In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on the 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.
I unapologetically stan for beautiful brown skin. There's nothing in this world that's more delectable than chocolate, and model/creative director Nneka Ibeabuchi has plenty of it.
If you look in the dictionary and search for a definition of "dat glow," you'll probably see a picture of this 25-year-old Los Angeles native who believes that the true key to happiness is being able to wake up and do the things you love. Nneka radiates beauty all the way from her tightly coiled curls to her toes, proving that she's not new to the Melanin Poppin' Gang, she's true to it. As a 13-year-old girl in Nigeria, Nneka would often sneak and experiment with her cousin's makeup, and a little over a decade later, her stunning selfies prove that she's still at it. She told xoNecole, "Back in Nigeria, I would use my older cousin's maybe palettes and bronzer to put all over my face, and I would always get in trouble."
Along with double-washing your face every night and staying up on your apple cider vinegar game, there's a lot we can learn from Nneka about getting our beauty routines all the way together. xoNecole recently caught up with the Nigerian princess, who gave us the tea on how to keep your skin on 10 at all times, and honey, we are taking notes.
My morning routine looks like...
"Typical mornings for me consist of morning prayer, my morning protein and vitamins, masking, reading emails, and surfing the web. I don't eat till 12 noon-ish, breakfast is not included (laughs)."
For my skincare routine...
"My morning and night skin routine are very simple. I do these full steps in the morning if I have the time that day: I wash my face with Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap for one minute. I like this product because it's natural and it doesn't leave your skin dry. I actually wash my face twice; the second soap is Aini Organix Foaming Black Soap. For some reason, I just like to add black soap to my skincare routine because I feel that's the OG!
"I [recently] started using Aztec Secret Clay with apple cider vinegar to mask. My skin was trying to adjust to the west coast weather since I relocated from the east [coast]. I use the mask right after I'm done washing my face. I apply the mask for about 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water, and then cold water to finish it off. I use my toners after masking: Thayers Witch Hazel with Rose Petals and Aini Moroccan Rose Water Toner. Then, I moisturize with Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel, which I mix with rosehip oil, then I'm set for the day or night."
My go-to makeup look consists of...
"I like a natural glow look. My go-to everyday look consists of a little bit of foundation, concealer for a little highlight, and Ben Nye setting powder for a natural and long-lasting effect. I have full brows, I brush my brows up and fill them out with a little bit of brow powder. Blush, mascara, wing dark eyeliner, and I use rose water to set my face for a long-lasting all day effect."
How I approach beauty from the inside-out...
"Some of the things I do on the inside that make me feel as good as the outside are: prayer, I detox often with apple cider vinegar shots in the morning, and I'm very active. I bike a lot, I love fruits, I don't eat junk food and I eat meat here and there. I love seafood."
What self-care looks like to me...
"Self-care must-haves, I would say, are the things I listed as my morning and night skincare routine. I just gotta have them all, literally. Minus the clay mask."
How I wind down after a long day...
"I take my makeup off as my music is blasting after a long day (music is part of my happiness), take a warm shower, and do my nighttime skincare routine. When my face is masking, I'm responding to emails and also surfing the web. 30 minutes in, I'm having dinner. I brush my teeth after dinner. I don't fall asleep till 11 p.m. sometimes if I'm not so tired, sometimes 10 p.m. "
For more of Nneka, follow her on Instagram.
Featured image by Instagram/AfricanJawn.