Kamie Crawford is not only a TV host, model and former Miss Teen USA, she's also the stylish, cool, calm and collected homegirl bestie that everyone wishes they had in their day-to-day life.
Her positive personality and charming wit shines through in her new role as MTV's Catfish co-host alongside Nev Schulman. Coming from a background in content development for beauty, fashion and luxury lifestyle brands from Swarovski, Lancôme, Dove, and Rent the Runway, Kamie's Catfish debut in front of the camera was nothing shy of the perfect fit for her love of pop culture and investigative journalism. When I asked her what word or phrase she would use to describe her new career turn, she simply replied, "My dream job."
Courtesy of Kamie Crawford
"I truly feel as though I was made for this position, and it's not to sound cocky – I just really love what I do and I love helping people and giving them my honest opinion," Kamie gushes about her new gig.
Being the oldest of six girls, giving nurturing sisterly advice is ingrained in her DNA - though it may be brutally honest, it always comes from a place of love and compassion. For any young woman who has been afraid to chase her dream job or make a career switch, Kamie advises to put action behind your desires and push the fear aside. "My mom always says, 'fear cancels out faith,'" she begins anecdotally. "If you want something and it's more than just an idea – it's a gnawing need that speaks to you every day when you wake up and before you go to sleep, what the f*ck are you waiting on?! You don't need an invitation to follow your dreams. You need action. So go for it, because one of the worst feelings in life is regret."
I had the opportunity and honor to speak with Kamie about all things Catfish set life, shutting down anxiety during the quarantine, and positively practicing stillness. Here's what she had to say.
Being the Hostess With the Mostest
Courtesy of Kamie Crawford
As a fan of the show since the original documentary's premiere at Sundance Film Festival, Kamie Crawford has been a faithful fan of the eight-season series and knew that the opportunity felt right from the beginning. Kamie practiced the art of manifestation and hard work to achieve her results, which were also sought after by other auditioning contenders for the role of Nev's new catfish-busting buddy.
Though she knew she had the credentials and the talent, like any other human being, her doubts and nerves came and went, but did not allow herself to be defeated by situations that had not yet arisen. "I didn't want to get my hopes up though because there were great hosts in the running for the position and after working in hosting for 7 years before this opportunity came about, you kind of learn to not get your hopes up in entertainment," Kamie explains.
"But something told me that this was my opportunity and if I wanted it, I needed to manifest it and speak life into it."
The life of this body positive advocate on-set varies depending upon the episode, as one would expect, but she enjoys every moment of being in her manifested destiny, from chilling with Nev and the gang to reading emails from their newest hopeful. "Everything you see as you watch an episode is in the order as it happened and in 'real-time'. There are no reshoots," she explains. "We will film for 7 hours per day and if travel is necessary, we will spend a day doing that and pick back up with filming in our new destination. Each episode takes around 3-5 days to film, depending and it's never boring."
It's not all work and no play, though. Kamie goes onto talk about cherishing the bonding moments between herself, Nev and the rest of the team between takes. "We typically will start at our production offices and film as we hang out, eat breakfast, etcetera. We like to make time for crew dinners and fun activities during the evenings – if I'm not fast asleep post-filming, I'm with Nev and the crew hanging out!"
Embracing the Slow Life
Courtesy of Kamie Crawford
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the nation and large crowds being forbidden, stay-at-home orders have greatly affected those in the entertainment industry requiring shoots, reunion filmings and audience gatherings. For Kamie, a woman who is constantly on-the-go between creating dope content and being one of MTV's newest faves to hit the screen, quarantine has been a hit or miss for her newly adjusted style of living. "It has been really hard. [It's] definitely getting better though, and there are good days and bad days! I'm a homebody as is so I try to take time off for myself in between all of my work responsibilities. While I have zero routine in my quarantine life, my normal life is actually very routine," Kamie describes.
Most of us, especially as creatives, are teetering between thankful thoughts of resting everyday and being ansty from developing stage one of stir crazy, Kamie is strategically utilizing her time indoors to practice stillness throughout the government issued stay-at-home orders. While a lot of us, myself included, are using this time to shove everything into this quarantine period that we never had time for prior to, Kamie believes that everyone should just do what's best for them and not fall victim to the pressures of social media. "Even outside of quarantine, social media will make you believe that everyone is busier, more fit, more beautiful and more motivated than you are. Everyone is perfect and they have the handbook for 'How to Deal with Quarantine During A Pandemic' that the rest of us just didn't get. Trust me - I checked my mailbox – twice. It ain't in there," Kamie facetiously adds.
