Model Imaan Hammam Has 4 Fool-Proof Beauty Secrets To Look More Awake
Can we just take a second to bask in Imaan Hammam's beauty?
The Dutch-Moroccan model can do no wrong in our eyes, but her effortless style and beauty get us riled up every time. You can catch the model traveling the world and doing shows, but if you're like me, the first thing you would ask her is, "How does your skin still look so good?"
Well, she recently chatted with Vogue where she shared her secrets on how to look like you've had a full night's rest, even when you haven't. Here are 4 ways to master your beauty routine, even when you're tired:
*Taking notes, immediately.*
Oils Are Your Friend
Upon watching the tutorial, we immediately see Imaan dive into oils, and she has no shortage of them — argan oil, olive oil, rose oil, and countless others are her oils of choice. Even if you have oily or combination skin, massaging your face with oils keeps you moisturized and your skin hydrated.
She goes in with Chantecaille's Rose de Mai Face Oil and a serum, rubbing the product in with a stainless steel facial massage wand, which by the way is great for helping with inflammation and really pushing that product in!
Of course, she doesn't deny her eyes (where many of us show that we've had a long night), and she applied Kat Burki Rose Hip intense Recovery Eye Serum and Kat Burki Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream to give her skin a brightening effect. If you check out her eye serum of choice, it's a bit expensive but she says it takes all the bags away, and it should girl!
You can either take the plunge and really see how you like this approach, or look for another product that has its active ingredients: DMAE and retinol.
Good Brows Go A Long Way
Y'all know how we say that as long as your brows look good, you can convince people that you have put a lot more time into your beauty regime then you really have? Well, there's some truth to that.
In this video, Imaan brushes her brows up to make look "a little rough," giving you a natural vibe. Just take the spooly and push up, and if you need a bit more umph, feel free to pencil in where you are sparse.
Concealer Is Bae
Vogue
The model dabbles a bit of concealer under her eyes and around her jawline, places where many of us get hyperpigmentation. Instead of dumping a ton of foundation onto your face, use your favorite concealer and wipe it out generously, giving your skin an even and flawless finish with half the product (and without the cakey feels).
Brighten Up With A Bronzer
Just because summer is gone, doesn't mean you can't keep bronzing!
Take your favorite bronzer and do a light sweep on your cheeks. For an added bonus, take a small eyeshadow brush and put some on the bridge of your nose and on your eyelids. The golds in the palette will immediately make you look more awake and sunkissed, and who are we to deny that?!
She also goes in with highlighter, adding it on her chin, right below her eyes, and on her nose. Don't feel compelled to drop mega bank on your highlight and bronzer, either — the drugstore has a ton of great options for you to find your shade and the color you want to pop out in!
To watch Imaan's beauty secrets in full, watch the video below:
Featured image by Jacopo Raule/Getty Images
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
Courtesy
I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
Courtesy
That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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