The skin is our body's largest and fastest growing organ, so why do we tend to neglect it the most?
As a young, vibrant teenager, my skincare routine was nonexistent and my face was blessed to have whatever dollar store body wash I had at the time. As a grown ass woman, I follow my A.M. and P.M. skin and body care routine to the letter because the alternative is a pair of relentlessly ashy knees and a face full of cystic acne that just won't quit.
I know that I can't be the only woman in the world who has spent hundreds of dollars in search of a miracle cure that will stop my sebum-making glands in their tracks, but Meagan Good just dropped a few beauty tips that might help us on our quest.
Meagan Good was cast in her first major film in 1995, and she hasn't aged since. Since the days of Cousin Skeeter, the bare-faced beauty has been our #BeautyGoals, and even after more than a decade, she's finally spilling the tea on how to find this elusive fountain of youth. Recently, the 37-year-old actress sat down with ESSENCE and dished about how she keeps her hair, skin, and body on 10 at all times, here's what we learned:
Less > More
After landing her first role in Friday, Meagan was forced to grow up in the spotlight. After years of heavy-duty glam, she's decided to take a different approach to her daily beauty routine. The Intruder actress said that these days, less is more and her daily essentials are minimal AF.
Meagan's everyday beauty routine includes lip balm, sunscreen, and eyelash extensions. Earlier this year, Meagan shared via Instagram that she stopped using foundation four years ago and it was the best decision she could have ever made. She said in her caption:
"I decided four years ago never to wear foundation again. Instead I opt for tinted moisturizer or nothing. On fancy days I'll add a lil concealer under the eyes, bronzer and light contour. I've got to say: best decision I've made to combat the pre-aging and damage that foundation and some face make up can do."
Switch Up Those Tresses
When a a woman switches up her hair, nine times out of ten, she's about to change her life. Meagan says that she keeps her beauty game exciting by making her tresses match her mood.
"When I change my hair it's about expressing what I'm feeling in that season."
She warned that although she's rocking a short, blonde cut, for now, being too heavy-handed with the bleach can be a bad idea.
"So far I've only bleached it four times, but I know my hair is like, 'Girl, we've been so patient and kind, but if you keep going in this direction, we're going to start getting crispy.'"
Start From The Inside-Out
Your skin can't reach it's ultimate glow-up if you're out here stressing. One of the most essential practices that Meagan employs to reach optimum beauty is self-care. Along with making sure to switch it up and keep it simple, Meagan also makes sure to make herself feel good with bountiful bubble baths and mindful meditation sessions:
"I get up, I pray, meditate and say my affirmations. I'm a massage connoisseur, especially deep tissue. Anywhere, anytime, any chance I get, I make it happen."
If You Tired, Be Quiet & Go To Sleep
In a previous interview, Meagan emphasized that all the products in the world won't do you any good if you're exhausted. According to Meagan, one of the best things you can do for your skin is take a nap. She explained:
"Let me reiterate rest. No matter how much good food you eat or exercise you do, sometimes you just need to take time, breathe, and rest. There's nothing like it to help recharge your batteries."
Along with these body care tips, here are the skincare products that Meagan has used to get her epidermis all the way together:
To read Meagan's exclusive in full, check out her interview with ESSENCE here.
Featured image by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Originally published May 24, 2019.
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RELATED
The reason why I think that this is relevant to today’s topic is, as I was doing some research for it, I found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit as I read things like “men need to orgasm in order to release sperm; women don’t need an orgasm to conceive” and “Why do women orgasm? It’s still a mystery.” Umm, is it? Because if you factor in the oneness component that I just mentioned (which more people should take to heart if you ask me) and then add to that the fact that the ONLY purpose of a clitoris is sexual stimulation and satisfaction for a woman — female climaxing and the need for it to happen as much as possible should baffle absolutely no one.
Sex serves a layer of benefits and yes, for both men and women, pleasure should be one of them. And since that is the case, a woman being able to orgasm, as much as she can, should be promoted…in content on a consistent basis.
And that is why I thought some of you might find it interesting that there are certain things about men, specifically, that science says can increase the chances of you climaxing — not only more but more intensely too.
Let’s dive in.
How Masculine a Man Is
GiphyI’m gonna be honest: All of the women out here who give pushback on submission and yet want a man to physically look up to (you know, someone who is 6’ or over which is only 15 percent of the male US population, by the way) fascinate me. So, you want a man who towers over you yet you think it is antiquated for a man to lead you? Do tell. Anyway, that is the first thing I thought about when I read that a man’s level of masculinity plays a significant role in how often a woman is able to orgasm and how quickly she is able to do it.
