The Beauty & Wellness Devices I Still Use (And Actually Swear By)

 

A Vegan Mucin Game Saver

 

All designs by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

There are moments in your skincare journey when everything just clicks, when your routine stops feeling like a rotation of random products, and it just starts working like a system. For me, that shift happened when I started focusing on my skin's barrier health, hydration, and intentional layering. Instead of chasing trends, I began building a routine that adapts to what my skin actually needs. And somewhere in that process, ONE product quietly became the foundation of it all: Glow Recipe Prickly Pear Cactus Mucin Serum!

Why One Cleanse Was Never Enough, and How My Skin Told Me

 

My Favorite Beauty & Skincare Finds of 2025

All graphics by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

 

2025 quietly cured me of my beauty product hoarding habit and honestly, I didn’t see that coming. I’ve always loved the ritual of trying something new: the promise of glow, the thrill of a fresh tube, the belief that this product might be the one! Butttttt somewhere between half-used serums crowding my shelf and blushes bought purely on vibes, I hit a mental wall. I didn’t want more steps, more clutter, or more “miracle” claims. I wanted products that could keep up with my real life, the rushed mornings, the late nights, the days where self care needed to be efficient but still feel indulgent. Beauty stopped being about the chase and started feeling more like a relationship: something built on trust, consistency, and small moments of pleasure. The products that stood out this year weren’t loud or flashy. They didn’t beg for attention. They just worked quietly, reliably, and in a way that made my routines feel intentional instead of overwhelming. These are the ones that earned their place by showing up, day after day, exactly when I needed them!

I Used the HigherDOSE Red Light Face Mask for 3 Months, Here’s What Happened...

 

The Science of Survival: The Prickly Pear Cactus and Its Healing Beauty Benefits

 

Timeless Beauty Rituals That Still Inspire Us Today

 

The Beauty of the Ritual

 

Dewy Skin, Simplified: Your 4-Night Skin Cycling Routine with Glow Recipe

 

Sunscreen: The Beauty Secret You’re Probably Skipping

 

If I had to reveal just one beauty secret, the kind that’s made the biggest difference in my skin’s texture, clarity, and glow, it would be this: wearing sunscreen daily! And yes, I mean every. single. day. Rain or shine, indoors or outside, sunscreen is the real MVP in my skincare routine. Also let´s let go of the old timey thinking that because you’re a person of color, you don’t need sunscreen, that myth has been debunked!

Glow Getter

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

The beginning of the year has a way with reminding us to reset and refresh. This time of year can be invigorating—a time when you think anything is possible and you have some momentum and inspiration to really go for it. As you focus on big goals like maybe finishing a new passion project, learning a new language or discovering a new hobby, there is something you can do to face this fresh new perspective with a little extra pizzazz, get a fresh new face (by boosting the one you already have that is)! After all you have to put your best face forward. Just like makeup, a good skincare routine can enhance your features and best part is you can integrate glowing additions without having to go to a spa or break your budget.

Mothers

Illustrated By Jacqueline Davis Moranti 

It hasn't been until recently that I started realizing how important family is. For me as a woman of South American descent, most of my family unfortunately do not live in the same country. As a kid I always wondered why my family's reunions were always so small and then going to friends' family reunions were such a big difference. Growing up in the Dominican culture taught me a lot, especially about mothers. As I've grown older, I've come to understand my mother so much more and vice versa. The way a family grows stronger with time, it is a beautiful way of blooming. My mother is inevitably getting older, even though her spirit is so young that she may seem not much older than myself! I know time flies and I want to make the most of the time that I have with her, she is in fact, my favorite person. And I owe so much of who I am to her. As an adult, I want to give her everything. Even more than what she has given me. Because she definitely deserves it. My family life is a unique experience, and I feel blessed to say that it is mine.

