

4 Masks You Need To Add To Your Skincare Routine ASAP
As a child, I would watch my mom and grandmother get their skin together every day and night. My mom worked in the beauty industry and she showed me how to properly cleanse, moisturize, and protect my skin. So by the time I was 16, I created a daily skincare routine to help me get through puberty. As I got older and started exploring skincare myself, I realized that what I was doing wasn't enough.
Although cleansing and moisturizing is essential, as we get older, we have to start catering to our skin's individual needs. Maintaining healthy skin is a process, but it can be made easier by implementing masks that will work to improve the look and feel of your skin. Read on to check out the 4 types of masks I recommend you adding to your skincare routine for healthier, radiant skin.
A Mask For Problem Skin
[ia_video https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3092-Acne%2BMask_Treatments.mp4 source="https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3092-Acne%2BMask_Treatments.mp4" feedbacks=true shortcode_id=1531778433852 expand=1 ]Oh, acne! While we don't love it, it's important that we know how to handle it. Skincare is not always a one product fits all type of thing. You have to know your skin, the problem you're experiencing, and then find a product/routine to get rid of it. I wish I can just wash my face and all my acne will disappear! And since that's not the case, you have to look for products that will assist you in eliminating and/or diminishing your breakouts.
I love ORIGINS Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask to Rescue Problem Skin (Amazon, $27) because it minimizes my breakouts, and my skin is clear within a week. It says to leave it on for 10 minutes, but I usually leave it on longer. (The faster I can get rid of them, the better!) If the Out of Trouble mask isn't your steez, look for any acne treatment that contains sulfur, salicylic acid, and Alpha Hydroxy Acids - your skin will love you.
A Charcoal Mask That Detoxifies
[ia_video https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3093-Charcoal%2BMask.mp4 source="https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3093-Charcoal%2BMask.mp4" feedbacks=true shortcode_id=1531779062125 expand=1 ]Charcoal masks are great for acne, too. If you combine this with the first step, then you'll be good to go. The great thing about charcoal masks is the fact that they work so well for breakouts and your skin in general. A good charcoal mask removes bacteria, deep cleanses your skin, and balances oily skin.
The Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask (Amazon, $38) that I use by ORIGINS is my favorite! Their Bamboo Ash ingredient removes all impurities and adds some major glow to my skin!
A Mask That Adds Moisture
[ia_video https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3094-Moisture%2BMask_Treatments.mp4 source="https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3094-Moisture%2BMask_Treatments.mp4" feedbacks=true shortcode_id=1531779512906 expand=1 ]If you have combination or dry skin, then girl, this is for you. I love using moisture masks because the weather can dry us out even more and moisture masks help you regain your moisture and glow.
I love the Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask (Amazon, $30) for many reasons. It smells amazing and is made with apricots and avocados. It's also a clear mask so no one has to know you have it on, and you can sleep with it on all throughout the night. That way, the moisture is sealed into your skin during its most restorative period of the day: while you sleep. You can also try other moisture masks from brands like Glossier and Dermalogica.
A Peel Off Mask That Refreshes
[ia_video https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3095-Peel%2BOff%2BMask_2.mp4 source="https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F3095-Peel%2BOff%2BMask_2.mp4" feedbacks=true shortcode_id=1531779779459 expand=1 ]Peel off masks aren't as bad as they seem, especially if you use the right one. I consider peel off masks to be the snap back of skincare, because it really snaps your pores into shape.
I would recommend getting a mask like ORIGINS GinZing Peel-Off Mask (Amazon, $39), because the peel off is easy and gentle, and my skin is left feeling smooth and refreshed. I would avoid masks that tug on your skin too much, it's your face after all, so you want to be gentle.
*Featured image by Krissy Lewis
What are some of your favorite masks? Drop your skincare routine below!
- Chris Pratt's Face Mask Skincare Routine | InStyle.com ›
- How to Use Face Masks | Paula's Choice ›
- Skin Care Routine Order - Layering Skin Care Products | Teen Vogue ›
- My Skincare Routine! Plus My FAVORITE Face Masks! - YouTube ›
- When Should I Use a Sheet Mask in My Skincare Routine? ›
- The 10 Step Korean Skin Care Routine | Soko Glam ›
Freelance writer, content creator, and traveler. She enjoys the beauty of simplicity, a peaceful life, and a big curly fro. Connect with Krissy on social media @iamkrissylewis or check out her blog at www.krissylewis.com.
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next
Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find, there’s no denying that she is that girl.
Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.
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
Whoopi Goldberg Shares How An Untreated UTI Led To An Early Stage Endometriosis Diagnosis
Whoopi Goldberg discussed her experience with endometriosis on The View.
During the segment on November 8, the co-hosts were joined by Hillary Clinton, who is an executive producer for the documentary Below the Belt, to raise awareness about endometriosis.
Goldberg expressed her grievances with the health care system to properly diagnose women with the condition after an untreated urinary tract infection led her to discover that she had the condition.
“It drives me berserk that we are still constantly having to beg for health care,” she shared candidly.
“We pay taxes. Women pay taxes. I don’t understand why, when doctors go to school forever, they’re not taught about a woman’s body. And then you have all of these people making these comments, and you know [they] have no idea how this works,” she added.
Endometriosis is a common and often painful condition that occurs when the tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus, called the endometrium, grows outside the uterus. It often affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining the pelvis.
The Sister Act star went on to share that she considers herself to be “lucky” to have caught her endometriosis at an early stage, emphasizing the importance of addressing such health issues promptly.
“I was lucky enough because I had a urinary tract infection that I did not take care of. Note to people: don’t let that stuff go. Because stuff happens in your body, and I ended up with what looked like - and I don’t mean to gross you out - but suddenly there was a smell, and it looked like cottage cheese, and I didn’t know what was going on,” she said.
“And I was lucky enough to get to somebody who said: ‘This is called endometriosis,’” Goldberg continued. “They were able to treat me with antibiotics, but that’s because somebody knew what they were looking at.”
As the conversation around endometriosis begins to grow, it is important for women to continue to share their symptoms and educate others about the diagnosis. Goldberg is just one of many celebrities who have used their platform to discuss the condition. Chrissy Teigen, Tia Mowry, and Monica are among those spreading awareness that can empower other women to seek early diagnosis and potentially prevent more severe, long-term pain.
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Featured image by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images