"There is so much pressure right now to be your best self during quarantine and accomplish all of the big and little tasks you put off up until now. I'm a person who if it doesn't feel good to me, I'm not doing it. As a Scorpio - I'm either all in, or I'm out. That's how I feel about creating during this time. It just doesn't feel right. I've postponed campaigns because advertising anything right now that doesn't directly benefit those who are suffering or our essential workers gives me the ick. No shade to anyone who is – I know influencers still have to work and earn a living, but for me, that just isn't where my heart is right now."
Mastering the Art of Self-Care
Courtesy of Kamie Crawford
When she's not mastering her new craft in the kitchen, Kamie takes time to turn her attention to work obligations, but fortunately, none of which require immediate responses or assistance. Clearing out her inbox one email at a time is a small form of self-care that she integrates into her newly acclimated work from home routine. "[I've been] sending a lot of, 'Sorry for the delayed response, been taking time away for my mental health' replies – and I think people understand because everyone is dealing with the same thing right now. "
When it comes down to a 'routine' for working from home, I think we can all safely admit that none of us have the exact formula that works for us everyday. Kamie herself admits that taking everything day-by-day and taking care of her mental health is a priority during the quarantine, even if it means praying, crying, watching Netflix as soon as she wakes up or all of the above. "Each day is different and I try to go into each morning with a refreshed and positive outlook. I want to try staying away from the news updates, but I also feel that knowledge is power. It's just difficult because the news changes every hour it seems like," Kamie tells me.
"I've been giving myself permission to wake up naturally, which helps a lot during this chaotic time. Sometimes the body's best way of healing is through resting. I'm not going to lie – I've been getting out of bed when I feel like it and just taking it from there. If I want to work out or go for a walk, I'll do that. If I want to lay in bed and watch funny Tik Toks until 2pm, I'll do that. I haven't gotten into the habit of creating a 'routine' during this quarantine yet, and I'm perfectly fine with that as of now."
Her mental health takes precedence and priority as she combats the anxiety linked to the pressures of "staying on top" everyday, even with our limited resources. "My anxiety has been through the roof, but I notice that it worsens when I'm being told or made to feel like I'm not doing enough," Kamie confides in the interview, as are most of us being pressured into feeling, thanks to our dear friend Imposter Syndrome. "If you're going through something similar, I recommend unfollowing that account for now or telling that person, 'Hey, I know you mean well and appreciate your suggestion because that's what works for you. I'm going to focus on doing whatever works for me at this time.'"
For those of us who haven't necessarily put ourselves, including mind and spirit, on the forefront of our agenda, now is the time to monitor your mental health. "So much is happening in the world, and for people who have already been struggling with mental health issues, this time can be even more triggering. I've been waking up each morning and thanking God for letting me see another day, keeping my loved ones safe and healthy, thanking Him for my health and just acknowledging the fact that I am OK, and that's a blessing within itself," she praises.
For more of Kamie, follow her on Instagram.
Featured image courtesy of Kamie Crawford
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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If, while on your continual journey to get the best out of your own tresses, you’d like to learn how to get them healthier than it’s ever been, I’ve got seven acids that are typically known for skin use that can be just as beneficial to your hair as well.
1. Salicylic Acid
When it comes to your skin, salicylic acid is beta-hydroxy acid that is great for your skin if you’re looking for something that will exfoliate it, clear out your pores and dissolve dead skin cells. In fact, this is why it’s an acid that is quite popular when it comes to treating acne.
Your hair will enjoy salicylic acid because, if you’re looking to remove product build-up, you want to soothe an itchy or irritated scalp or you’ve got some dandruff flakes that are totally driving you up the wall, salicylic acid has the ability to treat all of this. Either purchasing a shampoo that contains this ingredient or adding it to your favorite scalp scrub is probably the most effective way to get the most out of it.
Just make sure that if your scalp is sensitive or dry that you approach with caution. In these instances, it could end up irritating your scalp more than helping it out, so use a very little bit in the beginning to make sure that it vibes with you.
2. Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that can help to even out your skin tone as well as slow down the signs of aging. The properties in it help to do this by reducing hyperpigmentation and boosting collagen production in your skin as well as keeping it hydrated.