Spring Cleaning

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Winter is finally looking like it's coming to an end, the days are longer, the layers are lighter and i'm sneezing a little bit more! With the dawn of the new spring season comes the daunting task to 'spring clean' and not just your wardrobe but also skin/ hair routine. As a naturally kinky/ coily haired woman, switching up my routine can be quite overwhelming because you don't quite know what to expect since naturally textured hair can have a mind of it's own! Honestly, having coily hair is a lot of work, not even going to lie! Additionally, the fact that people tend to take women of color less seriously when their hair isn’t "maintained" and there you have a nice cocktail of social, societal, and personal pressures to look "decent" at all times. Even today, in 2019, hair is still constantly politicized, which is ridiculous to say the least, but at the same time, we don’t really have a choice but to take good care of our hair because of how different it is. Hair routines are a big part of being a WOC since our hair is part of our identity. You have to take care of your waves, kinks, and curls. And adjusting your hair care routine for the season is just as equally important. This season I'm taking it a bit further by trying to stick to all natural products for my hair, for which i'm secretly telling myself, "Buckle up, cuz this venture is going to be a long ride!"

Keeping Up With Health Through Winter

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Despite the coming joys of the Holiday season, there is still plenty to be weary of this winter.
Cold weather provides a whole new set of obstacles for our health and can wreak havoc on our
bodies. However, with the right preparation, you can show winter who’s boss! Below are some
of my favorite tips to ensure your mind and body are in their best possible
state to combat the harsh elements.

A Menu For Your Skin

Illustrated By Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Most of us know, to have a flawless complexion we need to have a skincare regimen for day and night. For me, it's essential to have a regimented routine especially because many of my family members suffer from adult acne. Sometimes we get lazy and use a makeup wipe or a facial wash without correctly removing the makeup from our skin, been there- done that! Sorry ladies and gents, but in order to have firm and glowing skin we need a little more than a wipe. Here is a menu of skincare needs to incorporate into our day and night skincare routine especially now that that the weather is getting significantly cooler!

Everyday Makeup Routine

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

When it comes to routines, we tend to stick with what we know. From the choice of morning food choices to how we pick out our clothing options for the day, it's as if everything is a some how predetermined. It would be an understatement to say that I like makeup, not a makeup professional in the least but I genuinely enjoy it. One of my favorite ways to do my makeup is via the "No Makeup, Makeup" look, which is a bit of an oxymoron moron! 

Beauty Bit, Daytime Skincare

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Routines are ever changing, especially when it comes to skincare. Young women and men are always seeking to find that holy grail product that they can't live without, I myself am always on the look out. While I may have a few haircare and makeup products that I absolutely can't live without, my skincare regime changes as often as the season does. Skin is finicky and subject to change without a days notice which is why I'm always having to adjust. My skin, especially during the summer months tends to be on the oilier side which means I have to work on controlling that before anything else. You can't have "poppin" makeup with bad skin so check out what I do to keep the skin at bay.

Beauty Bit, Micellar Waters

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

I've read many beauty articles that claim French women have the best skincare, i've always wondered why that is? Could it be their effortlessly simple makeup routine, or their natural glow from within, dew? I've actually learned recently that their secret weapon of choice is micellar water, this magical water is a skincare game changer and I knew I had to try it out for myself!

Beauty Bit, Bold Weekend Look

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

When it comes to doing your makeup, Monday through Friday is pretty bare and minimal. Going to work means looking like a "normal" human being that can function in the world. If you were to discover a new beauty trend throughout the week that would mean holding off on it until the weekend. For example when Fenty Beauty dropped (Tuesday), unicorn eyebrows, contouring, glitter eyeliner, moody lips, as lovely as all of these trends are, all are unfortunately inappropriate for the office. As soon as 5pm on Friday hits, it's game on with my makeup. All rules are broken and no beauty trend is off limits! I've been using a lot of It Cosmetics products, so naturally I like to play around with my looks utilizing their products.

Beauty Bit, Fall Skin Redo

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

As the season changes, so does my wardrobe and as my wardrobe changes with the seasons, so does my skin care routine. Colder weather means drier skin, or at least for me it does! With that said, I have to make sure to keep my skin looking and feeling dewy. One of the best ways I work on achieving that goal is by keeping my routine hands free, or mostly hands free which means having an arsenal of brushes and sponges around to keep my face from picking up any unwanted extra oils. When it comes to my makeup routine it's makeup brushes galore (more on that soon!) but for washing my face one face towel just wasn't enough. That's where the Clarisonic Mia 1 comes in!