A couple weeks ago, xoNecole published my piece about the cold world of singledom, and thousands of you felt that in your chests! Many co-signed with having done so much internal, and soul expanding inner work, and being ready to find a vibrational match!
Well, I took it upon myself to connect with 8 #MCM worthy men, who will not only cheer you up, and help you hold on to that #BaeGoals faith...but they'll also warm things up with their divine masculine charm, and appealing transparency!
This list will give all my Single Ladies the scoop on up and coming millennial #MCM snacks that will be flooding your timelines if they aren't already! Hold on to your ovaries ladies, this read will jumpstart your week!
1.Marshall Price
His name is Marshall Price, he's originally from Harvey, Illinois and currently living in Dallas, Texas. He's a model and actor making moves in the industry.
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"What I look for most in a woman is her personality and goals. If she doesn't have anything going for herself then I can't be around. I'm a pretty busy guy, so if you're not doing nothing, or you're not doing your passion, it wouldn't work."
His Ideal Date is...
"My ideal date would be bowling, then Shellshack, followed by a walk on a pier, and comedy club."
Photo by: Jarriel Jones
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"I would say my originality makes me attractive. I'm an old soul, so I like to enjoy classic R&B music sometimes."
2.Everette Taylor
Everette is originally from Richmond, VA and is currently based in downtown Los Angeles. He's a serial entrepreneur at heart and has started several companies over the past 10 years. He's naturally a passionate person and enjoys seeing people he cares about be as successful and happy as possible, and he goes above and beyond to make that happen. Ultimately, he's passionate about art, creating generational wealth within the black community, building great products, mentoring youth, and helping those less fortunate than himself.
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"Can we laugh together? There's nothing more that I love to do than laugh. A great sense of humor is a must and just a generally positive and joyful person. Energy is important. I look for ambition and the refusal to settle for mediocrity. Someone who just doesn't have dreams, but follows through. I look for someone who wants to build their own legacy and can stand on their own too, with or without a man."
"Outside of that, I look for someone level-headed, intelligent, willing to compromise, and believes in something bigger than themselves."
What His Ideal Date is…
"My ideal date is anything that's optimized for great conversation. That means no movies, loud bars, etc. With a focus on conversation, we leave the bullshit at home. No masked ulterior motives or disingenuous intentions. Just a transparent and free-flowing conversation with in depth answers and lots of laughs."
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"Such a hard question for me to answer because I know that it varies depending on the person and in a superficial world, success tends to attract a lot of people for the wrong reasons. Mama ain't raise no fool though. With that being said, I do believe emotional intelligence is something that works in my favor in terms of attraction. I'm hyper aware of emotions and energy from others. I pride in myself in being able to cater to that. Not in a fake way, but a compassionate and thoughtful way. I personally think that's my most attractive quality."
3.Jéan Elie
Jéan Elie is an actor and content creator from Brockton Massachusetts living in LA. You've probably seen him on Insecure playing Issa Rae's petty younger brother, Ahmal Dee. His passion is creating content that elevates the underrepresented and the understanding of relationships, mental health and growth.
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"I look for women that can take a joke and just live in the moments."
What His Ideal Date is…
"My ideal date is a random outing after lunch where we just go wherever and do whatever moves us."
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"Y'all going to have to answer that one for me. My mother told me never to talk about myself like that."
Related: 'Insecure' Actor Jean Elie Talks Infidelity, Expectations and Why He's Team Lawrence
4.Lawd P
He goes by the name Lawd P, and is a hip hop musician, creator, and entrepreneur. He's currently building a lifestyle brand called Soullennial, which is centered around a distinct music culture. He's created his management company to incorporate new ideas in owning and capitalizing off our creativity. He is passionate about music, teamwork, and love.
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"A woman has to be wise. Completely trustworthy, and can lead the initiate through the process to show her man the other side. The other side is connecting with a woman physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually."
What His Ideal Date is...
