Why is it that many of us have our hair, nails outfit, and makeup game on point but our skincare routine is close to nonexistent? Unfortunately, many of our mothers, grandmothers and aunts instilled in us that black don't crack as they greased our faces with vaseline and sent us on our merry way!
While the rich melanin we posses does in fact cause our skin to naturally age slower, we still need to protect it! Here are ten reasons why your skincare routine or lack thereof is simply not working for you!
1. You aren't exfoliating.
Exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin. Many women simply wash their faces, then pile makeup on top of dead, dry and flaking skin. Removing dead skin is important because it makes way for newer, healthier skin to come through and gives the skin an overall more beautiful, clean appearance. As we age, our skin cells don't rejuvenate as often making it even more imperative to remove that old nasty dead skin. Exfoliating should be done anywhere from 1 to 3 times a week. Invest in a good scrub or brush and start exfoliating today!
2. You don't regularly change your pillowcases.
How often do you change your pillowcases? Do you see grease stains on your pillowcase in the morning? Sweat, dirt, grind, makeup, dead skin and bacteria all love making a pillowcase their home. If you are sleeping on a dirty pillowcase, guess where all of those things are going to. Your face! You should be changing your pillowcase at the very minimum of once a week, if not more. You should have spare pillowcases in between wash days so that you change it as needed.
3. You aren't washing your makeup off before bed.
You absolutely have to wash your makeup off before bed every single night! Our skin absorbs what we put on it. If you are going to sleep with makeup on, it's getting under your skin. Do you ever wonder why your skin appears blotchy, you get frequent breakouts, or dark circles often? It could definitely be due to you not washing your makeup off before bed. Purchase makeup removal wipes for nights you are dead tired and can't seem to make it to the sink. For most nights however, you should be washing your makeup off thoroughly before going to bed, then applying a moisturizer.
4. You don't moisturize your skin.
Some women don't apply moisturizer because their skin is naturally oily and they don't want to appear greasy, others simply never knew that it was a necessity so never bothered with it. If your skin is oily, you still need moisturizer. Sometimes skin produces excess oil because it thinks you need it. Applying moisturizer helps to regulate the amount of oil our skin produces. If your skin is dry, your body is not producing enough oil and you need moisturizer to keep your skin soft and supple. Find a moisturizer that works best for your skin type and use it regularly, especially before your makeup application so you can have a smooth flawless finish.
5. You have never seen a dermatologist.
When you are sick, you go to a doctor, right? When you have a toothache, you go to the dentist. You have annual exams with your gynecologist. Why don't you see a dermatologist when your skin is going haywire? Skin is the largest organ of the integumentary system. Your skin plays a major role in protecting you against loss of water and harmful pathogens in the environment, so why aren't you letting an expert assist you with it? Anytime you have a skin issue, whether it is a skin tag, discoloration, persistent acne, rash, whatever, you need to see an expert. Sometimes Google simply isn't enough. Have your doctor recommend a great dermatologist to help you tackle any skin issues you may have.
6. You have no clue what an esthetician is.
I'm guilty of this. I had no clue what an esthetician was, until I decided I wanted to go to school for skincare and became one. An esthetician is a professional who specializes in skin and skincare. Licensed estheticians give facials including; chemical peels, microdermabrasion, LED Facials, oxygen treatments and more. It is recommended to see an esthetician once a month when you are first starting off until you have a handle on your skincare routine and then as needed. Estheticians are able to expertly determine the type of skin you have and what products are needed to ensure your skin is at its absolute best.
7. You are using the wrong products.
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It's easy to run into Walgreens and grab the first facial cleanser we see but is that really what our skin needs? Everyone's skin is unique and what works for you may not work for the next person. It's important to know whether your skin is oily, dry, combination, breakout-prone, aging, etc to know what is going to work best for you.
8. You aren't extracting.
Extracting is the removal of blackheads. Blackheads can occur when dirt and oil become trapped under the skin's surface. You can purchase an actual extractor at Sally's or your local beauty store, or you can use q-tips to extract as well. Steaming your face first opens up pores for easy extractions. Never extract an actual pimple or whitehead as it could leave scarring. Only blackheads should be extracted. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, see an esthetician for a facial and analysis and advise them of the areas where you are prone to blackheads.
