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.