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The start of the holiday season has carried a heaviness for me these past three years. Thanksgiving used to feel warm, joyful, and familiar until life shifted forever. When my Dad passed away unexpectedly the day before Thanksgiving, the holiday took on an entirely new meaning. Every year since then, I’ve felt the ache settle into my spirit long before the turkey hits the table. It’s a reminder of loss, a reminder of the empty space at the head of the family, a reminder of the father who meant everything to me.
But this Thanksgiving, felt slightly different. Not lighter, exactly — but filled with something soft and steady that I haven’t felt in a while. Love surrounded me this year in a way that felt intentional. It felt like God, my community, and my Dad were all wrapping their arms around me at once, just letting me breathe. This year, I woke up and chose to start the day by pouring into myself. I rolled onto a reformer for a morning Pilates session something that has been grounding me through this season of rebuilding my mind, my body, and my energy. I moved my body, thanked it for carrying me, and honored the strength that continues to grow in me day by day. After class, I grabbed a matcha (because that’s my comfort ritual), got dressed, and prepared to spend my day eating good food and soaking up good energy with people who truly love me. I’m giving thanks this year for something I’ve often taken for granted: my health. My physical health, my mental health, my emotional health all of it. There were days not long after losing my Dad when I didn’t recognize myself. Grief changes you. It wears you down, pushes you inward, and forces you to rebuild from the inside out. Taking control of my health has been one of the ways I’ve slowly pieced myself back together. Pilates, walking, journaling, therapy, travel, slowing down… all of it has been part of my healing. Another moment that meant the world to me this Thanksgiving was visiting my Dad’s mural and the street downtown named in his honor. Standing there, taking it all in, I felt both sadness and pride. Sadness that he isn’t physically here, but pride in the legacy he left for our family, our city, and everyone he touched. I let myself sit in the moment really sit and marinate on what truly matters to me and what I want moving into the new year. Life has taught me that goals aren’t just about career milestones or external achievements. They’re about alignment. Peace. Purpose. Impact. I want 2026 to be a year where I honor myself the same way I’ve always tried to honor him by using my gifts, by giving love, and by showing up fully, even when it’s hard. This Thanksgiving reminded me that healing doesn’t come all at once. It shows up in small moments in laughter over dinner, in quiet morning routines, in conversations that feel safe, in the people who hold you together without even realizing it. It shows up in the whisper of a memory when you stand in front of a mural of the man who raised you to sparkle brightly. So this year, I’m giving thanks. For my Dad. For my health. For my community. For the strength to keep going. And for the subtle shift that tells me I’m moving forward not away from him, but guided by him. If you’re grieving this holiday season, I’m sending you love. May you find small moments of light the way I did this year. And may the new year bring all of us closer to the things and people that matter most.
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When you’re a travel and beauty writer, some destinations call your name louder than others and for me, Seoul has been shouting for years. Korea is the Beauty Capital of the World, and I promised myself that before I turned 40, I would take my skincare journey to the next level. I hopped on a 13-hour flight (in Economy!) to finally make it happen. My destination? Lamiche Dermatology, a clinic known not only for cutting-edge treatments, but also for being Black girl skin friendly a non-negotiable for me. The Skin Analysis That Humbled Me The moment I arrived, they cleansed my face and performed an in-depth skin analysis. Then the doctor sat me down and walked me through every detail. My main concerns were hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, tightening, and achieving that lifted, glowing (glass skin) look we all want. Listen, I thought my skin was doing pretty well until they showed me my analysis. Let’s just say it was a gentle jump-scare. Tip: If you’re not ready for your skincare routine to be humbled, Seoul might not be for you. Journey to Perfect 40-Year-Old Skin The clinic itself was gorgeous. It was clean, modern, and super-efficient. The staff answered every question and made sure I felt safe, heard, and cared for. It was foreigner friendly, so the language barrier is not an issue. Korea takes skincare seriously, and the attention to detail is unmatched. The doctor recommended a custom treatment plan based entirely on my skin type and my goals. I’ll be honest: when I saw the list, I was a little overwhelmed. It included lasers, injectables, extractions, and even mole removal. I’m a Black woman who previously suffered a thermal burn from a U.S. med spa laser (which left severe hyperpigmentation), I asked repeatedly if each laser was safe for melanated skin. They reassured me every single time. They numb you thoroughly, explain everything step-by-step, and move with so much care. Beauty may be pain, but this was manageable. Here’s the full list of treatments I received:
Yes. Nine treatments, in one visit. I definitely earned my Seoul skincare badge after that. The Results Speak for Themselves Now that it’s been a month, my skin is still flourishing. The texture is smoother, the hyperpigmentation is fading, and the glow? Ridiculous. Someone recently asked me what highlighter I was wearing and I had to giggle, “Oh, it’s just my skin.” The trip was transformative not just for my face, but for my confidence. I’m now budgeting to go back twice a year because once you experience Korean skincare at this level, you understand why they’re number one. Read my article on HelloBeautiful November 23rd will never be a regular day for me again. It marks three years since my dad passed, and even now, the weight of that loss sits with me like it happened yesterday. Grief doesn’t follow a timeline, and it doesn’t care about how busy your life is. It just… lives with you. Some days it whispers. Some days it roars. But every year, when this date comes around, my heart remembers.
When my dad died, my world paused. My sparkle dimmed. I lost my first love, my protector, my favorite person. And even though life kept moving, I had to learn how to move with it—hurt, healing, and all. Over the past three years, my life has transformed in ways I wish he could have seen. I’ve turned “Mo on the Go” into something real, something that gives me purpose, joy, and sometimes even peace. Traveling became a big part of my healing. This year alone, I lived between London, Milan, and Paris, walking through cities full of beauty and possibility. And honestly, there were moments when I felt closest to him at 30,000 feet, somewhere between clouds and silence. Grief has a way of meeting you in unexpected places. Business has been a journey of its own. There have been incredible highs: press features, collaborations, new doors opening and moments where I felt like giving up. There were days when grief made it hard to think, work, or even trust my own talent. I dropped balls. Missed deadlines. Felt exhausted in a way that had nothing to do with sleep. But I kept going, because that’s who my dad raised me to be. Resilient. Persistent. Soft but steady. And y’all, the work is working. Herald Beauty continues to grow. Professional Pretty is reaching more women. So many Black women tell me they feel seen, uplifted, or inspired by what I share. That means everything to me, because my dad is the one who poured so much of that confidence and compassion into me. When people say I make them feel worthy and powerful, I hear his voice in the background saying, “That’s my girl.” Grief hasn’t faded, but it has shifted. It doesn’t crush me like it used to, but it still taps me on the shoulder at random moments, passing TSA (where I still say hi to him every time), hearing a song he loved, celebrating something big and wishing I could call him. That’s the thing about losing someone who mattered that much: the love doesn’t go anywhere, and neither does the ache. But I’m learning myself again. I finally started therapy this year, which has grounded me in ways I didn’t expect. Pilates has become my moving meditation. Traveling keeps me breathing. And the love from my community, my friends, and my mom has been life-saving. Speaking of my mom, she misses him every single day, but she’s stronger than she gives herself credit for. Watching her navigate life after him has shown me a different kind of courage. And Ralph? Still spoiled, still living his little best life. More than anything, these last three years have taught me how to carry love and loss at the same time. They’ve taught me how to keep going even when the version of life I imagined disappeared. They’ve taught me that legacy isn’t about perfection, it’s about impact. My dad’s impact is still unfolding through me. I wish he could see 2025 Morgan. But since he can’t, I honor him by living fully, traveling boldly, loving deeply, and helping other women feel powerful in their own skin. That’s my way of keeping him close. If you’re grieving someone, I hope you know you’re not alone. We learn to carry it, messy, beautifully, imperfectly. And somehow, we keep moving forward. Your girl has been out here traveling, creating, manifesting, and now… being FEATURED in TravelNoire! Yes, THE TravelNoire the global platform that celebrates Black travelers, culture, and luxury experiences around the world. I’m still on cloud nine!
