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How Tracee Ellis Ross Keeps Her Skin Poppin' Like The 4th Of July
If you don't believe in magic, just take one look at the skin on director, actress, and 47-year-old badass Tracee Ellis Ross, and I'm sure you'll change your mind. The popular saying "black don't crack" takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to Tracee, who takes after her mother in terms of unapologetic beauty and style, and the Black-ish actress hasn't been shy about sharing her skincare secrets. After recently going barefaced on the gram, she has us all wondering how to secure the skincare routine, but according to Tracee, beauty isn't about how you look, it's about how you feel. She told The New Potato:
"I think something is beautiful when it has an expression of truth. I see 'pretty' as something different; "pretty" has to do with physicality to me, and 'beauty' has to do with a feeling."
Although beauty is only skin deep, we're still going to need you to run us the details on your skincare system, sis. In the past, along with a lengthy list of both high-end and budget-friendly products that will keep your skin on 10 at all times, Tracee has also dropped a few tips on how to keep your skin looking like you just hopped out of a whole fountain of youth.
Oil-Absorbing Sheets
The best part about buying a new lipstick that's way out of your budget is knowing that you won't have to reapply every time you talk, chew, or drink. Tracee has the remedy to your blotchy lip-wear woes with oil-absorbing blotting papers that will keep your lips smooth and pigmented until the sun goes down.
Use A Facial Massager & Depuffer
Last year, jade rollers became a trending topic in the beauty world, but judging by this Instagram post by Tracee Ellis Ross, she's not new to this innovative beauty tool sh*t. She's true to it. Mastering the art of a facial depuffer and massager at the same damn time, Tracee reminds us that you can always teach your dry old skin some rejuvenating new tricks.
Full Body Mask
Your face isn't the only part of your body that deserves some attention during your skincare routine, and a full body mask may be the key to getting that dry epidermis all the way together. This may be an ideal method for women who batlle with acne, dry skin, and inflammation, and although these treatments are usually done at home, you can also snag a few dope DIY recipes for full body masks on Pinterest.
Morning Hydration
Please know that just because a very hot (and possibly humid) dry summer is right around the corner, you are not relieved of your skincare duties. One way Tracee keeps her youthful glow is by incorporating an effective moisturizer into her facial care system. For optimal results, be like Tracee. Don't be afraid to get a lil' rough wit it.
Click through the slideshow below to check out the additional products Tracee swears by:
Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
This New Scalp Care Line Is Exactly What Your Wash Days Need
This post is in partnership with SheaMoisture.
When it comes to healthy hair care, there are a few things that will help you achieve healthy strands: a healthy hair care regime, hydration, consistent treatments, and scalp care. While scalp care is one of the most neglected practices, it is also one of the most important. Why? Because it helps promote healthy hair growth, clear hair follicles, and remove build-up.
When it comes to creating a healthy scalp routine, it helps to know exactly what you’re up against so you know how to specifically treat it. Two of the most common concerns are dandruff and dry scalp. It can be tough to decipher which is which, but here’s a quick breakdown: dry scalp is caused by a lack of moisture in the skin, while dandruff is caused by an excess of oil and yeast buildup on the scalp. Knowing that both of these are big concerns, SheaMoisture released two separate product lines to address both issues: the Scalp Moisture collection and the Anti-Dandruff collection.
Needless to say, if you tend to experience dandruff then I’d recommend you try the Anti-Dandruff collection. However, my biggest concern has always been dry scalp. A lack of moisture on the scalp can be caused by several factors like weather, age, and hair products to name a few. I’ve noticed that when I use certain gels or skip out on a deep scalp cleanse, my roots feel itchy and dry nonstop, which is uncomfortable.
The only way to relieve the discomfort is to properly wash and moisturize my roots, so I tried the Scalp Moisture collection and this is what I thought.
Krissy Lewis for xoNecole
First, What’s In The Collection?
The Scalp Moisture collection is a four-product line that includes a pre-wash masque, a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and a moisturizing scalp cream. Each product uses moisturizing and strengthening ingredients like aloe butter and vitamin B3 as active ingredients to provide eight times the moisture. Together, aloe butter and vitamin B3 work to restore dry and brittle hair, as well as add relief to the scalp.
