What I personally do is add some of the serum that I have to my shampoo to give it more “slip”; however, if you want to check out some popular products that contain a concentrated amount of hyaluronic acid, you can see a list of ‘em here.
What Hyaluronic Acid Does for Your Nails
Getty Images
Too little iron and/or vitamin C and/or folate in your system, aging, and low thyroid levels — these are all things that can lead to brittle nails. Know what else can be the culprit? Dry nails? In fact, a lack of moisture on your hands can cause raggedy cuticles, too. A surefire remedy? Yep, you guessed it: hyaluronic acid. By applying some of the serum to your hands (your nails and nail beds especially), it will boost hydration to them, so that your nails (and cuticles) can remain healthy and strong. A great hack is to mix some serum with a bit of coconut oil or vitamin E first; if you do so, your nails will look and feel amazing!
_____
So, there ya go. If you never really thought about adding hyaluronic acid to your daily beauty routine, now you’ve got several reasons why you absolutely should. It’s something that I don’t regret over this way — hell, wish I had researched it sooner. Super glad that I know about it now.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Jay Yuno/Getty Images
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
My work as a creative professional demands energy—writing, speaking, creating, connecting. But this year had been different.
The pandemic's lingering effects, combined with an industry in flux, meant that every opportunity felt like it needed to be seized, every moment maximized. I had become a master of productivity, but at a significant cost to my inner peace. So as the year winds down, I decided to do a fun weekend getaway to Houston to pour into myself. The signs of burnout weren't subtle.
My creativity was becoming mechanical, my inspiration flickering like a candle about to extinguish. Conversations that once sparked joy now felt like transactions. My body was sending urgent messages—tension headaches, disrupted sleep, a constant low-grade anxiety that hummed beneath my skin. I needed more than a vacation. I needed a reset.
The Thompson Houston: A Sanctuary for Creativity and Peace
A Physical Space for Mental Restoration
For this reset, I chose to spend my days reveling at the Thompson Houston. The Thompson Houston wasn't just a hotel; it was my chosen sanctuary. Its design spoke to my need for simplicity and elegance—clean lines, thoughtful spaces that invited introspection. The suite felt like a blank canvas, free from the clutter of my usual environments, providing the mental space I desperately needed to breathe.
Credit: Thompson Hotel
Holistic Wellness Beyond the Typical Retreat
The spa became more than a luxury—it was a therapeutic experience. Each treatment seemed designed to peel back layers of accumulated stress. The massage therapists didn't just work on muscles; they seemed to understand the emotional weight carried by physical tension. Here, healing was intentional and comprehensive.
A Quiet Witness to Personal Transformation
Most importantly, the Thompson Houston offered something intangible: permission to be still. In a world that constantly demands movement, the hotel provided a gentle pause. My suite, with its expansive windows overlooking Houston's dynamic landscape, became a cocoon of reflection. I journaled, meditated, and allowed myself to simply exist without the pressure of constant productivity.
Credit: Thompson Hotel
The Transformation
As someone who thrives on meticulous planning, the ultimate retreat became embracing spontaneity—letting my days unfold naturally from journaling to leisurely walks to reading, all within a beautifully unhurried rhythm. By my retreat's end, something fundamental had shifted. I wasn't just rested; I was realigned. The constant motion had been replaced by a profound sense of clarity. My creativity, which had felt like a depleted resource, began to pulse with renewed energy.
This wasn't about escaping reality, but about creating the space to genuinely reconnect with myself. The Thompson Houston was more than a destination—it was a catalyst for personal renewal.
For fellow creatives, travelers, and professionals who find themselves constantly in motion, remember this: Rest is not a luxury. It is a critical investment in your most important resource—yourself.
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 Getty Images