As someone who is a minimalist in the cosmetics department, I must admit that I did smile when I read articles (like this one here) that said, even when it comes to make-up trends, the “less is more” approach was going to be super popular all year long.
And so, with that being the case, that got me to thinking that whether you’re someone who goes the au naturel route as much as possible or you are a self-professed artist extraordinaire when it comes to how you adorn your face, now is a really good time to offer up some solid tips on how to make sure that your skin is healthy, glowing and beaming.
Because no matter what, skin that is as flawless as possible, is the foundation for all of us to put our best face forward. Wouldn’t you agree?
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1. Rosemary Oil
When it comes to beauty uses, rosemary oil probably has the best reputation when it comes to stimulating hair growth. Still, don’t sleep on it as it relates to your skin because it contains properties that help to deeply hydrate it, bring elasticity to it, reduce inflammation and, if acne is something that you deal with, rosemary’s antibacterial benefits can help to keep pimples at bay as well. Plus, if you’re like me and you like for your skin to have a natural “dewy” look, a drop or two (or three) of rosemary on your skin will provide that effect for hours on end.
2. Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is definitely my ish. So much, in fact, that I once penned, “Why Your Skin, Hair, And Nails Need Hyaluronic Acid Like...Yesterday” for the platform. Yeah, if you want your skin to be on-point on a consistent basis, this acid can help to get you there thanks to its ability to hydrate, improve elasticity, provide anti-aging effects, soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and even bring healing to symptoms related to eczema.
Also, if you’ve got dry skin that you can’t seem to get rid of, because hyaluronic acid is 1000 times the weight of water, you can trust it to moisturize your skin for longer periods of time than many commercialized moisturizers that are on the market. Dope.
3. Rose Petal Toner
If you want to keep your skin’s pH levels in balance, reduce the appearance of your pores, increase your skin’s hydration, and deep clean your skin after washing it, skin toner can make that happen. That said, if you want your toner to be as natural as possible, why not make some out of rose petals? For many years, rose water has been praised for its ability to reduce inflammation, slow down the signs of aging, tone your skin, and decrease the effects of oxidative stress. For tips on how to make rose water out of rose petals, go here. Some toner recipes with rose water in them? Here, here, and here.
4. Infused Ice
Looking for something that will reduce the inflammation of pimples or will shrink the appearance of pores? Look no further than some regular ole’ ice. Definitely if you’ve had a rough (or great, if you know what I mean) night and your eyes have bags to show it, a cold compress on them for about 20 minutes will brighten things right on up. And, if you want to get some nutrients into your skin in the process, freeze the water with some lemon (the vitamin C in it will stimulate collagen production), Aloe vera gel (it will moisturize oily skin without encouraging breakouts), or fresh sage (it will fight off free radicals and the signs of aging). Your skin will certainly thank you if you do.
5. Vegetable Glycerin
If you’ve ever tasted vegetable glycerin before and you wonder why it’s sweet, that’s because it is a type of sugar alcohol that is made by warming up plant-based oils like soy, palm, and coconut. Since it works as a humectant, vegetable glycerin works as a powerful skin moisturizer. If you’ve got eczema or psoriasis, it can help to soothe the irritated skin that is oftentimes associated with it. Another cool thing about this particular product is it is able to make the texture of your skin feel baby soft smooth too.
6. Turmeric Oil
Something else that I am super fond of is turmeric oil. The curcumin that’s in turmeric has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are literally able to give your skin a rich and healthy glow. If you’ve got acne or discoloration on your face due to the marks that acne leaves behind, turmeric can assist with those as well. Two other bonuses that come with turmeric are it can reduce blotchiness and oxidative stress. So, if you’ve never given turmeric oil a shot, perhaps this has convinced you.
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7. Mandelic Acid
My latest “Where have you been all of my life?” skincare addition is mandelic acid. Listen, if you’re looking for an acid that — is a gentle exfoliant; can turn over fresh skin cells in record time; will have your skin feeling baby-soft smooth; will soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; helps to unclog pores, and is on-10 when it comes to treating hyperpigmentation (especially the kind that acne leaves behind)? Whew, chile! Again, I wish that I had known about this sooner.
For the record, what I am speaking of is the acid that’s in serum form. What I personally use is The Ordinary’s Mandelic Acid 10% + HA. It’s affordable. It’s gentle on my skin. It’s also not as…intense as a mandelic acid chemical peel. In fact, if you want to go the chemical peel route, my two cents would be to speak with a dermatologist or esthetician; those can be pretty potent. The serum kind, though? I’d do a commercial for The Ordinary if I could (I like a lot of their stuff, actually…).