9. You aren't drinking enough water.
Water helps skin to maintain a healthy appearance as well as keeps skin moisturized and youthful looking. If you notice consistent dryness in your skin, it could be because you are either using products that are too harsh or drying for your skin, or not drinking enough water. If you aren't taking care of your body on the inside, there isn't much you can do on the outside that will help.
10. You are eating bad foods/drinking too much alcohol.
Alcohol is drying. If you notice that you have a lot of dryness in the space in between your eyes, it most likely is due to dehydration. Dehydration can be caused by excessive alcohol intake or lack of water intake. Limiting your alcohol usage can help your skin look and feel better. If you are eating tons of meat, junk food and processed foods you could be experiencing dull, dry breakout-prone skin. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables not only helps you to look amazing physique-wise, it also plays an important part in keeping your skin looking great! Add more fresh fruits, vegetables and water to your diet and cut back on the unnecessary foods and drinks, your skin, body and overall health will greatly benefit!
Featured image by Getty Images
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Ashley Renee is a soul food enthusiast, sometimes vegetarian, writer and spoken word poet, who doesn't trust boxed macaroni or cats. keep up with her @ashleyreneepoet on Twitter & Instagram.
Exclusive: Dreka Gates Talks Farm Life, Self-Mastery, And Her Wellness Brand
Dreka Gates is making a name in wellness through authenticity and innovativeness. Although we were introduced to her as a music manager for her husband, Kevin Gates, she has now carved out her own lane outside of music as a wellness entrepreneur. But according to Dreka, this is nothing new.
In an xoNecole exclusive, the mom of two opened up about many things, including starting her wellness journey at 13 years old. However, a near-death experience during a procedure at 20 made her start taking her health more seriously.
“There's so many different levels, and now, I'm in a space of just integrating all of this good stuff that I've learned just about just being human, you know?” Dreka tells us. “So it's also fun because it's like a journey of self-discovery and self-mastery. That's what I call it. So it's never-ending.”
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If you follow Dreka, then you’re familiar with her holistic lifestyle, as she’s no stranger to promoting wellness, self-care, and holistic living. She even lives part-time on a Mississippi farm, not far from her grandmother and great-grandmother’s farm, where she spent some summers as a child.
While her grandmother and great-grandmother have passed on, Dreka reflects on that time in her life and how having a farm as an adult is her getting back to her roots. “So the farm was purchased back in 2017, and it was like, ah, that'll just be a place where we go when we're not touring or whatever,” she said.
“But COVID hit, and I was there, and I was on the land, and I just started remembering back to going to my grandmother's during the summertime and freaking picking peas and going and eating mulberries off the freaking tree in the bushes.
“And she literally had cotton plants. I know some people feel weird about picking cotton and stuff. She had cotton plants and I would go and pick cotton out of her garden. And she had chickens, and I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots.”
"I literally just broke down in tears one day when I was on the farm just doing all the things, and I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh. I'm literally getting back to my roots."
You can catch glimpses of Dreka’s farm life on Instagram, which shows her picking fruit and vegetables and loving on her animals like her camel Eessa. Her passion for growing and cultivating led her to try and grow all of her ingredients for her wellness brand, Dreka Wellness. However, she quickly realized that she might be biting off more than she could chew. But that didn’t stop her from fulfilling her vision.
Watch below as Dreka talks more about her business, her wellness tips, breaking toxic cycles, becoming a doula, and more.
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Exclusive: Jordin Sparks Shares Emotional Story Of How Husband Dana Isaiah Saved Her Music Career
Jordin Sparks is living life with no restrictions, and her latest studio album is proof in the pudding.
The singer first rose to fame after winning the sixth season of American Idol in 2007. With almost two decades of experience in the music industry under her belt, Sparks's new album, No Restrictions, intentionally represents a very particular time in her life. Most of the songs on the project were written while the world was on lockdown, making the project not only very personal but one that showcases Sparks' ability to defy being categorized under one genre.
“There’s a song on the album called ‘No Restrictions,’ which is a whole different meaning, but I was just so drawn towards the title because I feel like that’s just where I am in my life,” Sparks tells xoNecole.
“I’ve stepped into my power as a wife, a mother, a friend, an artist, a songwriter, a woman, a human, and I just feel like sometimes there are times when other people try to restrict you and put you in a box. But sometimes, you can be your own worst enemy, and you can do it to yourself. You can hold on to outdated versions of yourself. You can hold on to things that were said that don’t apply to your life anymore.”
“That’s the space I’m in,” she continues. “I’m dropping all of those things. The ball and chain of people’s opinions because everybody’s going to say what they’re going to say. I feel like I’ve always had pretty thick skin, but now I’m just like…and?”
"I’m dropping all of those things. The ball and chain of people’s opinions because everybody’s going to say what they’re going to say. I feel like I’ve always had pretty thick skin, but now I’m just like…and?"
Moreover, if it wasn’t for her husband, Dana Isaiah, Sparks would have walked away from music as a whole. She recalls having the U-Haul packed and ready to head out until their paths crossed.
“This music would not be happening without him,” reveals Sparks. “I really was, like, my house was up for sale. I had a storage pod halfway packed, and then he came into my life and said, ‘Why are you running?’ And I was like, sir, I do not know you well enough for you to ask me this. I didn’t say that, but I did laugh in my head. He was right, and I was running because I was just tired of the games. I was tired of all the craziness, and he really loved me back to life, to be honest.”
She adds, “He helped remind me who I was, like, ‘No, we need your voice. Your voice needs to be heard.’ It took me a second to be like wait, Oh yeah, I did that. He’s really put me on his shoulders. He has elevated me to levels that I never thought that I could be.
"And in terms of a relationship, to have the freedom to just be myself and to do the things I love and go for what I’m doing without the fear of anxiety, like this is going to cause a fight, or this is going to do this or whatever the fears we can get within relationships can be. I never have that. I’m very much like, alright, babe, what do you think about this one? I fell in love with his mind and I fell in love with his heart, so I’m always asking his opinion and asking what he thinks.”
For Sparks, it's important for their son to see his mother not only being loved out loud but also having the freedom to flourish and just be.
“It’s important as a woman and as a mother for your child or children to see you living your most authentic self and doing things because you love to do it and because it makes you happy and it fulfills you,” says the “No Air” singer.
“It may not happen at the time you think it’s going to happen, but for me, I’m always like what’s meant for me will never miss me. I’m just really happy that he has parents that are like that because my husband’s that way, too. He’s very much like I’m going to do my own thing. He knows what he wants, and so I’m really grateful that he’s got parents that have that kind of mentality to just speak up.”
Sparks and hubby Dana Isaiah tied the knot in 2017, and when a position for management came open on her team, she knew that he was the only one who could fulfill the job she needed at the time.
"It’s important as a woman and as a mother for your child or children to see you living your most authentic self and doing things because you love to do it and because it makes you happy and it fulfills you."
“It was an easy decision because I was like, nobody knows the story of what I’m trying to do more than he does, so if I want this to be put out the right way, what better way than to have somebody who is, every single day, knows who I am. He knows my heart. He knows my dreams, my goals, and he just wants to see me achieve them. That just made it an easy decision.”
“It’s been a couple of years, and he never took that spot to be permanent, so I now have a manager. His name is Silas White, he’s amazing,” Sparks continues.
“So Dana now does like day to day and Silas does the overall, which has been great because I get tired of it being about me all the time. We’re always together, so once he came into that position, it was like everything we talked about outside of it was always like work or something that I needed to do, so I was just like, I’m ready for this not to be about me.”
Outside of music, these days, Sparks finds enjoyment in, of course, the family time that she shares with her husband and son, but also her spiritual development and spending time to be one with nature.
“I always imagined that I’d get there, but now I’m here, you know?” says Sparks. “I’m in the space where I can see the signs very clearly. I’m very clear with my path and what I’m supposed to be doing, and I know I’m supposed to be here singing and bringing joy to people and healing people, making them feel something, through my music. So with that being said, it applies to having no restrictions as well. It makes things very clear and simple.”
No Restrictions is now available for streaming on all digital streaming platforms.
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Feature image by Parsons