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.
I get it, sis. The struggle is real right now. Your stress levels are high, your budget is tight, and your skincare regimen is the last thing on your mind, but this LA-based creative knows that skincare is self-care and she's intentional about boffum.
23-year-old social media influencer, Nyzeire recently sat down with xoNecole and explained that a little R&R—regimen and relaxation—can be the key to getting your self-care and your skincare game all the way together at the same damn time. The creative explained, "I've learned over the years that skincare is a form of self-care and therapy for me. It's no longer a big stressful process, it's something I enjoy and look forward to."
Having a skincare routine that works for you doesn't have to mean blowing a bag, and every high-end skincare product that looks good ain't good for you. Nyzeire explained that she learned early-on that fancy product packaging can lie—but results don't. "[I was] around 15 years old when I was old enough to realize there's actually science behind skincare and a correct order. It's not just about using all the fancy products."
The creative sat down with xoNecole and gave us the tea on the low-maintenance skincare routine that keeps her melanin on glow and we have all the details.
My earliest beauty memory...
"My earliest beauty memory is being in the beauty salon with my dad, who was a barber and seeing the older girls get braids, beads, and all kinds of beautiful styles. I remember saying to myself 'I can't wait until I'm old enough to look like that,' as if a change of hairstyle would make me more beautiful. I enjoyed the transformation of it all."
My most significant beauty lesson...
"My grandmother has always taught me to never be dry. That goes for everything––skin, hair, hands, or personality. And that's that."
My morning routine looks like...
"Mornings for me typically start off slow––starting with reading my daily manifestation, then jumping right up into my morning skincare routine, brushing my teeth, and styling these baby hairs."
For my skincare routine in the AM...
"I wash with black soap, then I follow up with Tula 24-7 Hydrating Day & Night Cream. My more complex routine is at night so the morning is fairly simple."
For my skincare routine in the PM...
"I cleanse with black soap because it's antibacterial and great for evening out skin tones––I use this with a skin spin brush. and then follow up with a toner (I change this up often). Currently, I'm using Mario Badescu's Witch Hazel and Lavender Toner. Then I use Mario Badescu's Aloe & Rosewater Facial Spray, CLE Cosmetics Vitamin C Elixir, The Better Skin Co.'s Better Shield Anti-Pollution Serum, and Cryo Activating Hydra Gel by 111Skin to reintroduce moisture. I complete my routine with First Aid Beauty's Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask and Mario Badescu's Rose Lip Balm."
How the seasons change my skin and routine...
"My skincare routine definitely changes depending on the season. During fall and winter it's all about moisture for me, during spring and summer it's about SPF and great oils."
My go-to makeup look consists of...
"My go-to makeup consists of my Fenty Beauty Match Stick Trio. I use Caramel as an easy under-eye concealer, Sinamon as my highlighter, and contour with Espresso. I set my brows with any of my favorite brown mascaras and that's that!"
How I approach beauty from the inside out...
"Masking is an amazing experience for me. 30 minutes of relaxing, drinking hot chocolate, and just some me-time makes me feel lovely."
What self-care looks like to me...
"Face masks, positive affirmations, and an activity that makes me happy like roller skating or painting."
For more Nyzeire, follow her on Instagram!
Shop Nyzeire's Beauty Staples:
*Some links are affiliate links. If you purchase an item from an affiliate link, xoNecole might earn a small commission.
Featured image courtesy of Instagram/@Nyzeire.
RELATED
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.
___
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.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Shutterstock
