Exclusive: Karrueche Tran Let Us In On The Luxe Beauty Routine That Keeps Her Skin Flawless
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.
"Smooth like honey" is an understatement to describe the naturally glowing skin of 32-year-old Los Angeles-based beauty Karrueche Tran. When the TNT series Claws actress isn't shooting an episode or kicking it with bae Victor Cruz, Karrueche is blessing the 'gram with her light-spirited nature and skincare routines.
In an exclusive interview with xoNecole, the starlet touched on her newfound relationship with all things skincare. "Over the past two years I've really started to focus and pay attention to skincare," she revealed. "I've definitely expanded and have been more open-minded about trying new products. Being on set for long hours in makeup made me realize I need to take extra care of my skin. Sometimes I would notice little breakouts and clogged pores. I've invested in purifying and detoxifying masks to help with that." When you hear the name Karrueche Tran, you think of a gorgeous model and talented actress with flawless skin. Lucky for us, Tran has decided to share her beauty secrets with us to cop her all-natural look.
Here's what she had to say:
My morning routine looks like...
"Wake up! I take a shower immediately, also brushing my teeth in the shower - I realized most people don't do this. After I've washed my face in the shower, I use a serum and a moisturizer. Right now, I'm loving the Dior Capture Totale serum and creme. Another great go-to for serum is the Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Serum. Then, I use a jade roller which I keep in my mini fridge in my bathroom that I'm obsessed with. I put all my jade facial tools and face/under-eye masks in the fridge. It feels so refreshing in the AM and is a nice little wake-up.
"I get puffiness under my eyes so it's a great start to my day. I also love the Hyaluronic Acid Booster from Cosmedix. Highly recommended! I also recommend the Avène products, they're great and affordable!"
My evening routine looks like...
"I love a nice hot, steamy bath filled with eucalyptus and lavender while wearing a face mask and a glass of red. A nice glass of cab, preferably ARTEMIS by Stag's Leap.
"Always, always, always wash your face at night! Most definitely if you have makeup on but also even if you just wore moisturizer all day. Get that dirt and oil off your face. Also, make sure to continuously change your pillowcases. The excess oil from the hair and face can cause breakouts. After I've washed my face, I usually use a night oil or serum."
How my skincare routine switches up with the seasons...
"Weather definitely plays a major part in skincare. In the winter, my skin tends to get drier and tighter. In the summertime, it's a little more dewy. When I work in New Orleans, my face gets very oily because the weather is very humid. Even in New York sometimes, my face will feel drier regardless of the time of year because the water PH level is a little harsher.
"Whenever my skin is feeling dry, usually in the winter, I lean more towards ultra-moisturizing and hydrating products. Avène has great products for dry skin. I use their extremely rich compensating cream and their soothing moisture mask. It leaves your skin feeling so soft! The key is to use it in between other products that aren't as moisturizing so you don't clog your pores and cause breakouts."
My go-to makeup looks like...
"I like a natural makeup look - foundation, concealer, mascara, eyebrow pencil and lip gloss."
My approach to beauty from the inside-out...
"Doing things that make me happy - cooking, yoga, eating, working out, taking hot baths, meditating, and sound baths. When you take care of what's internal - your mind, body and soul - you will exude all that happiness and positive energy. But most importantly, do what makes you happy and fulfills you."
My travel must-haves...
"Depends on where I'm traveling to and what the climate is. I know to pack for drier/warmer weather or more dewy and humid. I usually just pack a variation of everything travel-size [because] 3-4 products is not enough! I need my Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Serum, at least two different moisturizers, two masks (one clarifying and one moisturizing), lip balm, body cream, face wash (Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser or Tatcha Deep Cleanse), and body wash (preferably Sol de Janeiro shower gel [since] I never use hotel soap or lotion! It's too dry for my skin).
"If I'm going somewhere tropical, I definitely will pack jojoba oil and/or almond oil to tan, as well as sunscreen, and a travel-size hair mask/packet to protect from the water and sun. The jojoba oil can actually be used for the skin and the hair, so that's a great two-in-one. I also usually pack a few under-eye masks that I put in the hotel fridge to keep cool. I like to pack everything I think I might need for any circumstance just in case they don't have what I need available wherever I'm traveling to. I'm definitely an overpacker - better safe than sorry!"
What self-care looks like to me...
"Jade facial roller, steamer, yoga mat, Crest Whitestrips, face masks, eye patches and hair masks. Mint Skin face masks, Avene soothing moisture mask, Patchology under-eye masks, Cosmedix Bamboo Brightening Mask, Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Mask, ONA face and eye masks - I love them all equally!"
For more of Karrueche, follow her on Instagram.
Shop Karrueche's Beauty Favorites:
Featured image courtesy of Karrueche Tran
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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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.
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Featured image by Juan Moyano/Getty Images