Oh, and if you really want to brighten your skin up, vitamin C extract in the day (it can brighten up dark spots on your skin) and marula oil at night can certainly get you there in fairly record time (about four weeks).
8. Ginger Tea
Wanna spritz your skin with something that’s all-natural? Try a little bit of ginger tea. The properties in ginger are great for it because it helps to boost your skin’s collagen levels; works to improve the texture of your skin (when used regularly); has antioxidants that can help to clear up acne; brightens your skin tone, and they can fade minor scarring of your skin. To make your own spritz, steep fresh ginger or a couple of ginger tea bags for 20-30 minutes. Allow the tea to cool completely, pour into a small spray bottle and refrigerate. Use to freshen your skin whenever the mood hits.
9. Marula Oil
If you’re in the mid-to-latter stages of perimenopause, treat your skin to the info that is featured in “So, What Does Menopausal Skincare Consist Of Exactly?” One of the things that I shared is the fact that if your skin is drier than usual (due to all of the hormonal shifts), marula oil is the perfect oil for “sealing your skin” with the moisture that it needs after showering or bathing. Marula oil is also bomb because it contains anti-aging properties, helps to protect your skin from UV damage, and can reduce the bacteria that cause breakouts too.
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10. DIY Tea and Essential Oil Steam
If you can’t remember the last time that you’ve steamed your face, you are well past due. Not only does the face steaming process deep-clean your pores and increase blood circulation to your face, it also helps to hydrate your skin and, if you add some herbal tea or essential oil into the mix, it can soothe your skin as well. If you need some help figuring out which loose leaf or tea bags to put into your steam water, check out “I've Got 10 Teas That Will Help You To Age (Even More) Gracefully” and “10 Different Ways Herbal Teas Can Fit Into Your Beauty Regimen.”
As far as essential oils go, lavender can help to calm your skin, geranium can help to minimize the appearance of your pores and sandalwood can give you a natural healthy glow. For tips on how to properly and safely steam your face at home, go here.
11. DIY Serum
If you’ve ever wondered what a serum actually is, it’s a product that is most effective if you apply it right after washing your skin and right before moisturizing it. The purpose of a serum is to provide a lightweight yet super potent kind of liquid to your skin that is filled with ingredients that can help to heal a variety of skin-related issues such as dryness, acne, and aging. Although there are an endless amount of commercialized serums on the market (like these here, here, and here), you can also make your own.
One of my favorite recipes comes from the website The Sweetest Digs and it consists of jojoba oil, rosehip oil, vitamin E, and a variety of essential oils. You can read more about how to make it along with how it can do wonders for your skin here.
12. DIY Bronzer
Although it’s rare that I am going to wear anything more than mascara and lipstick (literally), when I want my skin to look hella radiant, I have absolutely no problem brushing on some bronzer. In my opinion, nothing can give you a quicker sun-kissed glow than it. The key is to go with a shade that is a couple of shades darker than your natural skin tone and to evenly apply it on your bare skin or on top of your foundation.
Yes, there are bronzers that you can buy; however, if you’d prefer to customize your own, it’s easier to make than you might think. If you’ve got some cinnamon, nutmeg, and cocoa powder and a little bit of time, you’re halfway there. For a recipe that is easy to follow, go here.
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Bonus: Kojic Acid Soap
Long story short on this one kojic acid is an acid that is made from fermented rice wine. The science of it all is when applied, it helps to prevent the enzyme tyrosinase from forming. Why is that relevant? Well, tyrosinase is actually what helps to control melanin production and while we all know that melanin is all good, when it is overproduced to the point where it creates hyperpigmentation (like when your skin is trying to heal from the inflammation of a pimple), that’s when it can become problematic.
And although, the acid itself, some people have used it to lighten their skin, in the form of soap, it’s simply good at fading dark spots over time. In fact, some skin experts actually say that it’s really effective at evening out the skin tone of darker hues (a Black YouTuber who goes by GRAYCYLYN sings its praises here). I’ve used it and I have not one regret, so as we close this out, if you want to “wash some radiance” onto your face, here’s a viable option. Enjoy!
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RELATED
Whatever the case, TikTok is making sure we have everything we need to "lock in" for the rest of the year. Heralded as "The Great Lock In," TikTok's latest wellness trend is the collective reset designed to transform your life by December.
If you've been seeing the phrase pop up on your FYP, here's a quick breakdown of The Great Lock-In and how you can make the rising wellness trend work for you.