Why is it great for your locks? For one thing, lactic acid is considered to be a humectant. This means that it pulls water from the air so that your hair is able to remain moisturized.
Another thing that makes it a winner is the fact that lactic acid breaks down dead skin cells on your scalp (so that your hair follicles are able to flourish), it can help to soften and detangle your hair (making it a helpful addition on your wash days) and it also helps to protect your tresses from heat styling tools and UV damage. Applying a hair rinse that’s made up of part lactic acid and part water can work wonderfully (so long as you apply it once a month, tops; more than that might be too “intense” for your hair strands).
3. Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid is a water-soluble alpha hydroxy acid that is actually made from sugar. Your skin will adore it because it smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improves the texture of your skin, gently exfoliates, clears your pores and brightens up your complexion overall.
The reasons why you should consider this acid for your hair is because it helps to keep your scalp youthful (and yes, there is such a thing; check out “Your Scalp Ages Six Times Faster Than Your Face. Why It Matters.”), removes excess sebum (that could be clogging up your hair follicles) and it helps to keep your hair moisturized. Your best bet here is to make it a part of your pre-shampooing ritual.
4. Succinic Acid
Succinic acid is an acid that is made from sugar cane and contains antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Although it doesn’t exactly exfoliate (like many of these other acids do), it can still be beneficial to your skin when it comes to reducing the kind of irritation that is associated with eczema, decreasing the bacteria that leads to breakouts and keeping your skin pretty hydrated.
As far as your hair goes, this is an acid that is worth trying out because it helps to balance the sebum that is on your scalp, remove dead skin and product build-up that can irritate your scalp and clog your hair follicles and, succinic acid is also beneficial when it comes to reducing dandruff and helping to prevent hair loss. Most people tend to apply this as a serum.
5. Hyaluronic Acid
I’ve officially sung the praises of hyaluronic acid on this platform before. One example is via the article, “Why Your Skin, Hair, And Nails Need Hyaluronic Acid Like...Yesterday.” On the skin tip, hyaluronic acid is great because it deeply hydrates your skin, contains anti-aging properties and can even bring relief to vaginal (including vulvar) dryness.
Your hair will adore this particular acid because it aids moisture to it (including your hair follicles), will help to improve your hair’s texture and it also soothes scalp dryness, nurtures the cuticles of your tresses and decreases frizz. Using a serum rich in this acid as a pre-poo or as a leave-in conditioner is recommended.
6. Azelaic Acid
If you’ve never heard of azelaic acid before, this is your lucky day. It’s a dicarboxylic acid that, when it comes to skincare (and hair care) products, is usually synthetic. Anyway, if you are looking for a way to reduce inflammation, even skin tone after a breakout or if you want to use an exfoliant that will improve the texture of your skin overtime, you might want to give this acid a shot.
This one makes the list as far as your hair is concerned because, if achieving more inches is your current focus, azelaic acid might come in handy. That’s because it is able to strengthen your hair, thicken your strands and also stimulate hair growth from within your hair follicles.
7. Glutamic Acid
Glutamic acid is actually a type of amino acid. Skin-wise, it’s great for deeply hydrating your skin as well as protecting it from pollutants and damaging UV rays. Also, if you’re looking for an acid that treats skin dryness or “tightness,” this could be the answer to your prayers.
Since glutamic acid is also considered to be a humectant, it’s another acid that can moisturize your hair. As a result, it can decrease breakage while helping your hair to feel smooth and look shiny.
BONUS: Amino Acids
Speaking of amino acids and hair, please try to keep some amino acids in your diet at all times. The reason why is because, since your hair is made up of mostly protein (keratin, to be exact), amino acids are pretty darn effective when it comes to helping you to maintain the overall health and well-being of your hair.
Ones to prioritize include proline (it boosts collagen so that your hair strands can maintain flexibility); arginine (it increases blood flow to your hair follicles so that they can receive the nutrients that they need); cysteine (it helps to keep your hair follicles healthy); alanine (it helps your system to produce more collagen), and isoleucine (it strengthens the tissues that help to make up your hair strands). All of these are available in supplement form or you can use Google to see which foods contain them.
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Although it might initially seem odd to apply acid to your hair, as you can see, certain ones will work miracles for it. So, test them out to see which one tickles your fancy.
Hell, since they work for your skin as well — it’s a two-for-one deal that is worth every penny!
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