"My ideal date is Smorgasburg at Prospect Park. BYOB, picnic, and you have food vendors. Everything you need all in one space. I believe in killing two birds in one stone." [winks]
Photo by: Rashida Zagon @sheedaz
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"I believe what makes me attractive is that I always find a way to go back to joy. I'm all about positivity, jokes, trust and affection. I always find a way to connect and understand a woman's perspective without my ego in the process."
5.Tyler Lepley
Tyler Lepley is known for being an actor and he's most passionate about finding different mediums for self-expression.
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"I meet lots of beautiful women who seem to be on autopilot. So one thing that keeps me interested is a woman with a specific point of view."
What His Ideal Date is...
"My ideal date is anywhere near a bucket of crab legs! It's always easier to vibe when the eating is good."
Photo by: Eric Michael Roy, Stylist: Paris Libby
Related: Actor Tyler Lepley on Breaking the Stigma of Black Men and Therapy
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"Whether or not I'm attractive isn't for me to say, however, I have a passion for developing myself, and although I have feelings of insignificance at times, I do believe that through my gifts I can impact the world; and that's beautiful."
6.Terry Omi
Terry Omi holds a MBA in Business Management & Leadership and also a BS in Human Services. He has gained career experiences working in the pharmaceutical industry specializing in dermatology medication, as well as in the social services industry, working with substance abuse population, HIV/AIDS population, college prep programs, child welfare, and also as a counselor for teens in need of anger management services. In addition, he has career experiences as a media correspondent/journalist, which has led him to interviewing hundreds of business leaders, celebrities and entertainers, such as Sean "Diddy" Combs, Chris Brown, Jennifer Lopez, Migos and more!
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"The main things I look for in a woman is the fear, love, and passion for GOD. Someone who loves and appreciates her family, someone who is fuuuuuuun, open-minded, educated, creative, wise, self motivated, and is able to inspire and connect with me in many ways. It also helps if she takes pride in her appearance, is a good dancer, enjoys exercising and we're both into similar music."
What His Ideal Date is...
"My ideal 1st date would involve hearing some good music, eating great food, laughs and being in a space where we can comfortably talk and learn which ways we're able to connect and relate to one another."
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"What makes me attractive is my love for GOD, my ambition, and the fact that I can relate to people very easily."
7.Jayson Aaron
Jayson Aaron was born and raised in Los Angeles. He's an artist intent on creating things that will have a positive impact on culture.
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"If I'm interested, I'm looking at how she literally and figuratively moves through a room, her smile, sense of style, and our ease in communication. Can we be honest, can we be friends?"
What His Ideal Date is...
"Get fly, explore whatever city that we're in for a while, eat some great food, then go dance somewhere playing Afrobeats (laughs)."
Photo by: Renee Wootsen @iironic
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"What I hope people notice is my vibe. Good energy is important to me."
8.Jonathan Henderson
Jonathan is a graphic artist from New York and a Senior Manager at PF Changs on Long Island. Graphic design is his passion and he's been doing it for the past 13 years. He owns a graphic design business specializing in flyers, logos, business cards, album cover artwork, and photography. He got into modeling to mainly learn more about photography. His end goal is to end up in the entertainment industry as a graphic artist and personal photographer - and he's open to acting gigs too!
What He Finds Attractive in a Woman:
"I look for smart, educated, and independent women. I love a challenge, not one that makes it too easy for me. The older I get, the more open I become to all different types of women."
"If the vibe is there, that's all that matters."
What His Ideal Date is…
"I'm pretty simple with dates. Let's go out to a nice restaurant, grab a drink or bottle of wine, have good conversation - not all up in our phones the whole time. I've been on dates where the girl will be on her phone the whole time, and any time I tried to hold a conversation, she somehow made it about herself. That's a turn off to me. I'm all about learning about the woman I'm dating, but not when they're full of themselves. Confidence is sexy, cockiness is not."
