Jhene Aiko Dropped The Skincare Routine That Keeps Her Glow On-Go At All Times
Skincare isn't just a part of my daily routine, issa sport. Last year, I got hit with some pretty severe cystic acne that dramatically altered my day-to-day life. No matter what products I used and how much water I drank, my face was so scarred and blemished that I wouldn't leave the house without makeup. I didn't realize that I wasn't the only woman in the world going from one expensive skincare remedy to the next, hoping to discover a one-size-fits-all "miracle cure", but according to Jhene Aiko, the key to ageless skin lies in the power of the switch-up.
What I've grown to learn over the past year of dealing with relentless acne is that there is never just one trigger. You may have just switched to a new cult-favorite skincare product, but you're not seeing results because you haven't switched up your diet. Or maybe you're drinking all the water you can, but you're still having breakouts because you're stressed the f*ck out. When it comes to your skin, there are a number of variables to cracking the code and accessing the fountain of youth, and Jhene Aiko shared some of her tips in a recent interview.
The 31-year-old singer recently slid through ESSENCEand dropped some gems on how she keeps her skin ageless and blemish-free year-round. According to Jhene, there are a number of factors that go into choosing the perfect products for each season:
"My skin type is combination. Depending on my diet, the time of the month and if I'm stressed or not, my skin changes and I constantly have to tailor my skin routine."
Change is good, especially when it comes to your skincare routine, and Jhene revealed the details on how she keeps her glow on 10. While some of her methods may be unconventional, judging from her flawless, filterless selfies, they work damn good. Here are 6 tips from Jhene's current beauty routine that you try out ASAP:
Jhene Aiko's Skincare & Beauty Routine
Jhene Aiko Invests In Fraxel Treatments Twice A Year
This tip, in particular, is for my sisters with a safely secured bag because Fraxel treatments can run up a whole check. These non-surgical laser treatments are painful yet effective and can redeem you of acne scars, improve your skin's texture, and give you smaller pores. Beauty hurts, but Jhene Aiko undergoes this process twice a year to keep her skin looking so fresh and so clean, clean. Last March in an Instagram comment, she wrote:
"I get Fraxel about twice a year. It's an intense laser treatment that improves texture, acne scars and enlarged pores. It's kinda expensive. And hurts like shit. Ur face micro scabs... the scabs fall off gradually... over a period of like 7 days. And then a new layer of skin is revealed... your face stays swollen for like another week. Its all so worth it tho lol."
Water & Veggies Are A Must
When you put good in, you get good out, and the same is true as it relates to what you eat and how your skin reacts. Along with drinking tons of water, Jhene also minds her diet when it comes to getting and keeping her skin all the way together:
"I make sure I'm drinking plenty of water, all day… everyday!!! Eating lots of fruits and even more veggies is a must."
Birth Control Helped Jhene Aiko With Her Cystic Acne
This tip right here y'all, this tip right here... Had me shook. Earlier this year, I felt a sharp pain in my pelvis that I thought had to be a bladder infection. After arriving at a local urgent care, I learned that I was suffering from an ovarian cyst that had ruptured after I started taking birth control.
When my skin started to clear up, I thought it was because of one of the many pricey skincare products that I had purchased, but after recently doing some research, I learned that the proof may have been in the pill. Along with Fraxel treatments, Jhene also takes a birth control pill to control both her cystic and hormonal acne. She said:
"I [used] to have cystic acne due to ovarian cyst.The b.c. helps w/ that."
Check The Ingredients
I'm the type of person who will read and assess all of the ingredients on the back of the package of any and every thing before I purchase. According to Jhene, this pesky habit can come in handy when buying new skincare products. Jhene shared that when she's looking to switch up her remedy and buy or DIY a new product she looks for these ingredients:
"I look for lavender, chamomile, CBD oil and neem oil. I make my own concoctions with a few of these ingredients and have found that they really calm and soothe my skin. I also love seaweed and sea kelp in my serums and toner."
Serums, Supplements & Scrubs
Fraxel treaments can be tough on the skin, and along with La Mer sheet masks, Jhene carries all of her favorite products in travel-sized containers because you never know when you'll have a sebum-related emergency that needs your attention ASAP. She said:
"I keep up the results w/ Alastin skin care, iS Clinical serums, [Cerave] wash, Lancer scrub and [Circcell Abo +|-] serum. Also I take collagen pills, drink kangen water, apple cider vinegar and take Super Food by Dr Shulze's daily!"
Woosah, Sis
How you feel internally is directly reflected by your external being. So if you think you're doing everything right when it comes to your skincare routine but you're still not seeing results, it's probably because you're stressed, sis. You need to Woosah. Jhene says that meditation helps her keep both her stress and her sebum under control.
"Last, but not least… I practice living in a meditative state and breathing deeply throughout my day. I believe that inner peace shines from the inside out and shows up on your skin."
Check out Jhene's full skincare routine on ESSENCE.com!
Featured image by Parisa Michelle / Shutterstock.com
- Jhene Aiko Dropped The Skincare Routine That Keeps Her Glow On ... ›
- How To Care For Stressed Out Skin - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
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.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
I think we all can agree that social media really is a double-edged sword. What I mean by that is there is just as much bad that can come out of it as good. At the end of the day, it really is about 1) having your own mind, 2) finding balance when it comes to how much time you spend online, and 3) doing your own research instead of taking random people’s opinions as the gospel (i.e., facts).
Gee, I wish more folks did all of this when it comes to if a man needs to have a large penis to sexually satisfy a woman (he does not) and if a woman who has had multiple sex partners will ultimately end up with a vagina that is too large for smaller penises to please her (a lie).
