

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.
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From Monogamy To Polyamory: 'I'm In An Asexual Poly Marriage With My Husband Of 7 Years'
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be asexual and in an open marriage? Relationship Coach Mikki Bey shared her first-hand experience with us as well as answered some of our burning questions.
Like a lot of people, Mikki met her now husband, Raheem Ali, online. As soon as they met, they instantly fell in love and got engaged on their first date. Just 90 days after they met, the couple tied the knot and have now been married for seven years. Raheem and Mikki aren’t your typical married couple, and despite being married for almost a decade, their marriage is anything but traditional. Mikki and Raheem have what she calls an "asexual polyamorous marriage."
Defining Her Sexuality
It wasn't until last summer that Mikki found the language to define her sexuality. "I didn't have the language for it until last summer," she explained to xoNecole. "Looking back, I just thought sex wasn't my thing. It was never enjoyable for me, and I'd go years without even noticing.”
Mikki always thought she was broken because she had no interest in sex. Mikki noticed after her friends came to visit and started discussing their sexual fantasies that she realized something was different about her. “At that point, I knew something was definitely different about me since I do not have sexual fantasies at all. It was truly news to me that people are at work thinking about sex! That was not my experience.” This led to Mikki researching asexuality, which she soon realized fit her to a T. “It felt like breathing new air when I was able to call it by name," said Mikki.
"Looking back, I just thought sex wasn't my thing. It was never enjoyable for me, and I'd go years without even noticing it."
Asexuality refers to people who experience little or no sexual attraction, experience attraction without acting on it sexually, or experience sexual attraction differently based on other factors. Like most things, asexuality falls on a spectrum and encompasses many other identities. It's important to remember, however, that attraction and action are not always synonymous: some asexuals may reject the idea of sexual contact, but others may be sex-neutral and engage in sexual activity.
It's possible that some asexuals will have sex with someone else despite not having a libido or masturbating, but others will have sex with a partner because it brings a sense of connection.
From a Traditional Marriage to Kitchen Table Polyamory
Although Mikki never really had a high sex drive, it wasn’t until after the birth of her son, that she noticed her sex drive took a real nosedive. “I never had a high sex drive, but about a year after my son was born, I realized I had zero desire. My husband has a high sex drive, and I knew that it would not be sustainable to not have sex in our marriage at that time.”
She was determined to find an alternative to divorce and stumbled upon a polyamory conversation on Clubhouse. Upon doing her own research, she brought up the idea to their husband, who was receptive. “It’s so interesting to me that people weigh sex so heavily in relationships when even if you are having a ton of sex, it’s still a very small percentage of the relationship activity," Mikki shared.
They chose polyamory because Mikki still wanted to be married, but she also wanted to make sure that Raheem was getting his individual needs and desires met, even if that meant meeting them with someone else. “I think that we have been programmed to think that our spouses need to be our 'everything.' We do not operate like that. There is no one way that fits all when it comes to relationships, despite what society may try to tell you. Their path to doing this thing called life together may be different from yours, but they found what works for them. We have chosen to design a marriage that works for us,” Mikki explained.
"We have chosen to design a marriage that works for us. We both consent to each of us having everything from casual sex partners to lifetime partners if it should go there. We believe love is abundant and do not limit ourselves or each other on how we express it."
She continued, “We both consent to each of us having everything from casual sexual partners to lifetime partners if it should get there. We believe love is abundant and do not limit ourselves or each other on how we express it. Our dynamic is parallel with kitchen table poly aspirations.”
Kitchen table polyamory (KTP) is a polyamorous relationship in which all participants are on friendly terms enough to share a meal at the kitchen table. Basically, it means you have some form of relationship with your partner’s other partner, whether as a group or individually. A lot of times, KTP relationships are highly personal and rooted in mutual respect, communication, and friendship.
Intimacy in an Asexual Polyamorous Marriage
Mikki says she and her husband, Raheem, still share intimate moments despite being in a polyamorous marriage. “Our intimacy is emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical, although non-sexual. We are intentional about date nights weekly, surprising and delighting each other daily, and most of all, we communicate our needs regularly. In my opinion, our intimacy is top-tier! I give my husband full-body massages, mani-pedis and make sure I am giving him small physical touches/kisses throughout the day. He is also very intentional about showing me his love and affection.”
Raheem and Mikki now use their lives as examples for others. On their website, thepolycouplenextdoor.com, they coach people interested in learning how to be consensually non-monogamous. “We are both relationship coaches. I specialized in emotional regulation, and Raheem specializes in communication and conflict resolution. The same tools we use in our marriage help our clients succeed in polyamory."
Mikki advises people who may be asexual or seeking non-monogamy to communicate their needs openly and to consider seeking sex therapy or intimacy coaching. Building a strong relationship with a non-sexual partner requires both empathy and compassion.
For more of Mikki, follow her on Instagram @getmikkibey. Follow the couple's platform on Instagram @thepolycouplenextdoor.
Featured image by skynesher/Getty Images