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Why Alicia Keys Says Intention-Setting Is The Most Important Step In Her Self-Care Routine
Old folks always say that joy comes in the morning, but I, for one, cannot relate. As a creative with a never-ending to-do list, waking up can be stressful AF, but according to Alicia Keys, the secret to seizing the day is setting intentions in the morning. In a recent interview with Vogue, the singer shared the details on the wellness-inspired self-care routine and dished on how she starts every day by lighting a candle and getting her thoughts all the way together.
She explained:
"I usually get up pretty early. My husband's usually a little bit mad because I'm out of bed so early. He's like, where are you going? I might do a meditation. I might do an early workout. I might just sit in some silence."
"Once all of that's done, I come into my bathroom and I love candles. I'm a candle fanatic. I light my candle and I believe in setting an intention, there's something about lighting something––something burning that's very sacred. And I will think about what it is that I would like for myself for the day."
Alicia explained that women, especially during this time, should delegate more time to pour into themselves, even if that just means taking a few moments in the bathroom to breathe.
"Take that time for yourself and if you feel overwhelmed...escape to your bathroom and just take some breaths in, exhale—do that about 10 times."
For the 8 wellness-inspired self-care must-haves that Alicia can't live without, scroll below!
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Osmosis +MD Deep Clean Detox Cleanser
Amazon
"I've always cared about skincare but…I didn't always have good skin. Everybody's different. You have to keep trying to find what's good for you. Sometimes it takes a minute. My favorite thing to use right now is Osmosis +MD Deep Clean Detox Cleanser. My skin kind of requires a little bit more strength when cleansing."
Sacred Rose Water Spray Body Mist & Aromatherapy
Sacred Rose Water
"Basically, just spray your whole body, like around a thousand times, as much as you need it. And you take it in, breathe it in, you smell it in. What I love about Rose is that it's literally a heart opener, which is why, you know, one would give another person that they love roses. It really does open your heart and don't we all need that? We just need to open your heart, open yourself, just be ready to receive all the good intentions."
X-Treme Cream Propolis Sunscreen SPF 45+
Walmart
"It really smells quite good. And it's also a sunscreen. Well, for me, like I said, my skin is very, very sensitive. So I go very light, very light because cream sometimes can be a little bit heavy. We like to make sure our face has sunscreen on it. It's so good for you."
Gotukola Natural Spring Pure Keratin Hair Mask ($37)
Amazon
"I definitely noticed the haircare treatment is definitely super important. First of all, to give it a break and also just to really put some good nutrients in there. So yes, my hair has taken its share of beatings and right now, it could use a trim, a cut. It could use a lot of stuff right now, but you know what, here we are and we're going to do what we can do in our own little bathroom. And that's also good. So I'm going to go ahead and leave this in all day because it's cool. And then at night, I'll wash it out or in a couple of hours."
Watch Alicia Keys' Guide to Wellness-Inspired Beauty | Beauty Secrets below:
Featured image via Vogue/Beauty Secrets
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
SheaMoisture is providing us with the cheat code for transforming dry and damaged strands into thriving and deeply nourished crowns. By unveiling their 4-step hair system, the SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is equipping you with the tools to reverse signs of hair damage caused by protective styling, heat, and color and is uniquely formulated for Type 3 and 4 hair textures.
The haircare system revives damaged natural hair by repairing and rebuilding broken hair bonds through a game-changing combination of HydroPlex Technology and AminoBlend Complex, a unique blend of fortifying amino acids formulated specifically for curly and coily hair. Scientifically proven to reduce breakage by 84% and make your hair six times stronger (vs. non-conditioning shampoo), the collection infuses your hair with the nourishment it craves and the strength it deserves.
All five products of the SheaMoisture Bond Collection are infused with natural strengthening ingredients like Amla Oil and fair-trade shea butter. The collection consists of the 4-step breakage-fighting Bond Repair system, as well as the Bonding Oil.