I had the amazing opportunity to share my take on the best gift ideas for your jet-setting friends you know, the ones who live between TSA checkpoints, passport stamps, and airport lounges. As someone who spends half her life in a carry-on (and the other half at Sephora or a medspa), I had so much fun curating items that make travel easier, cuter, and a whole lot more “Professional Pretty.” Being featured in Travel Noire—a publication I’ve admired for YEARS feels like a full-circle moment in my entrepreneurship journey. When I started building my brands, when I launched Professional Pretty, Herald Beauty, Curvy Cardio, my blog, my TV segments, none of this came with a roadmap. What I did have was a vision to show Black women what was possible. To carve out space where we could see ourselves in beauty, in luxury, in wellness, in travel, in joy. To take what I’ve lived through the grief, the grit, the growing pains and turn it into something that encourages someone else to keep going. Travel has been a lifeline for me. It has helped me heal, expand, and rediscover my sparkle again and again. And to now have my voice recognized by a platform as powerful and culturally significant as Travel Noire? That’s a milestone I don’t take lightly. This feature is not just about me it’s a reminder to keep betting on yourself even when the money isn't all the way there, the timing isn’t perfect, or the world feels heavy. It’s proof that staying committed to your gifts will open doors you didn’t even know were waiting for you. As an entrepreneur, accomplishments hit differently because we know what it takes behind the scenes. The sacrifices. The late nights. The self-doubt. The rebuilding. The reimagining. The audacity to keep creating. So yes I’m celebrating this win loudly because it represents YEARS of work. And honestly? I’m just getting started. More travel + beauty storytelling. More digital content. More international campaigns. More media features. More advocating for Black women to take up space—globally. So… what publication is next? 👀 I would love to contribute even more to major travel and beauty platforms. Manifesting Essence, Allure, Travel + Leisure, Ebony and many more. Thank you to everyone who continues to support my journey. Stay tuned—your girl is just warming up. If you want to support your girl (and get some bomb gift inspo), click here to read my TravelNoire article! Whew! Now that Herald BeautyCON Year 4 is officially wrapped, I can finally exhale—and refocus back on my blog. It always amazes me how life sends you little reminders right when you need them most. At BeautyCON, a woman came up to me, introduced herself, and told me that my blog helped her navigate a hard season after losing someone close to her. I wanted to cry right there in the middle of all the glam, the vendors, the cameras, the chaos. That moment grounded me. It reminded me that even when I feel like I’m writing into a void, someone is reading. Someone is connecting. Someone is healing right alongside me. And honestly, I needed that reminder. Because here’s the truth: just because something is successful doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it. I think a lot of people thought I was joking—or tossing out a cute marketing line—when I said this would be the last Herald BeautyCON for a while. But it wasn’t a joke. I meant it with my whole chest. This was the third year I’ve planned BeautyCON during the anniversary of my dad’s sudden passing. Three years of trying to power through grief while pulling off a 250+ person production that requires me to be “on,” organized, creative, and emotionally available to everyone in the room. And every year, even though the event is beautiful, the weight of it all hits me harder than I ever admit publicly. People see the photos, the press, the packed rooms, the flawless execution. But they don’t see me pushing through tears at 2 a.m., or trying to hold myself together when the grief fog rolls in, or pretending I’m fine because the show must go on. They don’t feel the emotional toll that comes with working through trauma triggers while simultaneously uplifting others. So yes… next year, I’m pivoting. Not because BeautyCON isn’t successful. Not because the community doesn’t need it. But because I need to honor where I am in my healing journey. I need to give myself space to reset instead of pushing myself past my limits for the sake of tradition. Is this the end of Herald Beauty? Absolutely not. Herald Beauty is a movement, a platform, a safe space— and it’s not going anywhere. But I am retiring the big, massive, 250+ person BeautyCON experience for a bit. What I deserve right now is peace. What I deserve is softness. What I deserve is the same care I encourage every woman in that room to give herself. Our next event, Herald Beauty’s 5-Year Emerald Anniversary, is happening April 11th, and this one will be intimate on purpose. Only 50 seats. No chaos. No overwhelm. Just community, celebration, and connection. Ten seats are already gone, and honestly, I’m excited to pour into something that feels aligned with where I’m growing. And yes-- “Morgan, you just had an event and you’re already promoting for 2026?” Yep, sure am. Because when you pivot, you plan differently. You protect differently. You pour back into yourself with intention. That’s what this season is teaching me: I am allowed to evolve. I am allowed to shift. I am allowed to choose me without explanation or apology. I’m proud of this version of me—the one brave enough to say, “This is too much right now,” and wise enough to listen to her body when it whispers, “Rest.” I’m proud of this season of change. And I’m grateful for everyone who understands it. Stay tuned—there’s so much more to come. I’ve got a handful of backlogged blogs I need to catch up on (whew, bear with me!), and I can’t wait to share more of this journey with you. In the meantime, leave me a comment to keep me encouraged. Y’all don’t know how much those little notes truly keep me going. |
About MorganMorgan Angelique Owens is the author of "Finding My Sparkle" and Founder & CEO of the MAO Brand, Professional Pretty, and Curvy Cardio, LLC. Archives
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