Science totally has my back on debunking both of those things (more on that in a bit). Know what else does? A particular type of sex method that is becoming more popular by the day. One that just might convince you to, as they used to say back in the day, focus less on the “size of the wave” and ride out the “motion of the ocean” instead.
It’s called shallowing. Here’s what it’s all about.
What Is Shallowing?
GiphyIf there’s one thing that I wish folks would say more thoroughly when it comes to women and orgasms, it’s that when it comes to75 percent of women not being able to orgasm from only intercourse, the accurate statement is they struggle with achieving a vaginal orgasm without the assistance of some type of clitoral stimulation. Yeah, we’ve really got to remember that very few things in this life are a complete monolith — orgasms included (check out “U-Spot Orgasm, Fantasy Orgasm & 6 Other Orgasms You Should Try Tonight”).
In fact, it was while I was reading up on pairing — a word that is used for when clitoral stimulation transpires during penetration — that I decided to do some deep-diving into shallowing (because it was mentioned inone of the articles that I read).And what is it? Shallowing is when a penis, finger, tongue, or sex toy of some sort is used in order to ever so slightly penetrate the vaginal opening of a woman.
And why is shallowing not just a current sex trend but something that every woman on this planet should try? It’s because of what I’ve said, more than once, on this platform: it focuses on the most sensitive part of a woman’s vagina, which isthe first two inches of her vaginal opening.
When the emphasis is placed there, not only does it increase your chances of experiencing “the big O,” but it can also build up anticipation, which can intensify your orgasms too — yes, shallowing can also be seen as a form of edging.
Another thing that’s cool about shallowing is — and it really and truly can’t be said enough — something that makes vaginal and blended orgasms easier to achieve for some women really has little to do with the size of a man’s package or even his technique; it’s straight up anatomy. Yep, the closer that a woman’s clitoris is to her vaginal opening, the easier it is for a penis to stimulate both. So, science makes it possible for vaginal orgasms to be easier for some women than others.
At the same time, shallowing can make it possible for more women who want to see what a vaginal orgasm actually feels like (because it’s easier for the head of the penis to stimulate the opening of the vagina while the shaft can rub up against your clitoris; based on the position that you are in, of course — the missionary with some pillows propped under the lower part of your back is ideal for this).
Now that you see what shallowing actually is, do you get why I said that penis size doesn’t matter when it comes to doing it — and getting the kind of orgasms that you want? Contrary to popular belief, your vagina is only around four inches. In fact, some health experts say that it ranges between 2-4”. Anything larger, your body literally has to stretch out to accommodate; this includes penises and babies. So, if your vagina is “making room” for more than four inches, why in the world do you think you need a 10-inch man? Yeah…exactly. It really is time to get over the silliness. The average penis continues to be 5.5”. Makes sense when you take it all in (no pun intended).
Aight, so now that you know what shallowing is all about, let me try and hard sell you on why it’s a sex technique that you should try as soon as tonight (if you possibly can).
1. It takes the pressure off of you and your partner.
I’ve been working with couples for almost 20 years at this point. This means that the topic of sex comes up quite a bit. And if there’s one thing that continues to be an issue is inconsistent orgasms (check out “Why Do Orgasms So Often Seem Like A ‘Hit-Or-Miss’ Experience For Women?”).
Listen, no matter how many articles you read or sex positions you try, if you’re anxious, stressed out, or overthinking, it’s gonna get in the way of you experiencing high peaks of pleasure on a consistent basis. Since shallowing is something that can easily be done even in foreplay (via fingering and/ororal sex) if you get that first “release” off, that makes it easier to just sit back and enjoy the ones that (hopefully) are to follow.
2. It teaches you more about your vagina.
A part of the reason why I keep repeating certain facts about vaginas in these articles is that it’s amazing how little certain things are discussed en masse — like the size of the vaginal tube. And since shallowing helps you to stimulate the nerve endings at the entrance of your va-jay-jay along with your G-spot (which is housed a little ways from your opening), shallowing is a great way to explore that area of your body as you figure out what truly works for you and…what doesn’t.
3. It’s the perfect merging of foreplay and intercourse.
When you really stop to think about it, shallowing is like the bridge between foreplay and intercourse because you can use so many different things to do it. So, if you want to experiment with a new sex toy or you want a bit more time to “warm up the engine” before full-on penetration begins, shallowing is one of the most sexually arousing compromises there is.
4. It can help to increase your partner’s stamina.
A few years back, I penned an article for the site entitled, “We’ve Got Some All-Natural Ways To Increase Stamina & Sensitivity.” Listen, even though I onceread a GQ article that said that over 60 percent of the people they polled were fine with intercourse lasting no longer than 5-10 minutes — that poll doesn’t speak for all of us, chile.
So, if you would like your man to build up to going longer, shallowing can help to make that happen. Since he’s barely putting beyond the tip in, he can learn how to be in you for longer periods of time without being, well, in you.
5. It helps you to appreciate whatever “package” he has.
Again — and it really can’t be said enough — if shallowing is all about exploring the mere entrance of your vagina, you don’t need a man with BDE (check out “BDE: Please Let The 'It Needs To Be Huge' Myth Go”) or honestly, even anything close to it.
I mean, even though, reportedly, the size that the average woman says gives her the most orgasms is eight inches — I bet those women have never really tried shallowing before. 10”, 8”, or the average 5.5” can certainly get the job done. And well.
6. It feels A-MAZ-ING.
Okay,so now that you know about shallowing, I promise that if you put the word into your favorite search engine, you’re either gonna see articles on golfing (LOL) or sex, especially as of late. That’s because more couples are trying it out and getting mind-blowing results from it. So, if you’re looking for something new to try, give shallowing a shot.
Hey, anything that’s designed to stimulate your most intense vaginal nerve endings has got to be something for the record books. I mean, how could it not be? Lawd.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Juan Moyano/Getty Images