Taraji P. Henson hasn't aged a day since the release of Baby Boy in 2001 and since the release of her new coil-friendly haircare line, TPH, our good sis has been dropping all of her must-have beauty secrets and we are here for all of it. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Taraji gave us the details on her skincare routine and according to her, it requires water, Vitamin C, and a whole lot of moisturizer. She explained:
"I need my face to feel squeaky-clean, so I wash with this, then use Paul Scerri moisturizer. I swear [the moisturizer] was made for me. If they stop selling it, my face might turn to stone! I wash my face with Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser. I really don't have a crazy ritual. People go, 'What do you do?' And don't get facials a lot; I just moisturize my skin. I use Olay's Micro-Sculpting Cream Moisturizer for moisturizer but I switch back and forth because sometimes my face will get tired of one product. A good Vitamin C serum is good."
While facials may not be a part of this fresh-faced beauty's regular routine, Taraji says that she is intentional AF about staying hydrated. The 49-year-old actress revealed that she became convinced of this simple skincare hack like most of us learn life lessons: via meme. She told Parade:
"I also drink lots of water. That's really the trick. Water is the key. I saw a meme that said, 'You're not old, you're just dehydrated.' And it had a wrinkly dehydrated face next to a plump face and that inspired me (laughs). I believe in that though. You have to drink water—you must drink water. I always carry water with me around set. My security and my assistant are always constantly reminding me and chasing me down with water bottles."
Along with spilling the tea on how she keeps her skin on 10 at all times, Taraji revealed how she keeps her self-care game all the way together. While she may play a cutthroat music industry mogul on TV, Taraji says that crafting and quiet time dominate her time-off.
"It's completely quiet time. No television, no radio, no phone. Just quiet. And I can be cleaning. I can be cooking. I just notice that when I quiet the noise in the background, I can quiet the noise in my mind. My brain can race, so I'm also training myself to focus on one thing at a time. And that forces me to stay present and in the moment and not get ahead of myself."
The actress, who says that any time alone is time well-spent, says that Tibetan bowl singing is also a newfound means of relaxation that she's incorporated into her self-care routine.
"I also meditate. I have this routine where I align all of my chakras and it includes oil and chanting and Tibetan bowls singing. I know how to make my Tibetan bowls sing. And the different sizes of a bowl represent different tones, which do different things for me. So that and baths and spas and saunas and massages."
To check out more of Taraji's must-have beauty products, scroll below!
Featured image by Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
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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