In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on a daily. Here they break down their beauty routines on the inside and out, as well as the highly coveted products that grace their shelves and their skin.
If you ask Micaéla Verrelien the secret to good skin that just won't quit, the creative would tell you that there is truth in less being more. After years of thinking that keeping up with a 10-step skincare routine was the move, the on-air camera host and content creator learned that her skin thrived on simplicity, derived from beauty lessons rooted in her motherland of Haiti. The roots of this were nurtured by seeing her own mother's approach to beauty and skincare at a young age. In particular, during her childhood, one of the most important beauty lessons she uncovered from her mother was the importance of a skincare-first approach to beauty.
"Growing up as a Caribbean woman, the biggest thing is kind of like how you look, and it's not a superficial thing where it's like you have to be your prettiest self and wear makeup because a lot of natural, my mom, specifically doesn't even wear makeup," she explains to xoNecole during our chat. "But skincare was always like so pivotal. So I would grow up seeing her take care of her skin every morning, every night. Like it was a religion, you know, making sure you wash your face. And it's funny because people say don't go to sleep with makeup on. You know, but even if you don't have makeup on, don't go to sleep with your day on."
Based on the inspiration she found in her roots, Micaéla's beauty evolution involved cultivating a routine that focused on the basics of a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer in that order. Whereas before, her skincare routine consisted of numerous steps and products she received from different brands that didn't necessarily cater to her oily skin type, nowadays, the recipe behind her glow is no more than four steps, and there is a hyperfocus on technique and application. When asked about the simplicity of her beauty routine, she responded, "I guess it's always been simple because before it was non-existent, and now it's existent. You want to be able to have a skincare routine that doesn't feel like a job or like work."
Courtesy of Micaéla Verrelien
"It's a part of the relaxation, just taking care of yourself. And if you have like a 10-step process, either you're forgetting things, you run out of one thing, or it just feels like an assignment. And I think skincare should feel like luxury. Like you're allowing yourself to be immersed in that luxury for that moment of time. It shouldn't feel like a task. And I think that's how I feel about it. And the simpler, the better, especially if it works," Micaéla added.
"I think skincare should feel like luxury. Like you're allowing yourself to be immersed in that luxury for that moment of time. It shouldn't feel like a task."
Feeling like luxury is a prevalent throughline in Micaéla's approach to her self-care. She ritualizes activities like taking herself to the movies and on solo dates, prioritizing routine massages, crossword puzzles, and meditation. This chapter of her life is about intentional indulging which is why she no longer deprives her oily skin of the moisture it craves. Having learned better, she does better.
"You need the moisturizers, you need the serums, and you need to drink more water, which is why the first thing I always do in the morning is drink more water. And I'll notice that my skin is less oily." She added, "Listen, I am looking like a glazed donut, like a whole brown glazed donut, when I go to sleep, I don't care. I'm like, my skin's going to glow in the morning. And you know what, it does, it glows."
Keep reading to learn more about some of the holy grail skincare products the creative keeps in rotation.
Micaéla Verrelien's A.M. Skincare Routine Must-Haves
Credit: Patrizia Messineo
Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-Recovery Lifting Face Mask
Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-Recovery Lifting Face Mask
Charlotte Tilbury
"It's like a rolling ball of ice. But imagine that, but on your face, just a flat ice mask on your face, and you can actually attach it so your face lifts up like that. And it also has acupuncture technology. It's a really cool thing. You look kind of crazy when you're wearing it. I definitely start off the morning routine with that."
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Clinique
"Then I'll go into my skincare, and one of my favorite moisturizers right now, which I love, and I think I need it because I am someone that deals with oily skin, is the Clinique Moisture Surge. And I recommend the 100-hour one because that means, you know, when you add this 100-hour Moisture Surge, it's working and kicking off all the time. So when I wash my face, and then I add it again, it's just kind of like ongoing, always moisturized."
TULA Protect + Glow - Daily Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30
TULA Protect + Glow - Daily Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30
TULA
"I love sunscreen. My favorite sunscreen is TULA. TULA has probably one of the best sunscreens. It's called Protect + Glow Sunscreen. And it's great, you know, if you're going on trips and you want to look very glowy, it kind of gives you a little bit of sparkle too. But that's my preferred sunscreen.
"And then after the sunscreen, I'll add like a dime size of moisturizer. I add more sunscreen than moisturizer. And I don't necessarily add serums on my day-to-day because I have oily skin. I'm looking for moisture in my skin, which is why I use a moisturizer."
Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches
Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches
Peter Thomas Roth
"I love these under-eye masks. So I never used to use under-eye masks, but now I'm like obsessed with them. I don't know if you heard of the brand Peter Thomas Roth. They're such a great brand. So, if I'm doing makeup or if I'm not doing makeup, I always add that in the morning. I've been doing that a lot lately."
Micaéla Verrelien's P.M. Skincare Routine Must-Haves
Credit: Patrizia Messineo
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Clinique
"There's so many different moisturizers, but my preferred one is the 100-Hours. So I'm adding a dime size in the morning, and I'm adding a little bit more [at night]. I would say within two fingers of that Moisture Surge for my skin."
OSEA Hyaluronic Sea Serum
OSEA Hyaluronic Sea Serum
OSEA
"I love serums right now. And one of my favorite ones is from a brand called OSEA. I love them a lot."
OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil
OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil
OSEA
"I also love adding their body oil to my body. So that's something that I use at night as well. During the day, it's not that I don't hydrate my full body, but at night, because while we're sleeping, that's the best time for your body to kind of 'reboot' itself. So I'm adding the same brand OSEA. I add their body oil, like everywhere."
