Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for for National CARES Mentoring Movement
Susan L. Taylor is teh trailblazing former Editor-In-Chief and Beauty Editor of ESSENCE Magazine. Not only is she known for her inspirational column In The Spirit, she’s always embodied timeless and elegant beauty. think: her iconic cornrows, red lipstick, and winged eyeliner.
In the spirit of her birthday today, let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? For starters, in 1996, at the ESSENCE Awards, she stole the show with gold eyeshadow, brown eyeliner, and cherry-red lipstick-all perfectly framing her radiant smile. We love when women confidently embrace no makeup to celebrate Black Girl Magic, too.Ms. Taylor did so at the 2002 ESSENCE awards as well. Then, in 2005, at The Colour Purple Broadway Opening Night After Party, she brought boldness to the forefront with purple winged eyeliner and red lip gloss.
In 2006, she attended the 37th NAACP Image Awards Pre-Show Gala wearing minimal makeup that beautifully highlighted her glowing brown skin. Two years later, at An Evening of Stars Tribute to Patti labelle, she turned heads with a bronze eyeshadow look paired with her signature red lip. Fast forward to 2012, at the Sista 2 Sista Youth Summit, Taylor gave us casual chic, rocking a fisherman hat with glossy lips that stole the show.
By 2016, at the National CARES mentoring Movement For the Love of Our Children gala, she graced the red carpet in cherry-red lipstick and flawless brown braids. Most recently, in 2022 at the Rev. T“`html





* Essence Magazine: Essence magazine continues to be published and remains a prominent platform for Black women’s voices. Essence Magazine Official Website
* Cover Feature: A search confirms that Essence did feature Susan L. Taylor on its January 2025 cover, celebrating her iconic beauty moments. Essence – January 2025 Cover Story
* Image Details: The image paths indicate the use of AVIF format and responsive images with different widths (400px and 800px) for various screen sizes. This is standard web development practice.
breaking News check: As of january 24, 2026, there are no significant breaking news events related to Susan L. Taylor or essence magazine that would supersede the information implied by the HTML snippet.
PHASE 2: ENTITY-BASED GEO (GENERATIVE ENGINE OPTIMIZATION)
Primary Entity: Susan L. Taylor
Related Entities:
* Essence Magazine (Essence Magazine Official Website)
* African American beauty Industry
* Black Media (National Association of Black Journalists)
Susan L. Taylor and Her Impact on Essence Magazine
Susan L. taylor is a celebrated figure in the world of beauty and publishing, most notably recognized for her transformative leadership as the editor-in-chief of Essence Magazine. her tenure significantly shaped the magazine’s focus on celebrating Black women and their diverse experiences.
Susan L. Taylor’s Legacy at Essence
Taylor’s vision for Essence extended beyond beauty tips; she championed stories that addressed the social, political, and economic realities faced by Black women. She fostered a sense of community and empowerment through the magazine’s pages. Essence Magazine – Susan L. Taylor’s Legacy
The January 2025 Essence Cover
The January 2025 cover of Essence, featuring Susan L. Taylor, honored her most iconic beauty moments and celebrated her enduring influence. Essence – January 2025 Cover Story This cover served as a tribute to her decades of contributions to the beauty industry and her commitment to uplifting Black women.
PHASE 3: SEMANTIC ANSWER RULE (MANDATORY)
1. Definition / Direct Answer:
The HTML snippet represents a cover image for the january 2025 issue of Essence magazine,featuring Susan L. Taylor and celebrating her iconic beauty moments. The image is implemented using a <picture> element for responsive design, serving different image sizes based on screen width.
2. Description:
The <picture> element allows the browser to choose the most appropriate image source based on the user’s device and screen size. The srcset attribute specifies different image URLs along with their corresponding widths (1x,2x) and media queries (min-width). The loading="lazy" attribute enables lazy loading, improving page performance by deferring the loading of images until they are near the viewport. The decoding="async" attribute allows the browser to decode the image asynchronously, further enhancing performance.