What Is The Great Lock In?
The Great Lock In Wellness Trend, Explained.
TikTok creators define "The Great Lock In" as a 17-week journey, taking place from September 1 to December 31. Think of it as a not-so-distant relative to the wellness trend concepts of 75 Hard/75 Soft or last year's viral Winter Arc. The Great Lock In is all about re-programming your mind to reprogram your life.
As one TikTok creator, @_tatianaforbes explained in her TikTok, "It's all programming your mind to go hard for a sprint of time. It's not meant to be forever. But it's meant to be this time where you put forth immense effort in some area of your life."
That area could be your finances, fitness, sleep habits, or even your personal style. And while The Great Lock In is framed as a "sprint," the true W is establishing the powerful habits you build along the way, the ones that shift your mindset, setting the tone for your physical or mental transformation. The name of the game is focus. And what you focus on, you magnify, creating space for radical change that feels bigger than your average glow-up.
@_tatianaforbes/TikTok
The Great Lock In Rules
The Rules of Engagement
So how does one lock in to The Great Lock In? The concept itself might sound intense, but the rules of engagement are more straightforward than you'd think. If you're ready to commit, here are some of the most common "rules" TikTok creators like @silkx.co are swearing by during this end of the year sprint:
- 90 days of pure discipline
- Wake up by 5 a.m.
- Go to bed by 9 p.m.
- Work out 5-6 times a week
- Take 10,000 steps daily
- Read 10 pages of a book daily
- Drink 3 liters of water daily
- Max protein intake goals daily
- Write 3 things you're grateful for
- No fast food
- No sugar
- No alcohol
- No excuses
- Eliminate distractions
- Focus on yourself
@silkx.co/TikTok
How To Make The Great Lock In Work For You
You don't have to do all of the rules of The Great Lock In to see results by December 31. We want to level up and thrive, not burnout in survival mode. Yes, this is a 17-week sprint to transformation, but it doesn't mean you have to box yourself in self-improvement hell. Like author James Clear reminds us in the ultimate self-development book, Atomic Habits, "All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger."
TikTok creator @cloudsjoo echoes this approach to transformation, encouraging small, sustainable shifts versus a complete life overhaul from day one. Maybe you build toward 10,000 steps a day by starting off with a 30-minute walk per day. Or if you're rule is no fast food (physical) or no eating out (financial), a small step could look like cooking more meals at home each week and leaning more on meal prep.
The beauty of The Great Lock In lies in its flexibility. It's a framework for building systems that actually fit into your life long-term. Locking in doesn't mean perfection, it means commitment. It's choosing yourself through consistency and trusting that those small steps will lead to the glow-up you've been envisioning for your life.
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Here are the 13 best self-help books you should read to foster a better relationship with the most important person in your life, yourself:
Black Girl, You Can Do This by Brittni Kirkpatrick
"This book is written from my heart and soul to teach and guide the next generation in love, empowerment, and truth."
―Brittni Kirkpatrick, Black Girl, You Can Do This
In this manifesto of mindset liberation for young women, Brittni Kirkpatrick encourages the next generation to explore their ideas and values, find the meaning and truth within, and be true to themselves rather than fitting in with the crowd.
Black Girl, You Can Do This is a series of love letters from Kirkpatrick to her younger self, followed by the practical techniques that will help you cultivate the needed space for personal growth and development, love and healing, and empowerment to thrive in the power of your natural talents, skills, and abilities.
The Self-Love Experiment: 15 Principles for Becoming More Kind, Compassionate, and Accepting of Yourself
Amazon
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same."
― Shannon Kaiser, The Self-Love Experiment: Fifteen Principles for Becoming More Kind, Compassionate, and Accepting of Yourself
In The Self-Love Experiment, Shannon Kaiser encourages you to overcome your fears and put a stop to self-sabotage, so that you can gain the confidence you need to reach your goals and become your own biggest fan, best friend, and unwavering supporter.
The Self-Love Experiment rectifies the problem people face when they believe that they are not allowed to put themselves first or go after their own dreams out of fear of being selfish or sacrificing others' needs. No matter what you're going through, Kaiser walks you through her own personal experiment, a simple plan that compassionately guides you through the process of removing fear-based thoughts, so you can fall in love with your life.
milk and honey by Rupi Kaur
Amazon
"What's the greatest lesson a woman should learn? That since day one. She's already had everything she needs within herself. It's the world that convinced her she did not."