For more of Micaéla, follow her Instagram @micaelaverrelien.
Featured illustration by Qori B.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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If, while on your continual journey to get the best out of your own tresses, you’d like to learn how to get them healthier than it’s ever been, I’ve got seven acids that are typically known for skin use that can be just as beneficial to your hair as well.
1. Salicylic Acid
When it comes to your skin, salicylic acid is beta-hydroxy acid that is great for your skin if you’re looking for something that will exfoliate it, clear out your pores and dissolve dead skin cells. In fact, this is why it’s an acid that is quite popular when it comes to treating acne.
Your hair will enjoy salicylic acid because, if you’re looking to remove product build-up, you want to soothe an itchy or irritated scalp or you’ve got some dandruff flakes that are totally driving you up the wall, salicylic acid has the ability to treat all of this. Either purchasing a shampoo that contains this ingredient or adding it to your favorite scalp scrub is probably the most effective way to get the most out of it.
Just make sure that if your scalp is sensitive or dry that you approach with caution. In these instances, it could end up irritating your scalp more than helping it out, so use a very little bit in the beginning to make sure that it vibes with you.
2. Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that can help to even out your skin tone as well as slow down the signs of aging. The properties in it help to do this by reducing hyperpigmentation and boosting collagen production in your skin as well as keeping it hydrated.
Why is it great for your locks? For one thing, lactic acid is considered to be a humectant. This means that it pulls water from the air so that your hair is able to remain moisturized.
Another thing that makes it a winner is the fact that lactic acid breaks down dead skin cells on your scalp (so that your hair follicles are able to flourish), it can help to soften and detangle your hair (making it a helpful addition on your wash days) and it also helps to protect your tresses from heat styling tools and UV damage. Applying a hair rinse that’s made up of part lactic acid and part water can work wonderfully (so long as you apply it once a month, tops; more than that might be too “intense” for your hair strands).
3. Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid is a water-soluble alpha hydroxy acid that is actually made from sugar. Your skin will adore it because it smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improves the texture of your skin, gently exfoliates, clears your pores and brightens up your complexion overall.
The reasons why you should consider this acid for your hair is because it helps to keep your scalp youthful (and yes, there is such a thing; check out “Your Scalp Ages Six Times Faster Than Your Face. Why It Matters.”), removes excess sebum (that could be clogging up your hair follicles) and it helps to keep your hair moisturized. Your best bet here is to make it a part of your pre-shampooing ritual.
4. Succinic Acid
Succinic acid is an acid that is made from sugar cane and contains antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Although it doesn’t exactly exfoliate (like many of these other acids do), it can still be beneficial to your skin when it comes to reducing the kind of irritation that is associated with eczema, decreasing the bacteria that leads to breakouts and keeping your skin pretty hydrated.
As far as your hair goes, this is an acid that is worth trying out because it helps to balance the sebum that is on your scalp, remove dead skin and product build-up that can irritate your scalp and clog your hair follicles and, succinic acid is also beneficial when it comes to reducing dandruff and helping to prevent hair loss. Most people tend to apply this as a serum.
5. Hyaluronic Acid
I’ve officially sung the praises of hyaluronic acid on this platform before. One example is via the article, “Why Your Skin, Hair, And Nails Need Hyaluronic Acid Like...Yesterday.” On the skin tip, hyaluronic acid is great because it deeply hydrates your skin, contains anti-aging properties and can even bring relief to vaginal (including vulvar) dryness.
Your hair will adore this particular acid because it aids moisture to it (including your hair follicles), will help to improve your hair’s texture and it also soothes scalp dryness, nurtures the cuticles of your tresses and decreases frizz. Using a serum rich in this acid as a pre-poo or as a leave-in conditioner is recommended.
6. Azelaic Acid
If you’ve never heard of azelaic acid before, this is your lucky day. It’s a dicarboxylic acid that, when it comes to skincare (and hair care) products, is usually synthetic. Anyway, if you are looking for a way to reduce inflammation, even skin tone after a breakout or if you want to use an exfoliant that will improve the texture of your skin overtime, you might want to give this acid a shot.
This one makes the list as far as your hair is concerned because, if achieving more inches is your current focus, azelaic acid might come in handy. That’s because it is able to strengthen your hair, thicken your strands and also stimulate hair growth from within your hair follicles.
7. Glutamic Acid
Glutamic acid is actually a type of amino acid. Skin-wise, it’s great for deeply hydrating your skin as well as protecting it from pollutants and damaging UV rays. Also, if you’re looking for an acid that treats skin dryness or “tightness,” this could be the answer to your prayers.
Since glutamic acid is also considered to be a humectant, it’s another acid that can moisturize your hair. As a result, it can decrease breakage while helping your hair to feel smooth and look shiny.
BONUS: Amino Acids
Speaking of amino acids and hair, please try to keep some amino acids in your diet at all times. The reason why is because, since your hair is made up of mostly protein (keratin, to be exact), amino acids are pretty darn effective when it comes to helping you to maintain the overall health and well-being of your hair.
Ones to prioritize include proline (it boosts collagen so that your hair strands can maintain flexibility); arginine (it increases blood flow to your hair follicles so that they can receive the nutrients that they need); cysteine (it helps to keep your hair follicles healthy); alanine (it helps your system to produce more collagen), and isoleucine (it strengthens the tissues that help to make up your hair strands). All of these are available in supplement form or you can use Google to see which foods contain them.
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Although it might initially seem odd to apply acid to your hair, as you can see, certain ones will work miracles for it. So, test them out to see which one tickles your fancy.
Hell, since they work for your skin as well — it’s a two-for-one deal that is worth every penny!
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