Photo by: Marvin Bienaime
What Truly Makes Him Attractive:
"To me, I was pretty hit growing up. A lot of people use the 'Steve Urkel to Stefan' reference, but I stay very humble at the end of the day. I feel my ambition, drive, and work ethic is what makes me attractive. I like to make people laugh and always keep a positive vibe. Also inspiring others to follow their dreams and never give up no matter what setbacks get in the way. I live by the saying, 'Every setback is a set up for a major come back.' Looks aren't everything at the end of the day, but I will admit my family got some good genes...I can't complain about that! (Laughs)"
Featured image of Marshall Price by Melissa Allison Photo
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Anyway, I have watched enough of Christiana’s content to know that she and her husband Arismarlyn Sabino eat pretty healthy. She works out a lot too. That’s why, I would be super surprised if taking probiotics isn’t a part of her diet (because I’ve definitely seen her use fermented foods in her recipes like in this videohere). It’s a wise thing to do because probiotics do so much for the body — both inside and out.
Either way, whether she does or not, as I was thinking about what is required to have healthy, youthful, and vibrant skin like hers, I wanted to make sure to give probiotics a special mention because, although you may already know that they can help to strengthen your immune system, reduce your stress levels, manage your weight, decrease allergy-related symptoms and help to prevent heart disease, they can also do wonders when it comes to giving you the flawless skin that you desire too.
What Are Probiotics and Why Does Your Skin Adore Them So?
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Although probiotics is a word that comes up quite a bit in cyberspace, in order to explain how your skin is able to flourish with them, I want to make sure we’re all on the same page about what they are: probiotics are live microorganisms (in the form of bacteria and yeast) that help to keep your gut in good condition which ultimately helps to improve every part of you. Because your body naturally has both good and bad bacteria in it, probiotics help to keep the bad bacteria from overtaking your system, so that the good bacteria can help to keep you in optimal condition.
Although I already shared some of probiotics’ health benefits in the intro, some additional ones include their ability to reduce inflammation; help you to (better) manage your appetite; help to prevent and speed up the recovery of vaginal infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs); decrease the chances of cavities and gum disease; support you having a healthy digestive tract; lower stress and anxiety levels; help to keep your blood pressure where it should be — and yes, probiotics can also support you in having beautiful skin.
When it comes to your skin, specifically, why are probiotics so good for it? Well, the reality is that not only is 80 percent of your immunity in your gut (check out “80% Of Your Immunity Is In Your Gut. Take Care Of It Like This.”), it’s also true that when your gut is not working at its best, it can show through your skin in a myriad of different ways — ways that I will address in just a moment.
That’s why it’s a good idea to eat foods that are full of probiotics (including fermented ones like pickles, yogurt, and cheese), and that you consider taking a probiotic supplement (although you might want to speak with your doctor first because there are different strains of probiotics to choose from) and, that you use skincare products that are also rich in probiotics. As far as that last tip goes, probiotic skincare is simply about putting forth the intentional effort to apply products to your face, neck, and other parts of your body that have probiotics — yes, live bacteria — in them.
When it comes to this, the strains that you should specifically look for (you know, on the labels of the products) include:
- Lactococcus
- Bifida
- Streptococcus thermophilus
- Saccharomyces
- Lactobacillus
- Leuconostoc
The reason why you should take note of these is they are reportedly the most effective at doing the following things for your skin…
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1.Probiotics Can Reduce Dry Skin
If it seems like, no matter what you do, your skin is always dry, you should consider taking a probiotic. What research reveals is, that by doing so, not only can probiotics help to decrease transcutaneous water loss (TEWL) that’s in your system, but they can also reduce the amount of water that your skin loses throughout the day by strengthening your skin’s barrier (more on that later).
As far as which probiotics you should apply to your skin in order to keep dryness at bay, look for the strain that is called Vitreoscilla; it will help to strengthen your skin’s barrier and reduce dryness as a direct result.
2. Probiotics Can Soothe Eczema and Psoriasis
If eczema or psoriasis flare-ups are what’s driving you up the wall, probiotics can help with that. The science behind this is, that when you have these types of health-related issues, it can lead to inflammation as well as a different type of bacteria in your gut (in comparison to those who don’t have eczema or psoriasis). By taking a probiotic, it can reduce the inflammation and alter the bacteria that you have which can, in turn, reduce the symptoms.