“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
Step One: Bond Repair Collection Shampoo
Rejuvenate your hair with SheaMoisture Bond Repair Shampoo, your go-to solution for luscious locks. Packed with hella hydration power, this shampoo adds moisture by 60% while removing buildup without stripping your strands. This shampoo gently cleanses impurities while significantly enhancing shine, smoothness, and softness.
The Bond Repair Collection Shampoo is the first step in the 4-step Bond Repair system, all of which are powered by the uniquely formulated AminoBlend, and HydroPlex, SheaMoisture’s technology that rebuilds hair strength at its core.
Step Two: Bond Repair Collection Conditioner
Tailored to repair styling damage, this creamy conditioner locks in 12x more moisture than standard non-conditioning shampoos, boosting damaged hair strength by 1.5x with significantly less breakage. The creamy SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Conditioner deeply hydrates, enhances manageability, and leaves your hair looking healthier and shinier.
Step Three: Bond Repair Collection Masque
This Ultra Moisturizing reparative masque is a moisture-rich game-changer for those dealing with the aftermath of hair damage caused by styling. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Masque delivers 13 times more moisture compared to non-conditioning shampoos, ensuring your hair feels nourished and soft. Designed to repair and rejuvenate, this masque significantly strengthens damaged hair — making it twice as strong while reducing breakage.
Step Four: Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner
Elevate your curl game with SheaMoisture’s Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner. Lightweight and hydrating, the Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner provides 12x more moisture than non-conditioning shampoos and tames frizz with 24-hour humidity control. Designed to define curls and coils, the leave-in conditioner enhances softness and shine allowing you to detangle effortlessly.
Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
Nia Long Reveals How She Financially Prepared Her Children For The Future
Nia Long has left a mark on the entertainment industry as a renowned actor and producer.
With over 70 projects to her name, the 53-year-old has starred in timeless classics such as Boyz n the Hood, Friday, Love Jones, The Best Man, and the Big Momma's House franchise. Despite her success in Hollywood, Long considers her most significant role to be a devoted mother to her two sons, Massai Dorsey II, 23, and 12-year-old Kez Udoka.
Like any dedicated parent, Long has provided for her children and taken significant steps to secure their future. The star has gone beyond typical parental duties by financially investing in her sons' long-term well-being and success. During the Money and Mindfulness: A Conversation with Nia Long panel at the American Black Film Festival, Long shared the strategies she used that helped one of her sons graduate college debt-free.
The actress' oldest son, Massai Dorsey II, recently graduated from NYU.
During the discussion, Long revealed that before she became a mother, she had started putting money away for her children in an account.
“One of the things is [that] I started saving for my children before I became a mother,” she stated. “I took $3,000, and I just put [it] in this account. I was like, ‘I’m never touching that.’ And it allowed me to get my son through NYU without any student loans.”
Although the Missing star didn't disclose specific details about the type of account she used, Long expressed gratitude for achieving her primary goal of ensuring her children want for nothing.
“I’m so proud. It makes me cry because we did it. Yes, we did it. And it was a plan. And if you put that plan into action and you just don’t waver from your ultimate goal, God will show you the way to get there. I can’t even explain it any other way. You just have to trust the process,” she said.
Toward the end of the conversation, Long explained that while she has financially supported her children through school, she's careful not to overdo it, emphasizing that she wants her children to understand the value of hard work.
“So in four years, anybody in here looking for a young lawyer [or] attorney, he’s going to be a good one,” she quipped while mentioning Dorsey’s future goals. “He needs a job to pay me back. If he’s anything like me, he has a spirit of abundance… a little bit too much because he’s still in my pocket. I just called him on my way here. I got a bill for his electric bill. I said, ‘Massai, really?’ And see, this is the thing, you can’t spoil them too much because part of what made me do what I’ve done is the hustle. You’ve got to draw the line where you don’t tamper with the hustle because in that hustle is that little bit of gangster that makes us make a difference.”
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal