It’s a month of soirées, soft lights, and celebrations. Between the glamour and the rush, remember to go steady.
November in Lagos comes with its own pulse — fast, glittering, and beautifully relentless. With Lagos Fashion Week already in full swing, ART X Lagos approaching, and a carousel of shows, openings, and soirées in between, the city feels like one long exhale of creativity. This is my first fashion and art season as Editor-in-Chief, and I’m genuinely thrilled to be living it in real time. For many of us, this period is about more than attending events; it’s about showing up with grace, clarity, and a sense of self that doesn’t get lost in the crowd.
That’s the energy behind this month’s Elevate & Illuminate edit — a thoughtful curation of the little things keeping me centred and radiant through the rush. Each pick meets me where I am and helps me expand into who I’m becoming, without asking me to perform or perfect. November’s rhythm demands presence, not pressure — and this is what’s helping me move through it all, grounded yet glowing.
Beauty, Refined
Soothing the barrier between beats
This month, I’ll be in full glam mode — it’s Lagos Fashion and Art Week, after all. Between the constant facebeats, flashing lights, and long days, my skin — like most of ours — is bound to feel the impact. So I’m leaning into products that restore balance, hydration, and calm, keeping my base healthy beneath the layers.
These picks make sure that even when the makeup comes off, the glow stays on:
10% Niacinamide + 4% TXA Acid Serum Eye
₦18,000
Anua
This serum is a total lifesaver for hydration and pigmentation. It sinks in beautifully and gets to work fast — calming irritation, brightening dullness, and keeping my skin even and supple without feeling heavy. It’s one of those products that genuinely shows up when your skin needs it most.
Mochi Toner
₦15,000
Berceker
You know I love a good toner — and this one delivers. It drenches my skin in deep, lasting hydration, leaving it soft, plump, and cushiony, almost like mochi. Beyond the instant glow, it helps strengthen my skin barrier and soothe any post-makeup irritation, keeping my complexion balanced and resilient. It’s that reliable reset my skin craves after long days under layers of glam.
Flawless base, flawless face
When people ask how my makeup manages to stay on all day, the real answer is always skin prep. A good base makes all the difference — it’s what keeps everything smooth, seamless, and long-wearing.
These two products are my secret weapons for locking in hydration and ensuring every layer of makeup sits beautifully, from the first swipe of foundation to the final touch-up:
Primer
$7.45
Bellazuri
I love how hydrating this primer is — it gives my skin that smooth, supple base that keeps everything in place. If you have dry skin like me, this is a total game changer. It prevents that tight, parched feeling you get after baking, and helps makeup stay crease-free through long days and even longer nights.
Lasting Fix Setting Spray
₦18,000
Maybelline
Maybelline ate with this one. The Lasting Fix Setting Spray is that final touch that makes all the difference. A few spritzes, and your makeup stays exactly where you put it, from morning meetings to midnight events. It’s lightweight, doesn’t cake or dull your glow, and somehow manages to keep your skin looking fresh instead of flat.
Effortlessly transition your scent from day to night
Smelling nice is one thing, but smelling right for the moment — that’s the real secret. Fragrance has its own kind of language; it can whisper, command, or simply linger, depending on when and where you wear it.
A light, airy scent carries beautifully through the day, keeping you fresh and composed. As the sun sets, something richer, deeper, and more sensual steps in to set the tone. It’s less about vanity and more about harmony — aligning how you smell with how you feel.
These are my go-to picks for transitioning seamlessly from day to night, one spritz at a time:
Philosykos
$255
Diptyque
This fragrance is truly intoxicating — lush, earthy, and deeply sensual. With notes of fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig wood, and a whisper of black pepper, it captures the warmth of sunlit skin beneath a fig tree. It’s both green and creamy, balancing freshness with depth — the kind of scent that lingers softly but leaves a lasting impression. Perfect for day events, it feels effortlessly elegant and refined, making it ideal for everything from brunches to gallery visits.
Black Opium
₦257,500
YSL
This fragrance is a full-throttle night-out companion. What I love about it: it signals you mean business. One spritz and your presence is louder. It’s warm, magnetic, and unapologetically bold — perfect for evenings when the lights go down and everything tilts toward the charged and flamboyant.
