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-careand 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:
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Featured image courtesy of Instagram/@Nyzeire.
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
