The Skincare Routine That Keeps This Media Maven's Skin Hydrated AF
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.
If you're in your 20s or early 30s, you might not be checking the beauty shelves for any anti-aging products quite yet. In fact, you're probably reading labels for products that target excess oils and breakouts. But Emmy-nominated host, style influencer and now-author Kéla Walker will tell you, it's never too late to combat the effects of aging. The glow-getter with flawless skin creates content for emerging influencers, media outlets and major brands online as well as outside on-air, so her skin is often exposed to the elements. Protecting it so that it remains glowing and dewy are her main concerns. Her biggest skincare tip? "Hydration is key," Kéla told xoNecole.
Another tip Kéla shared may be one you've heard throughout the years but might not take much heed to in the present (and if you're not, you absolutely should). It revolves around an area of the body you shouldn't neglect when it comes to your complete skincare regimen. "Make sure you rub up on your neck, not down," the Brooklyn-based producer advised, "because you want to work against gravity and wrinkles." Don't skip or skimp.
In this installment of xoNecole's About Face series, Kéla talked to us about her beauty and self-care routines and gave us a peek into the skincare regimen that keeps her skin tight, glistening and smooth.
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My earliest beauty memory…
"My earliest beauty memory is probably from when I was a little girl and you used to have these flavored lip glosses and wanted to collect all the flavors and all the colors."
For my skincare routine in the AM…
"Right now, for the last couple of years, I've been obsessed with Dr. Barbara Sturm's Darker Skin Tones Foaming Cleanser. It's really helped my skin come a long way. Afterwards, I always pat, not wipe, my face dry with a cold wet cloth. I make sure I do all the steps back-to-back to optimize the moisture of the products and everything in my skin. Because I'm in a dry climate right now, I've been using a toner from Decorte to help rebalance the pH of my skin.
"After toning, [I use] hyaluronic serum, also by Dr. Barbara Sturm, for hydration. After I hydrate, I lock in the moisture [with] Dr. Barbara Sturm's Darker Skin Tones Face Cream. But I like to add a little glow to it so I like to add Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator.
"What you can never, ever forget is your sunscreen. I've been using Unseen Sunscreen by Supergoop. [And another product] I use, because hydration is key, is the Renewed Hope Water in a Jar, which also has hyaluronic serum in it. I pat it into my skin so that it absorbs a little bit better."
"Hydration is key."
For my skincare routine in the PM…
"When it comes to my evening routine, I don't always wash my face at night. But I use a makeup wipe to remove any excess oil or dirt my face may have accumulated throughout the day. On the occasion I do wash my face at night, which is 2-3 times per week, I'll use Dr. Barbara Sturm's Enzyme Cleanser.
"I still have a little regimen that I do. I use a Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution from Kiehl's. I also use Midnight Recovery Concentration to keep my skin even-toned and bright. And I've been using the Intensive Brightening Treatment from PCA Skin."
My go-to makeup look consists of…
"I'm a girly girl so I definitely wear makeup. I do my brows, lashes, contour – because who doesn't want to look snatched – a great lip and a highlighter. But I find in the past couple of years, I've been minimizing the amount of product that I wear. I don't wear foundation because I really want my skin to shine through but I will spot-treat any dark spots I have."
How the seasons change my skin and routine…
"It's pretty consistent throughout the year. I make sure there's a cleanser, hydration and moisturizer. I will add or subtract some things because of the climate but it really all depends on what's happening with my skin."
What self-care looks like to me…
"Self-care is about daily practice and it comes in different forms whether it's talking to my girls on the phone, having a drink or just tapping into social and mindlessly scrolling. It's doing whatever I need to do in the moment to take care of me."
"Self-care is about daily practice. It's doing whatever I need to do in the moment to take care of me."
My approach to beauty from the inside-out…
"Sometimes it's just as simple as talking to yourself to make sure that your inside looks as good as the outside. Just pouring into yourself."
How I do skincare when I travel…
"When I travel, I still try and maintain my beauty regimen because it's all about consistency. I don't want to upset the routine. A lot of my products are travel-friendly and you'll also find that a lot of beauty items are under the 3.4 oz that are allowed in carry-on luggage. But I will add the Fresh Vitamin Nectar Glow Water [mist]."
To keep up with Kéla, follow her on Instagram @kelawalker! And if you're an influencer looking to "revolutionize your social media game," you can purchase a copy of Kela's book here.
Featured image courtesy of Kéla Walker.
I write about lifestyle and women's health and wellness. When I'm not in front of a computer screen crafting stories, I'm in a kitchen crafting cocktails. Follow me on the 'gram @teronda.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Blac Chyna Opens Up About Her Initial Fear To Share Her Spiritual Journey With Others
Watching Angela “Blac Chyna” White’s transformation in real-time has truly been a sight to see. It wasn’t that long ago that she announced that she was reversing her cosmetic surgeries in an effort to go back to who she was before the world came to know her as Blac Chyna. In previous interviews, she stated that she was dissolving her facial and lip fillers, removing her breast implants, and getting a butt reduction, as well as removing the dimple piercings that enhanced her fame and controversial tattoos.
In a recent Tamron Hall interview, the mother of two said that she has “fully recovered” from the procedures. She is also celebrating one year of sobriety and opened up about being worried about how her new journey would be received by others.
“I’ve been in the entertainment industry for so long, right, and of course, like, you know, coming out, I’m like young, I’m gonna do wild things as we all have,” she said.
“...I feel like by me being vocal and showing everybody you can change your life and things can get better, like through myself, that right there is an accomplishment, and that’s a part of freedom, too.”
But as she started on her journey, many people have shown her grace, which is something she’s grateful for. “And then the fact that people have been showing me grace, it’s like amazing,” she said. “And I feel like when I did it, I just did it. It was more so like spiritual thing and I feel like people see that, and I’ve always been like my authentic self, so what you see is kinda what you get with me, and that’s just kinda what it is.”
Chyna, who recently received an honorary doctorate from Sacramento Theology Seminary and Bible College, has also repaired her relationship with her mom, Tokyo Toni. The social media celebrity surprised her daughter on the Tamron Hall Show. Prior to the sentimental surprise, Chyna dished on the reconciliation and having a better understanding of her mom.
“I must say, some of the things I have to take accountability for because, like my actions. As a mother, you don’t want to see your daughter doing certain things ‘cause it’s like it doesn’t matter what my past was or what we’re going through, I didn’t raise you that way,” she admitted. “So, it’s like, okay, maybe I was a little bit wrong. Maybe I was acting out a little bit. But I feel like as we grow older, I kinda see more, and I understand more.”
Chyna will be starring in season two of Fox's reality competition show Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.
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Feature image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