Now, let’s break down each product…
Krissy Lewis for xoNecole
Scalp Moisture Pre-Wash Masque
The SheaMoisture Scalp Moisture Pre-Wash Masque may actually be the all-star of the collection. Using this deep conditioning masque is one of the best ways to target your dry scalp, restore hydration, and nourish your strands before shampooing.
I started by completely saturating my hair and scalp with water, then making small sections to apply the masque directly to the root. For my girls who have experience with relaxers and perms, it helps to apply the masque to your roots just like you would do with a relaxer. This way you can make sure you’ve covered as much of your scalp as possible while minimizing any breakage.
Pro tip: you can also use a color application brush to make this step easier.
After I completely covered my scalp, I massaged the product into my roots, used any excess on my strands, then left the masque in for 30 minutes. I was shocked by how moisturizing and clarifying my scalp and hair felt. One of the things that I love about the masque is the slip and how much softer it made my hair. While this is marketed as a scalp care product, it can completely transform your hair from dry and parched to completely hydrated.
In my opinion, the downside of this masque is that the quantity is too small for my liking. Truth be told, naturals go through deep conditioners faster than any other product (especially when it’s this good.) So SheaMoisture, if you’re reading this, we’d love a bigger jar.
Krissy Lewis for xoNecole
Scalp Moisture Shampoo
The SheaMoisture Scalp Moisture Shampoo is a gentle cleanser packed with the same moisture as the masque. The pearl-colored shampoo is lightweight with a serum-like consistency and a light and clean scent. The smell is pleasant, subtle, and not overbearing. When I applied the shampoo, I noticed immediately that it foams and lathers up very quickly, so less is more.
After applying the shampoo, I parted my hair and started at the roots to target as much of my scalp as possible. I recommend really taking the time to work the product and massage your scalp as much as possible.
Pro tip: using a scalp massager makes it easier and it feels amazing.
Once you start to massage your hair you’ll feel the product start to work. There’s a tingling sensation that might catch you off guard if you’re not used to it, but it’s not nearly as strong as other scalp products I’ve tried. I know some may not appreciate the sensation, but I loved it! My scalp felt clean, light, and breathable.
Krissy Lewis for xoNecole
Scalp Moisture Conditioner
Like the shampoo, the SheaMoisture Scalp Moisture Conditioner shares that pearly color and serum-like feel. It applies very easily while softening and moisturizing your hair. When I applied it to my hand, it gave my hands a lotion-like feel, which speaks volumes about its hydration capabilities. I also loved that the conditioner comes with a pump, instead of having to squeeze the product out – to me, it makes application easier.
I typically apply my conditioner to the ends first but because this is a scalp care product I started at the root and worked my way down to my ends. I did leave the conditioner in for ten minutes, although the bottle recommends leaving it in for three. The conditioner also provides that same breathable feel to your scalp. I honestly loved the relief.
Krissy Lewis for xoNecole
Scalp Moisture Cream
The SheaMoisture Scalp Moisture Cream is more of a daily relief product for your roots rather than your overall hair. It’s great for providing moisture and immediate relief to a dry and itchy scalp. Just like most of the collection, it gives a light and breathable feel – without the tingle. The applicator bottle targets specific parts of your scalp and makes applying easier.
Pro tip: I typically just squeeze the bottle to wherever I need the relief and use the tip to massage it into my scalp so it doesn’t mess up the hairstyle.
Overall, SheaMoisture’s scalp care line lives up to its claims – it moisturizes, strengthens, and provides immediate scalp relief. I definitely recommend trying the Scalp Moisture collection for an affordable way to treat itchy and dry scalp.
Featured image by Krissy Lewis for xoNecole
'The Age Of Pleasure' Is Janelle Monáe’s Love Letter To Her Sexuality & Personal Freedom
Call me an enthusiast. An ardent admirer, or simply call me someone who has listened to music before. Regardless of the title you choose to bestow, from the moment I hit play on The Age of Pleasure by Janelle Monáe, I was smiling brightly from ear to ear.
Not the way I smiled when I was dazzled by the “emotion picture” and the futuristic story of a revered android (The ArchAndroid) or grinned alongside the effervescent Electric Lady; and certainly not the way I beamed at the freedom found in one’s old Dirty Computer. No, that one came from being inspired by one’s world-building, one's desire to break away from the mold, and ultimately one’s self-acceptance.
