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We Asked A Dermatologist All Your Burning Skincare Questions
Skincare. It's the hot button topic in the beauty world and everywhere you look, there's a new product to fill our carts with both online and in store.
As brands increase their awareness surrounding "inclusion," it's important to note that many Black women deal with skin issues that individuals of other ethnic groups don't experience. So how exactly do we know what products to put our dollars towards and which ones to leave on the shelf? When all else fails, there's nothing wrong with asking for some expert help, so we called in a doctor, literally.
Dr. Tiffany Clay is a board-certified dermatologist based in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia. After struggling with skin issues ranging from pubescent acne to eczema in her early 20's, Dr. Clay now finds herself assisting others with their skin issues through general dermatology and cosmetic procedures. She also uses her platform to increase awareness surrounding skincare education. She stresses that like most health concerns, "Things don't have to be terrible for you to go to the dermatologist."
These days, it may seem as if just about everyone with clear skin and a decent social media following can be a skincare guru, but nothing beats the real, board-certified deal! Today, the doctor is in to answer all of your most-asked skincare concerns:
What is the best way for people with oily skin to manage their skin type?
COSRXAHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner, $17
Oily skin actually makes you look more youthful when you get older, so embrace that oily skin! They say that the oilier your skin is, the more plump your skin will become [as you age], which reduces wrinkle production. If you're more on the oily side, use products that are more clarifying and will keep you at a good pH balance.
Sometimes the thought is that if the skin is oilier, you want to dry it out, but your skin is going to realize that and produce more oil for you. Try not to go overboard with products that are going to make your skin feel squeaky clean; I recommend using a cleanser or toner that has a BHA and AHA, which will unclog the pores and remove the excess oil left on the skin.
Is there truly a way to minimize large pores?
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum, $90
Pores are a function of the structure for the rest of the skin, so you need healthy, plump skin to hold your pores together so they're not "looser," which makes them appears wider. As we age, the pores lose their structure by not being held up by the rest of the skin and that happens from day to day sun damage, not wearing sunscreen, and losing our collagen, which is one of the components that keeps our skin nice and tight.
When that happens, all of this breaks down our collagen then we realize our pores are wide. Also, make sure your pores are decongested from oil and dirt. You can do this by getting facials, extractions, or at home by using those acids like Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) and Hyaluronic Acid (HA), which are going to get those different components out of the pore. Then, you want to do something that's going to start to build up the skin structure again and tighten it. For this, there are Retinoids, which are Vitamin A derived creams and gels that you typically apply at night that helps you build new collagen in your skin.
What would you say is the best remedy for dark marks, acne scar, and hyperpigmentation?
Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30, $18.99
Number one is always use sunscreen. As women of color, we aren't accustomed to wearing sunscreen and think we don't need sunscreen because we have melanin to protect our skin. But when we sit in the car and walk around outside, just those short few minutes that we're exposed to ultraviolet light can actually make our dark marks darker or make them not resolve as quickly as they could. You can't fade something if you're allowing it continuously get darker. So again, sunscreen! It's definitely a hard habit to get into but it's worth it. Also, don't pick your pimple. The short-term relief of it could resolute in the long-term effect of a dark spot.
There's this fad where people are using Apple Cider Vinegar, lemon juice, and toothpaste [on their face]. We don't think about it but a lot of these products are acidic and I haven't seen the cases where it works; I've only seen the cases where people come in with chemical burns on their dark spot or pimple and now we have even more hyperpigmentation to remove from the results of damaged skin. Lastly, if it's something that you're struggling with alone, just see a doctor because we could make it more manageable and clear it up faster than if you did it alone.
What sunscreen would you recommend for WOC?
EltaMD UV ClearBroad-Spectrum SPF 46
You always want to have a sunscreen that's an SPF 30 or higher. One of my favorite oil-free sunscreens is by EltaMD called UV Clear Broad-Spectrum. It's actually made for people with acne and hyperpigmentation. Another good one is CeraVe Ultra-Light Face Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30, which is really thin and light. For someone who needed something a little richer, Revision Multi-Protection Broad-Spectrum, and [it's] on the higher-end with built in anti-aging antioxidants.
Featured image by Getty Images.
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
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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
Feature image courtesy
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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