
Tracee Ellis Ross Spilled The Deets Behind Her Foundation-Free FOTD

When Biggie referred to the women in the place with style and grace, I'm pretty sure he was talking about Tracee Ellis Ross. The actress is known for coming through with some clutch AF beauty advice and her latest tutorial is just as fun as you would have expected. In the video, Tracee explained that although make-up is pretty much necessary in her line of work, she chooses to stay foundation-free on her off-days. This entertainer says she'll choose her natural contour and freshly hydrated skin over a full face of makeup any day. She explained:
"My beauty routine is more about how I feel than how it transforms me into some version of myself that I can't keep up with."
According to Tracee, she's not new to the skincare game, she's true to it and says that her high-end, semi-high maintenance beauty routine is decades in the making:
"I have always taken care of my skin as a young girl. I was a picker. I used to love to do my own extractions and I thought that I was an esthetician but I was not. So, I started getting facials really young so that I wouldn't pick and I would have a professional do it because my mom was like, 'You are going to scar up your skin."'
Tracee broke down some of her favorite skincare products and although your bank account may not be fit to drop $500 on a moisturizer, Tracee let us in on some affordable, must-have beauty hacks that will allow you to give your foundation a break and let your skin breathe for a few days.
Scroll below for details!
La Grande Crème by Biologique Recherche
Vogue/YouTube
After applying some of her favorite serums, Tracee likes to continue hydrating by introducing one of her favorite face creams to the mix:
"This fancy jar is La Grande Crème. I like to use a spatula to get it out. I don't like to stick my fingers in there -- very sterile. So, I like a lot, because again, hydration, hydration, hydration. I like to heat cream up in my hands and then get in there."
"Some people spend time putting on makeup. I spend time hydrating my skin."
Vibrating Face Roller
Vogue/YouTube
"This is a small vibrating tool. It was very inexpensive and it's from Amazon. I don't even know what it's called. I don't drink coffee. I rarely eat sugar. I don't like to drink alcohol at all when I'm going to be on camera, which is all the time. Instead of coffee, I like to dry brush my body or vibrate my face or roll my face or and wake it up because I'm often at work at five in the morning."
Retrouve Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer
Vogue/YouTube
"Along with the four layers I've already put on [of moisture], I'm going to do a top layer of Retrouve Intensive. I just do one little squeeze, like a teeny little bit goes a long way. [It's] really hydrating and a little bit greasy and shiny, which I really love."
Face Massager
Vogue/YouTube
"The giant blue balls. They're glass and they're cold. I keep them in the refrigerator. I do this a lot of days at work when it's really early and I just feel tired. It is very hard to go to bed at nine o'clock and wake up at four and get your eight hours, but I need eight hours."
Ruby Woo & Cherry MAC Lip Liner
Vogue/YouTube
It! Cosmetics Brow Pencil
Vogue/YouTube
"I spent a lot of time hidden on the floor in my mom's dressing room while she did her own hair and makeup. My mom is so self-sufficient with her beauty and I think it's informed so much of what I believe. I feel like every person should be able to access their most beautiful self and feel beautiful in their own bathroom without having to be dependent on someone outside of themselves."
LANCER Dani Glowing Skin Perfector
Vogue/YouTube
Shade & Illuminate Highlighter & Shader Duet
Vogue/YouTube
"I like [hot pink] blush in the front of my cheeks and then I might add a little Brown in there just to take down a little bit. Tom Ford. It's this little palette. I don't use the top guy. I basically contour my blush. I don't know which one goes first. I don't really care."
"Here's the thing at work sometimes or like if someone's doing my makeup, they'll put so much foundation. You can't even see my contour."
Opening Act™ Lash Primer & Benefit They're Real! Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara
Vogue/YouTube
Vogue/YouTube
"Tracee Ellis Ross, no foundation. Happy, joyful hair. A sexy red lip and a little bit of a Twiggy Lash."
Watch the full video below!
Tracee Ellis Ross's Guide to Curly Hair | Beauty Secrets | Voguewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Vogue/YouTube
Originally published on November 8, 2019
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Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
Luxury Hairstylist On Viral 'Hey Boo' Texts & Professionalism In The Hair Industry
As Black women, our hair is our crowning glory - whether we paid for it or not. We take pride in how we wear and take care of our hair. As with everything, hair care and hair styling have evolved over the years. Long gone are the days of Blue Magic (although I hear it’s making a comeback).
Now, we have a plethora of creams, oils, conditioners, shampoos, and stylists to choose from. Beyond wearing our natural curls, we have a range of options, from wigs and sew-ins to tape-ins, I-tips, and K-tips. So much choice! But you know what they say about too much of a good thing...
The Black hair industry has definitely blossomed in the last decade with a wave of new stylists and salons popping up all over the place. As much as I love that for us, many of these stylists have become the subjects of viral TikTok and Instagram tirades because of their alleged questionable behavior and bizarre rules.
Excessive policies, strange fees, long wait times, poor performance, and the infamous “Hey boo” texts. Beauty is pain, they say… xoNecole got to the root of these issues with luxury hair extensionist Dee Michelle, who’s been in the hair game for 20 years and runs a seven-figure business - all while being a mom of four.