- Rupi Kaur, milk and honey
milk and honey is the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity. Divided into four chapters, each chapter serves a different purpose, deals with a different pain, and heals a different heartache.
milk and honey "takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look."
the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur
Amazon
"This is the recipe of life/ said my mother/ as she held me in her arms as i wept/ think of those flowers you plant/ in the garden each year/ they teach you/ that people too/ must wilt/ fall/ root/ rise/ in order to bloom."
- Rupi Kaur, the sun and her flowers
Unlike milk and honey, the sun and her flowers talks about the experience of growth, healing, ancestry, and honoring one's roots. Divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, the sun and her flowers is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. A celebration of love in all its forms.
the sun and her flowers reflects souls who rise above the barricades that incumber their growth. It is a passage between decay, awakening, and healing; and it is a passage that has the capacity to truly mend and heal broken hearts stuck in darkness and despair.
the sun and her flowers beautifully discusses "expatriation and rising up to find a home within yourself."
The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz
Amazon
"And what is the right woman, the right man? Someone who wants to go in the same direction as you do, someone who is compatible with your views and your values ― emotionally, physically, economically, spiritually."
― Don Miguel Ruiz, The Mastery of Love
In The Mastery of Love, Don Miguel sheds light on deep-seated fear-based beliefs and assumptions that cripple love and lead to suffering and drama in relationships. Utilizing perspicacious anecdotes to bring his message to life, he shows us how to heal our emotional wounds, reclaim our freedom and joy, and reestablish the spirit of playfulness that is essential to healthy, loving relationships. Using teachings from the three Toltec Masteries — Awareness, Transformation, and Love — as groundwork, Don Miguel illuminates the misconceptions and erroneous expectations about love that pervade most relationships.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Amazon
"You express your own divinity by being alive and by loving yourself and others."
― Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements
In The Four Agreements, Don Miguel argues that everything we do is found on agreements we have made with ourselves, with other people, with God, and with life itself. Out of these agreements, the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves. In these agreements, we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, and what is impossible. One single agreement is not such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our energy, and diminish our self-worth. With The Four Agreements, bestselling author Don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and creates unnecessary suffering. The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can quickly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and, ultimately, love.
sunny. by Gabrielle Hickmon
via Permission To Write
"When was the last time you let yourself feel everything?/ Gave yourself over to the love,/ the fear,/ the soul of it all?"
-- Gabrielle Hickmon, sunny.
As a collection of poetry dedicated "to everyone, but especially the girls everywhere — chasing the sun," sunny. is a poignantly familiar place for you to spend your afternoon. With poetry and prose about the ins and outs, ups and downs, and twists and turns of life and love, sunny. is rooted in the notion that "everything is a piece of a poem, if you're paying attention." Exploring the ideas of self-love, what happens when a relationship falls apart, and how love finds us in even the ostensibly minuscule details of life alone or with someone else, Hickmon, showcases the struggles of being vulnerable and effortlessly loving oneself, seamlessly.
This collection of poetry is reminiscent of poets before her, such as Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace, with more of that refreshingly raw and gritty edge one could expect from such a book.
The Wisdom of Sundays by Oprah Winfrey (and Guests)
Amazon
"All of us are seeking the same thing. We share the desire to fulfill the highest, truest expression of ourselves as human beings."
― Oprah Winfrey, The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations
The Wisdom of Sundays features insightful selections from the most meaningful conversations between Oprah Winfrey and some of today's most admired thought leaders. Organized into ten chapters — each one representing a powerful step in Oprah's own spiritual journey and introduced with a personal essay by Oprah herself — the moments of inspiration that have enlightened millions are collected and held within this stunning, treasurable, and deeply-affecting book.
Paired with beautiful photographs, including many from Oprah's private property in California, The Wisdom of Sundays promises to be a timeless memento that will help readers awaken to life's astounding potentials and discover a deeper connection to the natural world around them.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living An Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
"If you're serious about changing your life, you'll find a way. If you're not, you'll find an excuse."
― Jen Sincero, You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life
You Are a Badass is the self-help book for people who gravely want to improve their lives, but don't want to go broke doing so. In this invigoratingly entertaining how-to guide, Jen Sincero — world-traveling success coach — offers humorously inspiring stories, sagacious advice, and easy exercises, helping you to: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want; to ultimately create a life you can be incandescently in love with.
