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6 Ways To Unclog Your Pores & Minimize Breakouts
I'm fortunate to not have serious skincare issues, but I still complain when bumps appear on my face.
When I usually get these bumpy breakouts, they appear in groups on my forehead. Most of the time, when I get these minor acne outbreaks, I would assume it's caused by a reaction to a moisturizer or face wash, but that wasn't the case. I did some research on what can cause them and I realized, my pores were crying for help. Besides maintaining a healthy diet and drinking more water, here are six ways to unclog your pores and get rid of pesky bumps:
Wash Your Bonnet/Scarf More Frequently and Separately.
Naturally Curly
I realized a big contribution to my forehead breakout was the build-up of products from my hair and face. I've honestly been slipping and haven't washed my bonnet in a couple of weeks and when I did, I washed it with the rest of my clothes, which I don't recommend.
The type of bonnet I use has a wide black band that protects my edges and tends to lay on my forehead. I realized how much oil and product must be living on my forehead causing my clogged pores, so now I hand wash my bonnet every week with Urban Hydration Lemon vegan laundry detergent. I use it because it's a way more gentle than my Tide detergent and I don't want anything else to irritate my skin.
Use A Charcoal Mask In Affected Area(s).
Writer Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
Charcoal masks, face washes, and moisturizers are great for clearing out your skin's impurities and unclogging pores. Since I work from home and I don't particularly have to get glam in the morning, I apply my charcoal masks twice a day to the affected area— once in the morning and again at night. If you don't have this flexibility, I recommend washing your face twice a day with a charcoal face wash/moisturizer and/or applying the mask at night.
I also used a charcoal-infused peel-off mask twice a week to make sure I'm really cleaning out my pores and a retexturizing mask to give my face a deep clean and reduce the appearance of pores.
Keep Your Hair Away From Your Face.
This may sound simple, but it's very important.
You can follow every other step, but if you miss this one, then it's pretty counter-productive. I would refrain from wearing your hair in your face until your pores are cleared and allowed to breathe. Even if you're using natural products, it can be a lot of build-up from both your hair and skin.
Change/Wash Your Pillowcase.
Oh Joy!
Ideally, you should change or wash your pillowcases every week or every other week.
Acne breakouts can not only come from your hair but your sheets as well. Just think about this, our skin tends to rejuvenate and repair itself at night, so why not give it a clean environment to do so? Our pillowcase can have a lot of build-up and irritants we can't see like dead skin, sweat, and bacteria, which can clog pores and cause breakouts.
Use Non-Comedogenic Products.
Writer Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
Products that are labeled as "non-comedogenic" simply mean that they don't block pores. Other products you can use are cleansers made specifically for unclogging pores or fighting acne.
Wash Your Face With Warm Water or Do A Facial Steam.
Turning up the heat a little bit is a good way to open your pores.
You can either use warm water when washing your face or you can boil water and pour it into a bowl and lower your face allowing the steam to go onto your face. As an optional step, you can add a few drops of tea tree or peppermint oil to help open up your pores.
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These 10 Sleeping Masks Will Keep Your Skin Hydrated Overnight – Read More
I Cleared Up My Hyperpigmentation Thanks To This 5-Step Method – Read More
I Got a Chemical Peel To Help My Acne & Here's What Happened – Read More
The Black Girl's Guide To Color Correcting – Read More
Featured image by Shutterstock
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Freelance writer, content creator, and traveler. She enjoys the beauty of simplicity, a peaceful life, and a big curly fro. Connect with Krissy on social media @iamkrissylewis or check out her blog at www.krissylewis.com.
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This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
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Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
Photo courtesy
When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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