Antonio Livingston
“I started my business with my career in the hair industry [at] very, very young age when I was maybe like eight...So, over the years, I've just built a very successful seven-figure business very quickly just by offering high-end services and creating great experiences for my clients, many of whom are high-profile professionals,” she said. “I'm also a mother of four, including a set of triplets, which inspires me daily to show what's possible with my hard work and focus.”
Dee’s business has gone viral on social media because of what many call outrageous prices for her invisible K-Tip installs.
“When I developed my invisible K-tip extensions technique, I made sure that it wasn't just about the hair or the style, but about providing a high-end experience from start to finish. So, my clients just aren't paying for the extensions or just the style itself, but they're investing into my meticulous, seamless craft and premium hair sourced from the best suppliers…I've spent so many hours mastering my craft, creating this seamless method that gives my clients long-lasting natural results, and my pricing just reflects that - the value of my expertise and the exclusivity of the service.”
The K-tip specialist stands on business when it comes to catering to her clients and giving them an experience worth the cost.
“And it's just important for me to also say that my clients are high-profile individuals who value quality, their privacy, and their time. They want a service that fits into their lifestyle and their time. They want things that deliver perfection. And I deliver that every single time.”
I’m sure we’ve all seen the various TikTok rants about people’s nightmare experiences with stylists and uttered a silent “FELT!” We asked Dee her opinion on a few nightmare scenarios that beg the response, “please be so forreal."
On stylists charging extra to wash clients’ hair:
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
On ‘deposits’ that don’t go towards the cost of the service:
“I think that's kind of weird, too, for deposits to not be like a part of the service. I've seen people have booking fees and I just don't understand it, to be honest. I disagree with that kind of policy…By all means, people should do what works for them, but to me, it doesn't make sense. Why does somebody have to pay a fee just to book an appointment with you? I don't get it. It feels like exploitation.”
On stylists charging extra to style (straighten/curl) wigs, sew-ins etc., after installing:
“I don't get it. Clients come to us to get their hair done, to get it styled. So why is it extra for you to style it? If you're going to charge extra, just increase your price. I feel like it could be just a lack of confidence in those stylists, feeling like people won't pay a certain price for certain things, or just their lack of professionalism as well, because people are coming to us to get styled.”
On the infamous “Hey boo” text stylists send to clients when they need to cancel/reschedule:
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
We know all too well what kinds of things will keep us from ever gracing certain hairstylists’ chairs with our butts again. So, what should hairstylists do to provide a good service to their clients? What is good hairstylist etiquette?
“For one, being on time is an important rule for stylist etiquette. It's just not okay to require your clients to be on time, and you're not on time. Also, communication. Being able to communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally, whether that's in person, via text, or on social media. Style is etiquette. Appearance matters. So just maintaining a clean, polished, and professional look. Clients respect you more whenever your appearance reflects your work. There's just so many things, but another thing I would say is active listening. So, being able to pay close attention to what your client wants and also clarifying any questions that they might have. Just to ensure that they feel heard and to minimize any misunderstandings.”
Dee also shared some red flags to look out for when considering a new stylist.
“Even me as a client, if I'm booking somebody and they have a long list of rules, I don't even book with them. That's, for one, just such a huge turn-off. Also, stylists who have inconsistent or unclear pricing, that's a red flag. People who change their rates too much without an explanation. Poor communication. So, if a stylist is responding very slow or responding unprofessionally, or giving vague answers to questions, that can make clients question whether or not they are respecting their time and their needs.
Another red flag - an inconsistent or low quality portfolio. And I feel like, I see this a lot with stylists stealing other people's work, and their portfolio on social media is just very inconsistent.”
We couldn’t let Dee go without getting the tea on what styles she predicts will trend in 2025.
“I feel like people are going back to natural-looking styles. So, a lot of people are ditching the wigs, the lace fronts, things like that. People are still wearing them, of course, but it is becoming more of a trend to embrace your natural hair and something that's not looking too fake. That’s one thing that we're going to be seeing a lot. I would say a lot of layers are coming back, heavy layers. Those are becoming really, really trendy. And people are leaning more towards platinum-colored hair. I've been seeing lots of like blondes coming out. Also, jet black is always going to be a trend. But I would say more like natural colors, but natural colors that are still making a statement.”
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Feature image by Antonio Livingston.
Valentine’s Day is coming up this weekend and while couples are the target demographic, singles can also get in on the love as it comes in many forms. We give and receive love to our family members, friends, pets, and ourselves. Whether you’re single or in a couple, it’s important to have self-love.
Self-love keeps us from believing negative things we tell ourselves or what others may say about us. So while Valentine’s Day may be a reminder for some people that they’re single, it can instead be a day to indulge in self-love. Instead of wallowing or trying so hard to avoid Valentine’s Day, start your day with saying self-love affirmations to yourself.
And if you’re coupled up, you can still participate by saying the affirmations to yourself or together with your partner. Check out these 10 self-love affirmations below.
- I am worthy of love, kindness, and happiness.
- I choose to love and appreciate myself unconditionally.
- My heart is full of love, and I share it freely with myself.
- I deserve the same love and care that I give to others.
- I embrace my flaws and imperfections—they make me unique and beautiful.
- I am enough, just as I am, and I celebrate my own worth.
- Love flows to me and through me in abundance.
- I am my own best friend, and I treat myself with compassion.
- I honor my feelings, my journey, and my personal growth.
- Today, I choose self-love, joy, and gratitude for who I am.
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Feature image by Deagreez/ Getty Images