Instead, the vibrant grin I wear now came from an admiration for another’s embrace of their sexuality and sexual liberation. Another, more open, side to love about Janelle Monáe. Although The Age of Pleasure isn’t Monáe’s best album to date, in the end, it's one of the easiest listens I’ve had with music so far this year.
Naturally, the ease and breeze of this album would come from Janelle’s desire to continue her journey of self-acceptance. In her 2018 album, Dirty Computer, the pop singer let her walls down and revealed that she had not only made music for queer people but is a part of the queer community.
With her admission, she put an end to years of avoidance and innuendo and gracefully accepted herself while putting the patriarchy and opponents to rest. This noncompliance paved the way for this perfect, well-timed summer album.
When the album begins, we are reacquainted with the singer as she proclaims she “is not the same” as before. In fact, she has changed into someone who no longer shields herself away from attention but demands it by being scintillating, free.
Learning to gracefully revel in her new variant of audacity, Monáe refuses to place herself back into the closest she had worked so hard to craft her way out of.
Within two minutes of the track, she states that her “epiphanies,” such as embracing oneself despite the opinions of others, have allowed her to feel “light as a feather.” This featherlight liberation is clearly felt in the chorus and throughout the album. Accompanied by a brass-heavy sway, Monáe has learned the art of relaxing.
The album starter, "Float," reminds audience members that the only way to effortlessly glide is to allow oneself the freedom to do so. With this liberation, Monáe reflects someone who is less distorted and less defensive. Instead, we are met with someone who is playful as she believes she is destined to make a lot of money and partake in the activities of luxury and leisure, such as drinking champagne by the poolside ("Champagne Shit"). Another pleasurable moment created by its simplicity.
We are introduced to someone so in love with herself and infected with an unfathomable but welcomed amount of self-confidence that she can't help but feel phenomenal and haute.
The songs "Phenomenal" and "Haute" should be viewed as empowering declarations of her self-awareness and desire to express herself. This self-assurance is appreciated since it demonstrates Monae's development in her readiness to freely praise her beauty and sexuality, something she hadn't been ready to do before her third album.
As the album progresses, the tracks seamlessly merge into one another as Monáe prunes and purrs over each new arrangement. She seductively exhorts women to express their sexuality in her desire to create space and foster revelations about the desire Black women aren't often allowed to explore.
As she forces a bopping sway to the seductive "Lipstick Lover" and delights her assets enough to lose herself in her own wetness in "Water Slide," Monáe becomes more seductive as the audience is guided through different approaches to experiencing pleasure. By the time the album is through, the listeners are both completely satisfied and ravenous for more.
The Age of Pleasure is as enjoyable as it is necessary. Monáe, who is enamored of afrobeat and reggae sounds, takes a risk by making the courageous decision to put her pleasure front and center in a society that frequently tells LGBTQ+ people that their sexual activities are abominable and should never be spoken of.
In a time when queerness is being perceived as more and more horrendous, The Age of Pleasure is an album by a queer artist in a time where queer culture finds itself in another age of distress.
Although it is not her most critically acclaimed, this album is just as important because Monáe is finally allowing the world to see her and her community. It's an album that is not meant to start a political movement, but rather a social one. One that requires people to make space for themselves and the person they've always been.
With the introduction of 252 anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year alone and 75 bills passing (with more to come), Pride Month has been bittersweet for the LGBTQ+ community.
With every conversation drawn in media, another part of the community is being harmed due to another’s fear. Although times are still scary, the road is still long, and acceptance is still hard to come by, The Age of Pleasure offers a moment of reprieve. It offers a brief vacation, a destination where one can bask in self-love, self-compassion, and self-acceptance.
This album provides a moment where one can acknowledge and relinquish their self-censorship in hopes of finding inescapable pleasure.
Call me an enthusiast because I am interested in any form of unabashed self-confidence. Call me an ardent admirer because I am in wonderment of the pleasure Monae finds in freeing herself. Or simply call me someone who has listened to music before because I feel like this is just a preface to a more liberating and open album to come.
Regardless of the title you choose to bestow, and despite the fact that this isn't as thought-provoking as the albums that came before, The Age of Pleasure will undoubtedly teach you the joy of learning how to effortlessly float in the space you've carved out for yourself.
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Featured image by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic