Photos by MECCA PRYOR. Composite by India Espy-Jones. By Akili King ·Updated February 25, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

ESSENCE Senior Beauty & Style Editor Akili King believes ‘glow’ is more than skin deep. In The Ritual Report, she shares personal healing practices—from acupuncture for skin and grounding benefits to ‘dopamine dressing’—designed to inspire readers to find creative ways to soothe their nervous systems and reclaim their magic from the inside out.

I’ve always had eczema, but I never recall it being this bad. I remember as a child having flare-ups here and there, but they typically went away with a little extra moisture and patience. These days? The winter has my skin absorbing zero hydration, while the itching and red patches persist without holding up. 

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Meanwhile, I’m sure my unusual stress levels (thanks to both personal reasonings and the state of the world) don’t help, either. It’s felt like a vicious cycle, to say the least, and I do feel like I’ve tried it all. Think: prescriptions, both topical and oral, changing up my diet and gut health, acupuncture, natural remedies, and more. Everything feels like temporary relief to get by. I do have faith it will clear up during the warmer seasons, given that every time I have left NYC this winter to a warmer location, it has mostly gone away.

But, until then, I am left with figuring it out. Some days that means waking up with unexpected patches or scratches from the night before, or other days it being more clear. All that to say, the unpredictability of it all is taking a toll. 

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Not to mention, I don’t really feel like doing my makeup, as I do not want to further irritate my skin. And my hands are feeling raw, so some days, slicking my hair back in a bun is the best bet. Additionally, having my lashes done at my favorite Black-owned beauty spot, Blackshere Beauty, has been a great solve to not having to reapply mascara every day. 

And, now, my latest form of relief is not even beauty related at all. I’ve found that dressing up in bold patterns has helped me have fun with getting ready again. Not only did I notice fun textures and patterns trending during both New York Fashion Week and KODAK Digital Still Camera

Instead of worrying about doing too much to my face, body, or glam, I can dress up in funky sets or an animal printed boot to express my inner world. Something important to me, especially in an industry where I’m constantly on the go—and our >The Lulo Project, a Black-owned brand, that I pulled via RK Communications for fashion week. The accompanying red boots, from LUCASHEVA, with this knock-out heel, that Idecoding=”async” src=”https://media.essence.com/vxcjywbwpa/uploads/2026/02/Facetune_25-02-2026-17-21-15-scaled.jpg” alt=”How Rocking Fun Patterns Is Helping Me Beat Seasonal Blues” width=”400″ height=”533″ />

So, if you’re feeling anything remotely close to what I feel, or simply want to spruce up your winterdecoding=”async” src=”https://media.essence.com/vxcjywbwpa/uploads/2026/02/1467DB87-3847-4082-A78E-D23DFEBCFF60_1_201_a-scaled.jpeg” alt=”How Rocking Fun Patterns Is Helping Me Beat Seasonal Blues” width=”400″ height=”533″ />KODAK Digital Still CameraTOPICS:  eczema self-care

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Author: Akili King

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