And just what kind of probiotic-based skincare products can help with this? Strains likeBifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus acidophilus currently show the most promise.
3. Probiotics Can Speed Up the Healing Process of Breakouts
I’m telling you, if you want to look and feel better, you’ve got to pay more attention to your gut health. Take breakouts, for example. Did you know science says that the condition of your gut and acne actually on hand in hand? The gist is that when the gut’s microbe is not where it should be, that can trigger inflammation which oftentimes results in pimples forming.
This is just one more reason to add a probiotic to your diet and to apply probiotic skincare strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium bifidum to your skin; they help to reduce breakouts.
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4. Probiotics Can Balance Your Skin’s pH
If you’ve ever wondered what pH stands for, it’s “potential hydrogen;” it basically speaks to how acidic or alkaline something is. When it comes to your skin, this matters because if it’s too acidic or alkaline (which basically means basic), that can result in dry skin, itchiness, inflammation, sensitivity, and other skin-related issues. That said, if your skin is healthy, it will have a pH of somewhere around 5.5 which is slightly acidic. And how can you know what your skin’s pH is?
The best way to test this is by booking an appointment with a dermatologist. However, if you notice some of the symptoms that I just mentioned, take a probiotic and see if your skin improves within a few weeks. Oh, and when it comes to sensitive skin, especially, skincare that has Streptococcus thermophilus in it should be able to help you out by elevating the ceramide levels that are in your skin.
5. Probiotics Can Improve Your Skin’s Barrier
The outermost layer of your skin is your skin’s barrier — and it goes through a lot. In fact, a Healthline article that I read on it stated, “This fantastically thin brick wall is literally keeping you alive. Without it, various harmful environmental toxins and pathogens could penetrate your skin and cause adverse effects inside your body.” Therefore, if there is anything that you should want to go almost overboard about in maintaining, your skin’s barrier would be it.
And since it is the “front line of defense” for your skin, in a lot of ways, that means your skin’s barrier is vulnerable to things like rough skin, itchy skin, fungal infections and inflammation. It’s a good thing that probiotics can help with strengthening your skin’s barrier so that there is less of a chance that these things will happen. A list of some of the best probiotics for your skin’s barrier can be found here. The types of bacteria strains (probiotics) to look for in skincare as it relates to your skin’s barrier are Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Vitreoscilla.
6. Probiotics Can Reduce UV Damage
It can’t be said enough that everyone needs to be proactive when it comes to keeping their skin from experiencing UV damage (which is damage that the sun causes). Believe it or not, probiotics can help in this department as well because they can help to reduce oxidative stress, and inflammation and they also help to protect your skin’s barrier while you are outdoors. As far as your skincare plan, your best bet here would be to look for sunscreens that have probiotics in them. COOLA is one brand that many people are fond of.
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7. Probiotics Can Slow Down the Signs of Aging
One more. Although aging is a natural part of life (that should be embraced, by the way), when you factor in things like the years of what the sun can do; the loss of elastin and collagen over time; the shifts in pH balance; the fluctuations of your hormones; the damage that comes from oxidative stress; the decrease in melanocytes (pigment cells); the less natural oil that your skin produces; the natural fat layers that begin to thin out more and more — if nothing else will convince you to be hypervigilant in taking care of your skin, all of this stuff should.
And yes, probiotics can even assist with slowing down the signs of aging in your skin because, thanks to what is known as the skin-gut axis, the more good bacteria that are in your gut, the less inflammation your skin will experience, the more elasticity it will have and the less oxidative stress that it will go through.
So, definitely take a probiotic for this and look for skincare products that contain the strain known as Bacillus coagulans. It’s directly connected to helping your skin to age at a slower rate, so that your skin is looking fabulous, from the inside out, for many years to come.
All this from probiotics? Yep.
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