'Clean' Is A Skincare Non-Negotiable For This Esthetician's Beauty Routine
For as long as she can remember, Dineka Young has been a student of beauty.
During her early school days, her mom enrolled her in a school where beauty was quite literally a part of the curriculum. At eight years old, the Mayo Hill School of Modeling put a young Dineka on game for how to always "look presentable" and maintain her "personal beauty" among other lessons. The now 30-something licensed esthetician and nutritionist jokingly says her time there "created a monster."
The Houston native indulges her affinity for beauty through her skincare brand, SKINBYDI where she provides in-person skincare services as well as all-natural skincare products underneath the same moniker. The evolution of her skincare routine and approach to beauty came with time and changes in her skin, understanding what worked for her skin and ultimately letting go of what didn't.
"I used to believe all skincare products were created equal," she explains in our interview. "As a teen and in early adulthood, I had pretty low-maintenance skin, so I could use and try literally everything with no problem. As I got older, [in] mid-twenties, stressed [and] hormones going insane, I learned that was not the case and that it was very important to use products with purpose to help achieve a particular skincare goal."
Dineka went on to explain that trying out various products on her "temperamental skin" was a "no-go." Just like she streamlined the beauty products she used in her arsenal for better skincare habits, the content creator also adjusted her lens to widen her perspective of what is beautiful. "I used to think that beauty was something you put on, you know? Like, 'I’m beautiful because I got my lashes done, my brows threaded, and my hair is done.' Now, I see beauty in myself and others in their natural state. Bare skin, frizzy hair, bushy brows, etc."
"Now, I see beauty in myself and others in their natural state. Bare skin, frizzy hair, bushy brows..."
Nowadays, it's clean beauty and non-toxic ingredients only. "Non-toxic ingredients are non-negotiable." She continues, "I treat my clients’ skin in the treatment room just as I would treat mine. Professionally working with skin has only solidified my stanning of clean beauty. I have had clients come to see me after seeing a dermatologist, being put on topical and oral meds, and seeing no progress in their skin. I have had clients that have totally different skincare concerns or goals and still be put on the same prescriptions. It's wild."
Seeing the way certain prescriptions had a chokehold on clients, whether or not they made progress in their overall skincare concerns fueled Dineka's desire to rep for clean beauty even more. "It’s made me advocate for natural options, while also wanting to educate and bring light to those areas. There’s beauty in patience and giving your skin time to naturally transform or improve. This is what I try to explain to my clients," she shares. "No shade at all to derms because, of course, they are doctors, and they can provide great pharmaceutical relief when absolutely needed."
Keep reading to learn more about Dineka's self-care must-haves and wind-down routine.
Her locs, her beauty:
"As an adult now that is natural with locs I’ve learned that my hair doesn't have to be silky and straight to be admirable or beautiful. My loc journey is one separate from my skincare journey, and it still has so much impact on my personal beauty standards and loving my entire self."
Her self-care must-haves:
"A good hydrating mist, one that's extremely refreshing and light. It refreshes your entire day when you use it. Supplements for gut health as well as skin health. A top-tier body exfoliant. I am obsessed with my smooth skin. It's just a necessity. (My favorite is the microcrystal buffing bar from @softservices on Instagram. It’s unmatched.) A stainless steel gua sha because lymphatic drainage is important, and who doesn't love snatched cheekbones and jawlines?"
Her evening wind down routine:
"I typically start unwinding for the night with a good stretch or slow Pilates flow. (I just bought a reformer that I found on OfferUp, and I am obsessed). Then I do my skincare routine, shower, pray/meditate with my husband, have a cup of tea, then go to bed."
For more of Dineka, follow her on Instagram @dinekaa.
Featured image via Dinekaa/Instagram
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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
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."