Podcast Host Jourdan Ash Says This Simple Skincare Routine Is Her Secret Weapon
In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on the daily. Here they break down their beauty routines on the inside and out, as well as the highly coveted products that grace their shelves and their skin.
"On fleek" is an egregious understatement when it comes to NY creative Jourdan Ash's flawless skin. When Jourdan isn't discussing the trials and tribulations of love, sex, and dating with other creatives of color on her podcast, Dating In NYC, this 27-year-old melanated media maven spends her time blessing the streets of Harlem with her glow.
When it comes to all things beauty, Jourdan's mantra is "less is more". While many beauty gurus may emphasize the importance of having a plethora of products, Jourdan says sticking to a simple routine has allowed her to keep her glow-on-go at all times. She told xoNecole, "My relationship with beauty and skincare strengthened when I stopped looking to YouTube gurus and started using what worked for me." She continued, "I've played around with long, drawn-out routines, but that's not realistic for my skin. My skin likes simple routines — cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen and done."
"I've played around with long, drawn-out routines, but that's not realistic for my skin. My skin likes simple routines — cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen and done."
Jourdan may keep it simple when it comes to her beauty routine, but she is no stranger to bold makeup trends. Using brightly-colored eyeliners and shadows, this creative holds nothing back and uses as her eyelids as canvases to create true masterpieces, but Jourdan says her sense of beauty hasn't always been this bold. Jourdan explained, "I started to play around with my beauty looks after being depressed last year. It was a way of using color to make myself happier. I've worn glasses every day since 6th grade, so I never showed my eyes much love until last year. Now, I love a bold eyeliner for a pop of color."
Along with staying hydrated and remembering to eat your veggies, Jourdan spilled all the details on how to put a simple skincare routine all the way together. Here's what what learned:
My earliest beauty memory...
"My earliest beauty memory was a super glossy (and sticky) lip with some cherry red lipgloss from the 99 cent store— I'm still a glossy lip girl to this day. My current go-to is Glossier's lipgloss in Cherry and Clear."
My morning routine looks like...
"A typical morning for me means I'm up at 4:40 am and need to be on my way to work by 5:30 am! I wash my face in the shower. I'm usually in braids, but if not I do my hair the night before and tie it DOWN so it's ready in the morning. I moisturize, then apply sunscreen. Makeup-wise: I fill in my brows and put on a lip gloss, then I'm out the door. I don't get cute for work, they don't deserve me like that (laughs)."
For my skincare routine...
"During the day? I wash my face with Drunk Elephant's Jelly Cleanser, moisturize with Base Butter's Radiant Jelly made from aloe (which is Black Woman-Owned!), and use SuperGoop's Glowstick for sunscreen. For my brows, I use Glossier's Brow Flick in Brown and if I feel like it, I clean them up with L.A. Girl Concealer in Fawn."
At night?
"If I'm going out to support my friend's parties, my look depends on how I'm feeling. If I don't really want to do too much, I might wear a bright liner from NYX or Suva Beauty, a highlighter (I wear three at once: the Highlighter Concentrate from Glossier Play and Fenty Beauty's Diamond Ball with a purple highlighter from Justine Skye's collab with MAC years ago that I can't let go of), my mascara is Milk's Kush Lash and I top it off with Urban Decay's All Night Long Setting Spray. I don't always do a foundation [because] number one, I sweat A LOT; two, I'm not the best blender and three, If I'm having a really good skin day, I don't really need to."
How the seasons change my skin and routine...
"I've noticed my skin is drier in fall/winter and oily in spring/summer. I try to stay consistent, but I need a little bit more moisturizing. So, I add The Ordinary's Squalane to Base Butter's Radiate Face Jelly and go to town!"
How I approach beauty inside-out...
"I've noticed my attitude is horrible if I haven't had enough water or eaten well. So, I try to eat or drink my greens and drink water before I say I'm in a bad mood, sleepy or have an attitude."
How I like to unwind...
"I've been taking classes (barre, belly-dancing, yoga etc) to unwind after work. I've built a community with the women there and I feel safe/comfortable, plus it's fun and doesn't involve me needing to monetize it!"
How travel affects her skincare game...
"It doesn't, I just downsize everything! Travel-size, baby!"
To keep up with Jourdan, make sure to follow her on Instagram @lifewithjrdn!
Featured image courtesy of Instagram/@lifewithjrdn.
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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.
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."