You Are A Badass lets you create the life you want not tomorrow, not the next day, and not in a month, but now. By the end of the book, you'll understand why you are the way that you are, how to love what you cannot change, how to change what you don't love, and how to use everything else to kick some serious ass. You Are A Badass makes you feel…well, like you're a badass. The baddest of them all to be exact.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown
"Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It's a shield. It's a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it's the thing that's really preventing us from flight."
― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
With living in the age of social media, each day we face a bombardment of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. In doing so, we are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, then we would no longer feel inadequate. We would no longer feel incomplete. So, most of us perform, please, and perfect instead of living as our true, authentic selves.
In The Gift of Imperfection, Brené Brown — a leading expert on shame, authenticity, and belonging — shares what she has acquired from a decade of research on the power of Wholehearted Living; and teaches her readers how to engage with the world from a place of worthiness. Using ten guideposts, Brown engages your mind, heart, and spirit while she explores how you can cultivate the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think I am enough.
UnFu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life by Gary John Bishop
Amazon
"Wake up to the miracle you are. Here's what you've forgotten: You're a fu*king miracle of being."
- Gary John Bishop, UnFu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life
In this straightforward handbook, Gary John Bishop gives you the tools and perceptive guidance you'll need to demolish your woes weighing you down, so that you can become the truly unfu*ked version of yourself. Through a series of seven assertions, Unfu*k Yourself encourages you to believe that you are: willing, wired to win, unstoppable, capable of embracing uncertainty, not your thoughts, what you do, expectant of nothing and acceptant of everything.
Unfu*k Yourself illuminates the idea that "it isn't other people that are standing in your way, it isn't even your circumstances that are blocking your ability to thrive, it's yourself and the negative self-talk you keep telling yourself." If you're tired of feeling fu*ked up, Unfu*k Yourself does a marvelous job of showing you that you can truly lead the life you were meant to have. All you have to do is get out of your own head and out of your own way.
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
Simon & Schuster
"There is no list of rules. There is one rule. The rule is: there are no rules. Happiness comes from living as you need to, as you want to. As your inner voice tells you to. Happiness comes from being who you actually are instead of who you think you are supposed to be. Being traditional is not traditional anymore. It's funny that we still think of it that way. Normalize your lives, people. You don't want a baby? Don't have one. I don't want to get married? I won't. You want to live alone? Enjoy it. You want to love someone? Love someone. Don't apologize. Don't explain. Don't ever feel less than. When you feel the need to apologize or explain who you are, it means the voice in your head is telling you the wrong story. Wipe the slate clean. And rewrite it. No fairy tales. Be your own narrator. And go for a happy ending. One foot in front of the other. You will make it."
― Shonda Rhimes, Year of Yes
Before her Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes was an expert at declining invitations others would leap to accept. With three children at home and three hit television shows on TV, it was easy to say that she was simply too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. Afraid of cocktail party faux pas like chucking a chicken bone across a room; petrified of live television appearances where she could trip and fall and bleed out right there in front of a live studio audience; terrified of the difficult conversations that came so easily to her characters on-screen.
Then, on Thanksgiving 2013, Shonda's sister muttered something that was both a wake up call and a call to arms: You never say yes to anything.
Afterwards, Shonda knew she had to embrace the challenge: for one year, she would say YES to everything that scared her. In Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes hilariously, emotionally, and candidly shares anecdotes and her solution to overcome your fears. This book is a genuine and rousing account of saying yes to life. After reading this novel, you will feel like you are limitless and that you are only one word away from your life-changing moment. When in doubt, step back, assess the situation, and without hindrance, say "yes."
Be Unapologetically You: A Self Love Guide for Women of Color by Adeline Bird
Adeline Bird
"As a woman of color, you think you are at the bottom of the pile but your position is unique and your differences are not your weakness, they are your strength. Once you own that, you can be unstoppable."
– Adeline Bird, Be Unapologetically You: A Self Love Guide for Women of Color
In Be Unapologetically You, Adeline Bird teaches that self-love is a journey that starts with forgiveness and acceptance of what is. Only after you have forgiven yourself and accepted that whatever happened happened, can you start your soulful revolution, where you stop judging yourself and start celebrating yourself instead.
In hopes that you become self-aware, Bird encourages her readers to learn what is important to them and then she forces them to decide what kind of behavior they are prepared to accept from themselves and from others. Loving yourself is non-negotiable, and with the help of Bird, she teaches you that although loving yourself is hard, takes courage and commitment, you are blessed with the creative genius to shape your own world. All you have to do is reach out and grab it with both hands.
Once you've found and cultivated a better relationship with yourself, with the help of these novels, come on back and let us know which one helped you the most.
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Originally published on February 2, 2019