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
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The reason why I think that this is relevant to today’s topic is, as I was doing some research for it, I found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit as I read things like “men need to orgasm in order to release sperm; women don’t need an orgasm to conceive” and “Why do women orgasm? It’s still a mystery.” Umm, is it? Because if you factor in the oneness component that I just mentioned (which more people should take to heart if you ask me) and then add to that the fact that the ONLY purpose of a clitoris is sexual stimulation and satisfaction for a woman — female climaxing and the need for it to happen as much as possible should baffle absolutely no one.
Sex serves a layer of benefits and yes, for both men and women, pleasure should be one of them. And since that is the case, a woman being able to orgasm, as much as she can, should be promoted…in content on a consistent basis.
And that is why I thought some of you might find it interesting that there are certain things about men, specifically, that science says can increase the chances of you climaxing — not only more but more intensely too.
Let’s dive in.
How Masculine a Man Is
GiphyI’m gonna be honest: All of the women out here who give pushback on submission and yet want a man to physically look up to (you know, someone who is 6’ or over which is only 15 percent of the male US population, by the way) fascinate me. So, you want a man who towers over you yet you think it is antiquated for a man to lead you? Do tell. Anyway, that is the first thing I thought about when I read that a man’s level of masculinity plays a significant role in how often a woman is able to orgasm and how quickly she is able to do it.
It would appear that some of the backstory on this is, on the physical tip, men with strong jawlines and broad shoulders represent being in good health as well as being able to protect their family while research also reveals that men with beards make many women believe that they would be good fathers. And yes, as much as social media may say — or scream — otherwise, women tend to prefer dominant (exerting authority or influence) men more as well. All of this together, in the bedroom, results in more and faster orgasms for women. Fascinating.
A Man’s Personality
GiphyA sense of humor in a man can really take him a long way in life — including when it comes to giving women orgasms. That’s why articles like “Funny Men Give The Best Orgasms, According To Research” exist. Although it’s probably a given that a lot of us are drawn to this character trait because it makes us feel good, research also says that humor taps into our creativity, makes it easier for us to adapt to things, and can help us to be better problem-solvers too.
Sexually, I would think that being funny helps because humor and orgasms both provide dopamine hits which is the feel-good hormone that runs throughout our bodies. While we’re on this topic, other personality traits that will make you cum more when it comes to men include being creative, warm, and faithful — gee, imagine that. #sarcasm
Also, a Man’s Self-Esteem
GiphyI’m pretty sure it doesn’t surprise you in the least that the more intense your orgasms are with a guy, the more attractive you’ll find him to be and the more willing you’ll be to have sex with him multiple times a week. Yeah, y’all be careful with this one because something else that science says is whenever a really good orgasm comes your way, as a woman, your brain literally switches all the way off for a moment (which could explain a lot when it comes to who some people choose to deal with out here…just sayin’). Anyway, apparently it would seem that a truly confident man is who’s able to pull all of this off.
That makes sense because confidence is all about having a high sense of self-worth; embracing challenges; not having a lot of self-doubt; listening well to others; standing firm on one’s own beliefs; putting plans into action, and taking control of one’s life. Plus, since a lot of women will admit that they prefer a man to be a provider and protector, which in turn causes them to feel safe, and feeling safe also makes it easier to let go and enjoy sex fully — yes, all of this tracks.
Foreskin
GiphyIf no one else will say it, I WILL: the double standard on foreskin vs. the extra skin that a lot of women have when it comes to their vulva is absolutely ridiculous. In fact, if you know some things about your clitoris, it’s constructed a lot like a mini-penis in the sense of it experiences an erection of sorts when it’s aroused and the clitoral hood is the clitoris’s “foreskin.” So, to be out here giving the “ick” to men for how they were born when some of us have large or hanging lips — yeah, let’s chill on that.
Besides, according to science, “uncut men” not only have a greater level of sensation during sex, but that extra bit of skin (which isn’t as much as a lot of y’all make it out to be…relax) actually gives women more consistent orgasms too. Don’t believe me? Read this here and this here.
If He Ejaculates
GiphyI dunno. If you’re not a selfish partner, this one seems like common sense because, if a man “completes the act”, that means he was able to “get his” and that seems like something any good lover would want for their partner (the only thing better? Experiencing it with him at the same time!). However, what I did find interesting is there’s a greater chance that a woman will orgasm herself if she knows that her partner came.
In fact, one study said that a little over 50 percent of women thought that it was very important that their partner ejaculated during sex while a little over 22 percent said that they experienced more intense orgasms if he came during intercourse.
Some studies say that the sensation of the sperm inside of the vagina may play a role in this; however, since that means that you must engage in unprotected sex (check out “Thinking About Going Condom-Free? Read This Before You Do.”) in order to vouch for this one…I’ll just say to use forethought, wisdom and definitely get tested before attempting it.
BONUS: How Your Friends See Him
GiphyThe more you learn, boy. Have any of you heard of the sexy son hypothesis before? The gist is this: If you create children with someone who other women find attractive, the belief is that you will end up having sons who have that same quality. And yes, being with someone who you think is appealing to other women — seems to increase the chances of you having an orgasm too (chile).
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Hmph. It’s intel like this that explains why so many think pieces say that the brain is the most powerful sex organ that we have. Anyway, if you’re someone who wants to have more orgasms or more intense orgasms, perhaps take some of this data to heart. For all you know, it might be the blueprint that you’ve been looking for all along.
Thoughts? Comments. Confirmations? LOL.
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Featured image by Giphy