Style, Elevated
The season of statement pieces
November is the perfect time to make a statement. With Lagos Fashion Week, GTCO Fashion Weekend, ART X Lagos, and a flurry of cultural events filling the calendar, the city is practically begging for bold style moments. It’s the season to lean into your individuality, turn heads, and have fun with fashion.
These pieces are vibrant, playful, and full of personality — exactly what this time of year calls for.
Mobo Dress
₦240,000
Motthelabel
This piece is a dazzling asymmetric denim number that just works — effortlessly stylish with a silhouette that commands attention. What I love most is the fabric: soft, supple, and unexpectedly comfortable, unlike traditional stiff denim. It moves with you, making it as easy to wear as it is eye-catching.
Melissa Dress in “Yellow”
₦185,000
Jewel Jemila
This radiant silk number is pure sunshine in dress form. The colour, the texture, the way it catches the light — everything about it feels luxurious. It’s one of those pieces that instantly lifts your mood the moment you slip it on, and I absolutely love it.
Wear jewellery, as the Lord intended
Honestly, I always say — wear at least 1kg of jewellery at any given moment, as the Lord intended. Jewellery doesn’t just accessorise — it infuses a look with character, depth, and presence. It’s the detail that transforms something simple into something unforgettable. I love how the right pieces can shift an outfit from simple to striking, adding that touch of personality and power.
These ones are bold, beautiful, and utterly commanding — exactly what a good statement should be:
Kofo Chunky Long Necklace
₦250,000
Rèfainì
Talk about a statement piece! This 18ct gold plated brass necklace is a total showstopper. The bold design paired with the gleam of tourmaline gives it such a striking, confident energy. It instantly elevates anything you wear it with, adding that perfect touch of polish and power. I’m completely obsessed.
Kofo Earrings
₦180,000
Rèfainì
Part of Rèfainì’s Kofo set, these earrings are surprisingly lightweight for such a bold design. They make just the right kind of statement — striking, elegant, and easy to wear all day without that heavy pull. The perfect balance of confidence and comfort.
Mindful Living
Energisers for the heart and soul
As the season picks up, it’s only natural to hit moments where the pace catches up and dullness creeps in. Luckily, these picks are here to help you reset — boosting your energy, focus, and overall sense of alignment.
Think of them as small yet powerful ways to keep your spark alive while everything around you speeds up:
Zingy Lemon & Ginger Herbal Tea
£7.69
Tetley
This tea is an instant pick-me-up — bright, tangy, and full of warmth. The lemon gives it that refreshing kick, while the ginger adds a comforting spice that wakes you right up. It’s the perfect burst of energy to start (or restart) the day.
“Citrus Burst”
₦24,035
Dang!
With lively notes of mandarin, lemon, tangerine, and orange, this scent is pure sunshine in a bottle. It’s bright, juicy, and impossible to ignore — the kind of fragrance that wakes you up, lifts your mood, and gets you going from the very first spritz.
The Season’s Affirmations
As life gets busier and the spotlight shifts from one moment to the next, it’s easy to lose touch with that quiet centre of self. These affirmations help me return to it.
They celebrate individuality without isolation, and community without conformity — because the two can, and should, coexist.
1.
I am confident in my individuality and open to connection.
2.
I am grounded in who I am, even as I grow and evolve.
3.
I am surrounded by people who inspire, support, and challenge me.
4.
I am a reflection of the love and brilliance that flows through my community.
5.
I am worthy of taking up space, softly and powerfully.
6.
I am at ease being seen, known, and understood for who I truly am.
7.
I am aligned with purpose and fuelled by the energy of those around me.
8.
I am grateful for the ways others expand and enrich my world.
9.
I am both an individual light and part of a constellation that shines together.
10.
I am whole on my own, yet made fuller by the bonds I cherish.
Be all that you are, and let that be enough
What I’ve found while putting this edit together is that freedom doesn’t always feel dramatic — often, it’s in the subtle gestures that make us feel whole. A blush that wakes up the face, a shirt that speaks for us, a scent that calms the air around us — these are the details that, together, create a life that feels like our own. They remind me that beauty isn’t about transformation into something else, but about returning to what’s already there.
And so this month, I’m holding close to the simple truth that I am all that I am, and that is enough. If you take anything from these recommendations, I hope it’s the gentle permission to lean into yourself — into your rhythm, your pace, your presence. Because when we choose to show up as we are, the world feels less like something to conquer and more like something to embrace. Separation, after all, is life’s greatest illusion.
Love always,
