Issa Rae Dishes On Her Self-Care Secrets & Shares Why She Says ‘Nah’ To Natural Deodorant
Now that I know that my once-trusted Eco-Styler Gel is basically poison, I'm questioning every product in my arsenal. Are my tampons toxic? Does my toothpaste cause cancer? Is it time that I finally kick the chemically-infused crack and switch over to all-natural deodorant? While you may be considering going organic and kicking your go-to antiperspirant to the curb, Issa Rae says that after an embarrassing experience in New Orleans, she's going to need all of the aluminum and I can totally relate.
In a recent interview with Page Six, the Insecure creator dished on some of her must-have quarantine self-care secrets and revealed the real reason she will never rock natural deodorant again. She told Page Six:
"Natural deodorant is trash. My stupid ass tried it for the first time in the summer in New Orleans. I was literally walking with my homies and I was like, 'What's that smell?' Then I smelled one of my armpits. I lifted up my arm and it was me! I was so embarrassed."
Although all-natural antiperspirant is a strong "nah" for Issa, the Lovebirds star shared that she has used her time in quarantine experimenting with her beauty routine in other ways:
"My hair feels more healthy. I just feel like I can experiment with different products I have always wanted to use. I can look ugly in my house, 'cause no one see me — it's great! But I do need a mani and pedi."
Along with waking up to work out at 4am and taking a break from her regularly scheduled makeup routine, here are 4 must-have self-care secrets from our favorite not-so-Awkward Black Girl.
Mornings Are For Workouts
Issa told Vanity Fair:
"This is my sweet spot. I always felt like I was behind and I was trying to keep up, so this makes me feel like at least I have a handle on what my day's going to be, and the working out aspect. I don't like coming home after a long day and feeling like, 'Oh, I still gotta move my body?' I'd rather just get it out the way. Also, I'm not a night owl. I'm not about that life. I just don't want it to feel like it's impressive when it's just a preference."
Utilize Time Blocking
"I'm a routine-heavy person. My routine is getting up at 4, working out, then doing all the work that I have from 5:30 to 9. Then 9 is breakfast, and then from 10 to 6 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is writing. Then Tuesdays and Thursdays are dedicated to all the business shit, all the calls that I have to do."
Take Breaks Frequently
"I've never cooked so much. At work, I barely think about dinner, or I [order] delivery, but I've been doing none of that. I've just been taking breaks for cooking in the middle of the day."
Let Your Skin Breathe
"I'm trying to stay makeup-free as much as I can. I just take care of my skin. This is the first time that I'm consistently using sunscreen when I go outside. I am cleaning, exfoliating and masking a lot, so I'm just trying to keep my skin stress-free."
Featured image by DFree / Shutterstock.com
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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.
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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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images