What Your Breakouts Could Be Telling You About Your Health
Like the saying goes, great skin starts from the inside out. Our skin is our largest organ, so it definitely makes sense that what we put inside of it, or whatever stress we are dealing with, would have an effect on our skin. Have you ever noticed that you tend to get breakouts in specific areas of your face? It might be around your cheeks and jawline, or your forehead, or in your nose. According to Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, your body might be telling you there's something happening internally that's making you break out. This practice is called face mapping.
According to face mapping, the face is split into sections, including your chin/jawline, cheeks, forehead, and nose. When you have breakout in these specific areas, it can mean anything from respiratory issues, to poor diet to hormonal fluctuations. Let's break it down, shall we?
What Breakouts On Your Jawline Mean
Raise your hand if you can tell when your period is about to start because you experience a breakout. Is it around for your jawline? According to face mapping, jawline breakouts are due to hormonal imbalances, hormonal fluctuations, and kidney issues. There is even a theory that breakouts along your jawline can also tell you when you are ovulating, and on which side you are ovulating. This hasn't been proven, but I still think it's pretty amazing.
What Breakouts On Your Cheeks Mean
If you break out around your cheeks, it could be something as simple as dirty pillowcases or cell phones, but it could also be too much sugar, stress, overeating, or lung/respiratory issues. If you're a smoker, you might want to watch out as smoking could possibly be the cause of breakouts on the cheek. There's a debate going on between researchers as to whether smoking and whiteheads or acne on the cheeks are linked. Super interesting stuff!
What Breakouts On Your Forehead Mean
Breakouts on the forehead could be from wearing dirty hats, having bangs, or not properly rinsing out your hair products when you wash your hair. It could also indicate issues with your digestive system, stress, irregular sleeping schedule/not enough sleep, and a poor diet. If you find yourself with frequent forehead breakouts, try getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, along with eating leafy greens and drinking more water.
What Breakouts In Between Eyes And Nose Mean
Acne in between your eyes and around your nose could mean that you have a poor diet, are constipated, bad circulation or high blood pressure. If you break out in between your eyebrows, that could be a sign that you have a food allergy. If you are lactose intolerant, you may also find that you have breakouts in between your brows. Again, it might be worth it to take a look at your diet and eliminate processed sugar, fast food, alcohol, and increase water intake.
Personally, I always break out on my jawline about 4 to 5 days before my period, and without fail, I breakout of if eat too much sugar. On the rare occasion I drink soda or have a little too much alcohol, I can always expect to get a few whiteheads the next day. It's annoying, but at least I know the cause!
Face mapping is not an exact science. It's true that what is happening internally can affect our skin, but if you suffer from cystic acne or are concerned about the state of your skin, please see a dermatologist who can better assess your skins' condition.
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Megan Thee Stallion Shares Her Transformative Approach To Health And Wellness
Megan Thee Stallion is back and better than ever — both physically and mentally.
ForWomen’s Health May/June 2024 cover, the 29-year-old rapper bared all, opening up about her healing journey following the aftermath of the July 2020 shooting incident by rapper Tory Lanez.
“A lot of people didn’t treat me like I was human for a long time,” she told the publication. “I feel like everybody was always used to me being the fun and happy party girl. I watched people build me up, tear me down, and be confused about their expectations of me.”
She continued, “As a Black woman, as a darker Black woman, I also feel like people expect me to take the punches, take the beating, take the lashings, and handle it with grace. But I’m human.”
While the “Savage” artist exudes confidence through her stage presence and boisterous lyrics, behind the scenes, Megan was experiencing a silent battle with her mental health. “Before I went onstage, I would be crying half the time because I didn’t want to [perform], but I also didn’t want to upset my fans,” she says.
With pressures from the outside world piling up, Megan experienced “dark times,” that caused her to isolate from the public eye.
“I didn’t want to get [out] from under the covers,” she recalls. “I stayed in my room. I would not turn the lights on. I had blackout curtains. I didn’t want to see the sun. I knew I wasn’t myself. It took me a while to acknowledge that I was depressed. But once I started talking to a therapist, I was able to be truthful with myself.”
The “Wanna Be” rapper also details her current workout slip and diet that work hand in hand, giving her the mental clarity and stamina to perform at her highest level. For four to five days a week, Megan is locked in with one of her two trainers, Emory “Joc” Bernard and Tim Boutte, doing a variety of workouts like Pilates, running up and down sand hills at the beach, or hitting the StairMaster or elliptical for upwards of 40 minutes.
Best known for her “Megan knees,” leg day is a must — with hip thrusts, goblet squats, leg extensions, and “stallion kicks,” being included in her circuits.
With a combination of therapy, stepping away from imbalanced relationships, and daily movement, the Houston Hottie has since been able to reconnect with herself on a deeper level; putting her happiness before the opinions of others. “Working on myself made me get into working out because I needed to focus my energy somewhere else,” she shares. “I used working out to escape and to get happy.”
“I’m in a space where I feel good mentally, so I want to look as good as I feel.”
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