It would appear that some of the backstory on this is, on the physical tip, men with strong jawlines and broad shoulders represent being in good health as well as being able to protect their family while research also reveals that men with beards make many women believe that they would be good fathers. And yes, as much as social media may say — or scream — otherwise, women tend to prefer dominant (exerting authority or influence) men more as well. All of this together, in the bedroom, results in more and faster orgasms for women. Fascinating.
A Man’s Personality
GiphyA sense of humor in a man can really take him a long way in life — including when it comes to giving women orgasms. That’s why articles like “Funny Men Give The Best Orgasms, According To Research” exist. Although it’s probably a given that a lot of us are drawn to this character trait because it makes us feel good, research also says that humor taps into our creativity, makes it easier for us to adapt to things, and can help us to be better problem-solvers too.
Sexually, I would think that being funny helps because humor and orgasms both provide dopamine hits which is the feel-good hormone that runs throughout our bodies. While we’re on this topic, other personality traits that will make you cum more when it comes to men include being creative, warm, and faithful — gee, imagine that. #sarcasm
Also, a Man’s Self-Esteem
GiphyI’m pretty sure it doesn’t surprise you in the least that the more intense your orgasms are with a guy, the more attractive you’ll find him to be and the more willing you’ll be to have sex with him multiple times a week. Yeah, y’all be careful with this one because something else that science says is whenever a really good orgasm comes your way, as a woman, your brain literally switches all the way off for a moment (which could explain a lot when it comes to who some people choose to deal with out here…just sayin’). Anyway, apparently it would seem that a truly confident man is who’s able to pull all of this off.
That makes sense because confidence is all about having a high sense of self-worth; embracing challenges; not having a lot of self-doubt; listening well to others; standing firm on one’s own beliefs; putting plans into action, and taking control of one’s life. Plus, since a lot of women will admit that they prefer a man to be a provider and protector, which in turn causes them to feel safe, and feeling safe also makes it easier to let go and enjoy sex fully — yes, all of this tracks.
Foreskin
GiphyIf no one else will say it, I WILL: the double standard on foreskin vs. the extra skin that a lot of women have when it comes to their vulva is absolutely ridiculous. In fact, if you know some things about your clitoris, it’s constructed a lot like a mini-penis in the sense of it experiences an erection of sorts when it’s aroused and the clitoral hood is the clitoris’s “foreskin.” So, to be out here giving the “ick” to men for how they were born when some of us have large or hanging lips — yeah, let’s chill on that.
Besides, according to science, “uncut men” not only have a greater level of sensation during sex, but that extra bit of skin (which isn’t as much as a lot of y’all make it out to be…relax) actually gives women more consistent orgasms too. Don’t believe me? Read this here and this here.
If He Ejaculates
GiphyI dunno. If you’re not a selfish partner, this one seems like common sense because, if a man “completes the act”, that means he was able to “get his” and that seems like something any good lover would want for their partner (the only thing better? Experiencing it with him at the same time!). However, what I did find interesting is there’s a greater chance that a woman will orgasm herself if she knows that her partner came.
In fact, one study said that a little over 50 percent of women thought that it was very important that their partner ejaculated during sex while a little over 22 percent said that they experienced more intense orgasms if he came during intercourse.
Some studies say that the sensation of the sperm inside of the vagina may play a role in this; however, since that means that you must engage in unprotected sex (check out “Thinking About Going Condom-Free? Read This Before You Do.”) in order to vouch for this one…I’ll just say to use forethought, wisdom and definitely get tested before attempting it.
BONUS: How Your Friends See Him
GiphyThe more you learn, boy. Have any of you heard of the sexy son hypothesis before? The gist is this: If you create children with someone who other women find attractive, the belief is that you will end up having sons who have that same quality. And yes, being with someone who you think is appealing to other women — seems to increase the chances of you having an orgasm too (chile).
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Hmph. It’s intel like this that explains why so many think pieces say that the brain is the most powerful sex organ that we have. Anyway, if you’re someone who wants to have more orgasms or more intense orgasms, perhaps take some of this data to heart. For all you know, it might be the blueprint that you’ve been looking for all along.
Thoughts? Comments. Confirmations? LOL.
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Featured image by Giphy