In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on the daily. Here they break down their beauty routines on the inside and out, as well as the highly coveted products that grace their shelves and their skin.
Keeping your glow-on-go can feel like a full-time job, but LA-Based creative storyteller, Sammy Approved isn't about to let adult acne steal her shine. The 27-year-old digital content creator recently sat down with xoNecole and spilled the tea on the brightening skincare routine that she can't live without and we have all the details.
With adulthood comes the need for an effective beauty regimen and according to Sammy, although she's somewhat new to the skincare game, she's true to it. Sammy shared, "My view on skincare has changed significantly because as I've approached my mid-late 20's, my skin calls for different products and more attention."
With an arsenal of products discovered through trial and error, Sammy says that she has now developed an effective routine that both brightens her skin and gets her hyperpigmentation all the way together. She told xoNecole, "Adult acne is a thing. I never had serious acne breakouts until adulthood. I don't have the luxury of not 'being on' 24/7. When my job calls for lights, camera, action, I have to snap into it and my skin should be the least of my worries. So finding a skincare regimen to practice twice a day has yielded in great results for me."
In our chat, Sammy also broke down why a DIY Aztech Clay Mask, blotting papers, and a fresh set of pillowcases are all essential to leveling up your self-care game.
My earliest beauty memory...
"My earliest beauty memory was when I was 16 years old preparing for senior photos with a local photographer. This was a pretty big deal because I had signed up to be an ambassador for his company to encourage other seniors to book with him for senior photos. I remember my mom taking me to several department stores to find a few different looks to wear. We stopped by the makeup counter in the mall and suddenly it was time to make one of the hardest decisions of my young life: What brand of foundation would I choose for the first time?
"My mom had been using MAC foundation for as long as I could remember but that day she mentioned how heavy it can be on the skin and that I may not need that product as my first product in the makeup game. I agreed and we continued looking. The next encounter happened to be Lancôme. I remember being enticed by their makeup stand. It was bright and inviting. Someone matched me for the foundation and I remember my skin looking and feeling so smooth, light, and flawless. It was the perfect first foundation."
My most significant beauty lesson...
"Wash your face! No matter how lit the night was, how tired you become, or if you fall asleep at someone's home without your must-have products, find a way to wash your face. At this point, I carry makeup wipes with me just in case. That pimple will rise to the surface if you don't rid your skin of the sweat, dirt, and makeup you built up throughout the day. Also, it helps to wash your pillowcases often. I'm a natural girl so I use a number of products in my hair. If you don't think that sits on top of your pillowcases and slowly finds its way on your face, you're mistaken."
For my skincare routine in the AM...
"I wash my hands first. Then, I use Ren's Ready Steady Glow AHA Toner to get rid of that first layer of dirt. Your face will thank me for this toner! Next, I wash my face with Ancient Cosmetics Even Skin Hyperpigmentation Turmeric Face Wash. I have issues with scarring from terrible breakouts here and there so this particular face wash helps with getting that even skin tone we all want. After cleansing, I moisturize my skin with Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream. It's not a heavy moisturizer and you don't need to use too much. I like that it's light and does the job. If I am preparing to go out, I'll finish with Glossier's Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid. You will glow effortlessly! I also started using these blotting films from Sephora after traveling on tour for a few months. My best friend suggested these to use throughout the day so that the oil and build up doesn't sit on your skin all day."
For my skincare routine in the PM...
"At night, I follow the same morning routine but I use one additional product under my eyes before I moisturize. The Body Shop's Drops of Youth Bouncy Eye Mask reduces puffiness under the eyes and fades dark circles which is something I struggled with from lack of sleep. It's a little on the pricier side but you don't use a lot of the product––just a small dab for both eyes."
My go-to makeup look consists of...
"I wear makeup here and there but it's definitely not a daily practice. My go-to makeup look consists of Nars Weightless Luminous Foundation, Nars Concealer, Anastasia's Dipbrow Pomade, Maybelline's Classic Great Lash, Maybelline Master Chrome Highlighter and a little Glossier lipgloss."
What self-care looks like to me...
"I'm an environment person. I need incense, candles and essential oils to create a comfortable and inviting ambiance in my space. I live for a good mask like the Aztec Clay Mask or any other sheet mask I may find in my local grocery store. I must also have my journal and bath salts to soak in."
My approach to beauty from the inside-out...
"I practice meditation. I speak daily affirmations to myself that encourage and motivate me to turn on the light within. You can shine on the outside once you glow internally. I also write often to release any emotions I may hold onto throughout the day. This is also a practice that helps you look and feel less stressed and uneasy. Having control over our emotions translates to how our skin looks and feels so it's important to have an outlet or two to maintain the internal as well."
How I do skincare when I travel...
"Most of my current daily routine I use while traveling because I was on a two-month tour across the country and many of the products I use now were purchased on the road. When traveling, I am just a lot more conscious of how often I wash my face and pillowcases. I definitely would recommend traveling with your own pillowcases. The blotting films are essential when you're moving from place to place on the road to prevent that dirt buildup in your pores throughout the day."
For more of Sammy, follow her on Instagram!
Shop Sammy's Beauty Staples:
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Featured image courtesy of Instagram/@SammyApproved.
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Again, the answer never changes because, if there is one thing that Shellie Reneé Warren is gonna get, it’s 6-8 (sometimes nine) hours of sleep. However, since my chronotype (check out “Ever Wonder What Personality Traits Make Someone A 'Morning Person'?”) means that I like/prefer to write in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes I will sleep for the night for five hours and take a nap in the day. And y’all, that is just fine with me because I am well aware of the fact that napping does everything from give me more energy, heighten my alertness and even make me more creative to decrease stress levels, strengthen immunity, and reduce my chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
My problem is I will oftentimes go “overboard” with my daytime zzz’s. What I mean by that is, in order to get the most out of a nap, they say thatyou shouldn’t sleep for longer than 25 minutes or so; otherwise, you could wake up feeling sluggish (I don’t but…). Also, it can make resting, soundly, at night a bit of a struggle.
So, what are you saying, Shellie? We should get quickies in? Yeah. And it’s funny that the word “quickie” would come up because just like a sex quickie can do wonders for you (and it can — check out “12 Super Solid Reasons To Have A Quickie Every Single Day”), it’s a full-circle moment when I say that something that can improve the quality of your sex life is to have a power nap (a nap that lasts between 10-30 minutes).
Wanna know how the two things correlate? Honestly, it’s no secret that sleep and sex work together to optimize both (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”). Today, though, we’re going to tap into how a nap, specifically, can have you partaking in some of the best sex that you’ve experienced in a minute. I’ll explain.
Naps Reduce Stress
GiphyIf you’re feeling super stressed out right now, you are not alone. There is plenty of data out here that says that most of us are stressed for at least a couple of reasons at a time — and that can impact your sexual health on a few levels. For one thing, it can bring about feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Stress can also throw your hormone levels off (including your cycle) which can weaken your libido. Stress can make you want to put distance between you and your partner (yes, literally).
Stress can also make it challenging to get aroused or to have an orgasm. And just what can help to decrease stress? Taking a nap. Since sleep has a way of helping you to “get off of the clock” and relax a bit, that can lower your stress levels and “reset” your body so that you are calmer — and that, in turn, can do wonders for your sex drive and ultimately your sex life.
Naps Improve Your Mood
GiphyThere is one person in my life, and fairly 80 percent of the time, she’s in a super good mood. Oh, but let that girl go without sleep, and…who is this woman? LOL. There’s research behind why this happens. When a person is sleep-deprived, it messes with their brain chemicals, and that can amplify emotions like anger, restlessness and sadness. In fact, one study revealed that people who had their sleep disrupted throughout the night, they ended up having their positive outlook on life reduced by about 30 percent.
And geeze, who wants to have sex when they’re not feeling very good? Anyway, since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate your moods, your sleep patterns, and your libido and sleep is what helps to keep it in balance — by taking a nap, not only can it help you to feel better, it can also increase your desire for sex (it can also build up your endurance which is also…sexually beneficial).
Naps Increase Your Focus and Concentration
GiphySomething that some of my clients bring up is how, when it comes to having sex, sometimes the flesh is willing while the spirit is weak because, although the desire for intimacy is there, so much is going on that they aren’t able to get still enough to focus on experiencing copulation with their partner. This also tracks because, when you don’t have enough rest, your brain finds itself not working in harmony and that can make it hard to do everything from approaching life with a sense of flexibility to making necessary decisions.
Certain data also reveal that a lack of rest can cause you to have a really poor attention span and not process things in context (the more you know). So, if you really want to get some yet it’s hard for you to focus long enough to make it happen, ask your bae to lie down with you and take a nap. Between the sleep and the snuggling (check out “Fall's Coming: 8 Wonderful Health Benefits Of Cuddling”) — you may wake up with your mind and body totally on the same page. #wink
Naps Can Make You Feel Better About Your Body
GiphyEven if, overall, you feel really good about your body, I think that we all have moments when we feel less attractive than others — and who wants to have sex when they don’t really feel…very sexy? Well, something else that sleep, in general, can do is increase your confidence in your body.
For one thing, if you want to lose a few pounds, sleep can actually make that happen by helping your body metabolize the glucose (sugar) that’s in it so that you can better manage your appetite. Other studies go on to share that since sleep deprivation can impact one’s mental health and emotional stability in a negative way, of course, getting enough rest would increase body positivity.
Shoot, science even goes so far as to say that insomnia can cause people to have an elevated level of dissatisfaction when it comes to their body image. Don’t take their word for it, though. Look in the mirror before a nap. Then look in a mirror after waking up from me. Do you feel better? I’d be surprised if you don’t.
Makes Your Brain Bigger…Which Could Make Your Orgasms Better
GiphyI saved the best for last by design. Now if you’re wondering how in the world a nap can improve (and possibly increase) your orgasms — oh, there is a method to the madness…trust. For starters, the saying that your biggest sex organ is your brain? That isn’t a myth. Long story less long, the brain is what houses your central nervous system and that is what controls how men and women sexually function (yes, literally).
And since the brain also releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin during sex and brain activity significantly increases in women during sexual activity (especially right before she orgasms) — well, would it trip you out to know that when you take a nap, your brain actually expands? A bigger brain (that’s healthy) can potentially intensify your sexual experiences (and your climaxes) — and who doesn’t want that to go down?
____
Like I said earlier, I never have to be convinced to get a nap in. However, if your sex life has been a bit stagnant lately, you’ve been feeling a little sluggish and you’re not sure what to do — I’m hoping that a nap can get you right.
There’s enough science to prove that it can. All you need to do is give it a shot.
Now where’s your pillow and sleep mask, chile?
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