Photo Courtesy of mecca Woods.
I know I’m not the only one curious about celebs and influencers’ favorite beauty buys as well as who and what shape their view of beauty in the biz.
The biggest trend of 2018 isn’t mermaids or unicorns, it’s actually your zodiac sign. It seems like more and more of us are turning the stars to not only shine a light on the energies in our lives (on monthly, weekly, or daily basis) but also to help us in unexpected areas of our lives, including helping us discover our signature style, indulging our cosmic character traits with the latest beauty trends, and of course, scoring anything with our zodiac sign emblazoned or inspired by it. Sure, everyone has their own level of skepticism about it. But like other self-care practices (hey, some of us consider our morning makeup routine or a sumptuous bath to be meditative), our horoscopes can offer a peek into our lives that we might not notice on the surface, help guide us when we’re feeling lost, and even give us comfort. Like beauty, it’s all what you make of it.
Photo Courtesy of Fluffy Pop Postcards.
It’s the same approach that Mecca Woods has taken to her own life, even adapting her social services background and experiences as a mom and partner to launch an astro-coaching practice that has led her to become the go-to astrologer for outlets like Bustle, Essence, PopSugar, and more. And for her, it also applies to beauty. After noticing how close to home her horoscopes tended to hit (and taking her advice to heart), I started following the star siren on Instagram and Twitter and fell in love with her penchant for pop culture cues to the cosmos, her chic and kaleidoscopic sense of style, and, of course, her love for bold lip looks.
With her book Astrology For Happiness and Success slated to hit shelves this fall and an increasing array of listicles devoted to looking at every aspect of our signs filling our feeds daily, I figured it was only right to turn the tables and ask the astrologer extraordinaire to share what inspires her beauty choices — other than the stars — discover her number one summer essential, and find out if a zodiac beauty collection by Woods could be written in the stars.
On her approach to style: “I like to have a little ‘wow’ going, something that catches the eye and makes a statement, like a haute red lip or an electric blue eyeliner applied to my waterline. I love statement pieces — that bright pop of color; that funky, chunky piece of jewelry; or that wild and crazy print. I don’t want to do too much. I just want to give people enough so that they don’t forget it.”
On her biggest beauty idols: “Grace Jones, Donna Summer, Danai Gurira, Solange. They don’t fit into the mainstream standard of beauty, and they manage to slay every time. From the colors and the prints, the hair, the quirkiness, the creativity…the GLAM! They each have an iconic style by being true to the things that make them standout in the first place.”
On her first beauty memory: “This isn’t my first beauty memory, but it is one of my earliest beauty memories: I must have been around 13 years old and this guy I knew, he used to cut hair for all the boys in the neighborhood. At one point, he started doing this eyebrow design, where he would take a pair of clippers and create these little “cuts” or lines in their eyebrows – like Big Daddy Kane used to wear. I asked him to do it for me and he did. I was the only girl on the block with that style. I thought I was bad AF.”
Photo via LearnMobile.
On her first beauty buy: “It was a plum hair rinse that I bought with money I made from my first job – working in a supermarket as a cashier. It might have been by Dark and Lovely. My mom wouldn’t let me dye my hair nor would she let me lighten it. She said I could do a rinse, though – the color washes put after a few shampoos. I chose plum because I thought the purple was pretty and different enough from my own hair color. I was SO excited. It brought me some compliments too.”
On the best beauty advice she’s received: “I’ve been told a few times by makeup artists and hairstylists alike that there was no reason why I couldn’t wear bright colors on my face or dye my hair super blonde. Years ago, I used to think I was too dark-skinned to pull off either. I know better now.”
On her number one beauty tip to share: “A clear lip gloss or lip balm. When I’m not in the mood to wear makeup and I’m out barefaced – wearing a good, clear lip gloss or a juicy lip balm makes me feel like my face is camera ready. No ashy lips here!”
On her summer essentials: “Any beauty buys you’re dying to get your hands on? Pat McGrath has this matte, red lipstick called Vendetta that I’ve been coveting. I see that ‘loaded’ lashes are also coming back for this summer. That’s a good thing because they never left for me.”
On developing her own zodiac-inspired beauty collection: “The only thing I can think of are nourishing sheet masks infused with aromatherapy. Each of the 12 masks would be created from a scent that corresponds to and benefits each the 12 zodiac signs. I’m big on beauty as a self-care ritual and I think this infuses the two.”
Check out Mecca’s lipstick stash below: