Ask Lee Anything: Beauty Edition

I’ve had so much fun answering your questions in my Ask Me Anything series, so today I’m focusing on your beauty-related questions sourced straight from our @BeautyLeeBar Instagram Stories. From the best face oils to my favorite haircare products, here are a few tidbits you may or may not know about me…

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1. What is your favorite serum or oil?

Hands down OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright 15% Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum and Tarte Maracuja Oil. The serum and the facial oil make my skin look brighter, radiant, glowy, and smoother. I always apply the two in the morning and at night.

2. What’s your favorite face sunscreen?

I like Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Refillable Invisible Face Moisturizer SPF 30 with Niacinamide and Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+. It layers well with my skin products and makeup. I like that it doesn’t feel greasy on my skin and that the sunscreens don’t leave my face with white streaks.

3. What shampoo and conditioner hair products do you use to keep it healthy?

I like TPH By Taraji Shampoo and Conditioner with Camille Rose Sweet Ginger Cleansing Rinse. It keeps my hair soft, clean, and hydrated. My hair is so easy to untangle with these products.

4. Eyebrow tips for light brows?

Besides using a brow pencil or gel, you might want to consider Microshading. For something less of a commitment, try LAMINATION.

5. Do you prefer a side part or a middle part?

Though I may be a millennial, I most often part my hair in the middle. Unless I am going for vintage-inspired styles, I find it flatters my face more than a side part.

6. Any suggestions for any retinol-free anti-aging products?

If you’re not a huge fan of retinol, you can try products with bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol that has similar effects. Make sure to do your research before trying any new ingredients, however.

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7. Do you use the same products and the same routine in the AM and PM?

In the morning, I always wear sunscreen, and at nighttime, I try to incorporate more serums and oils, along with a thicker moisturizer to hydrate my skin overnight.

8. What recommendations do you have for really dry skin?

I’d say to include more hyaluronic acid into your routine. It’s great for hydrating the skin.

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9. What’s your favorite lip gloss?

It is not a lip gloss more like a lip oil but it’s Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil and Fenty Skin Cherry Treat Conditioning + Strengthening Lip Oil. I do have the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in my purse as well but right now the lip oils are giving for me.

This lip gloss/lip oil is my favorite and is always in my purse no matter where I go. I love it because it has a gorgeous shade that looks so flattering and pretty on the lips, especially on black women.

10. Do you wear natural deodorant? If so, do you have a favorite brand?

I do wear natural deodorant, and my favorite brand is Lavanila Aluminum-Free Natural Deodorant. It comes in a nice Vanilla Lavender scent that I always carry in my purse to re-apply when necessary.

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What other beauty questions do you have for me?

Let me know in the comments below.

WATCH: How to Clean up Your Eyebrows at Home When You Can’t Go to the Salon

Even though salons are opened back up, a lot of us are busy with work, school, and home life so paying someone to get our brows together isn’t the focus for right now. But that doesn’t mean we want to walk around looking like a beast. So, we at BeautyLeeBar decided to handle things on our own and look for how to clean up eyebrows at home without going to the beauty salon.

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We did a lot of research before we found some YouTube videos that were a winner for us. The beauty influencers demonstrate an easy step-by-step tutorial showing how to clean up your eyebrows at home easily. We couldn’t just keep this to ourselves so here’s what we learned…

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How to clean up eyebrows at home:

You will need:

  • Facial touch-up razor (available in pharmacies, Walmart, Amazon, etc)
  • Tweezers
  • Slanted eyebrow pencil (optional)
  • Eyebrow brush or spoolie
  • A pair of scissors
  • Water spray

Steps:

1. It’s best to clean the area before you start tweezing, so wash your face first.

2. Brush your eyebrows upwards really well, until you start seeing your longer hairs.

3. If you don’t want your hair to be too long and you don’t like the bushy and messy look, use the scissors to trim the longer hairs you want to shorten, but do it very carefully. 

Beauty Note: Avoid trimming your eyebrow at the tail, just the center, and front.

4. Use an eyebrow pencil to fill in any sparse areas. This is so you can determine your eyebrow shape and know the spots that shouldn’t approach when plucking your eyebrows.

5. Now brush the eyebrows again, but naturally this time.

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6. Use the tweezers to remove any stray hairs that are far away from your brows and the area you defined.

7. Pull the skin, above your brow, upwards using your fingers. Very gently and carefully, trace the razor downwards to clean up any extra hairs or peach fuzz around your brows. 

8. Seal your work with eyebrow gel to keep everything in place.

Primp Tip: Don’t forget to think about your brow’s natural shape, so you don’t try to tweeze it into something new entirely. This is not brow art, its brow shaping! Be cautious, careful, and restrained. Just clean up the bare minimums on the bottoms, where you see stray hairs.

What that means in practice: Take your tweezers and tweeze stray hairs beneath the brow. Make sure you’re pulling hair in the direction that it’s growing in. You want to take it out the way it comes in, or you can end up getting ingrown hairs.

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Primp Tip: Once it’s done, lightly moisturize the brow area to calm the inflamed skin and rehydrate. Try a gentle facial oil like Josie Maran Mini 100 percent Pure Argan Oil, Tatcha GOLD CAMELLIA BEAUTY OIL Nourishing 23k Gold Oil, or a water-based moisturizer like Tatcha THE SILK CREAM Firming Hydration.

Be careful: Make sure you sterilize all these beauty tools before and after using them. 

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Watch these eyebrows clean up tutorial:

Got any makeup or skincare questions? ASK BeautyLeeBar can help with that! Post your question, and we’ll answer you!

Woman on top sex position advice from men who share how to ride dick

Woman-on-top (or ‘Cowgirl’, or ‘The Rider’) is a classic sex position if you are a woman or have a vagina, and are sleeping with a man or someone with a penis (or someone wearing a strap-on). As most women and vagina-owners can’t orgasm through penetration alone, this position is great because you can get extra stimulation either through grinding your clitoris as you ride away, or manually stimulating your clit with your fingers/a partner’s fingers/a vibrator.

But, if you’re an over-thinker like me (this is amplified tenfold when naked and having sex), it’s hard to know exactly what to do when you’re up there. Do what feels good for you. But remember, the best sex happens when both partners are having the time of their lives. Here, some guys on Reddit give their tips for how to ride dick in a way that’s enjoyable for everyone involved. If you’re ever in doubt, remember the golden rule: talk about it and talk about it honestly and openly.

WOMAN ON TOP TIPS – HOW TO RIDE DICK, ACCORDING TO MEN

1. “I like when she gets on top and tries her best to make herself cum. It gets me so turned on to see her take command of her orgasmic destiny. This is also the most common way for my wife and me to cum together.” [via]

2. “Don’t bounce too high… speed isn’t always the best. Going slow. Also, getting the right angle is important. Ask which angle feels the best.” [via]

3. “Use my chest for leverage.” [via]

4. “Use your hips, not your legs. Also, getting into a squat, on your hands and feet, that’s extremely hot. And don’t forget to lean in and kiss us now and then.” [via]

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5. “This might be overly general advice because it goes for everyone in most sex positions, but keep an eye on [your partner’s] reactions to what you’re doing. Both noises and facial expressions. If a particular speed, rhythm, or angle is working for them you should be able to see it in their face and possibly hear it.” [via]

6 .”Press their hands to your boobs while grinding them. It’s really hot!” [via]

7. “While it feels really good for you to just grind your hips on them while they’re inside, they generally need some extra movement to build through friction for them to get off. Also, the further you bounce up the higher the risk you bend the penis wrong and kill the erection.” [via]

8. “No matter what you think you look like, you don’t need to be self-conscious. We are loving it, and we think you look hot as hell.” [via]

9. “Don’t be self-conscious about what you look like, but seeing you grind and moan is hot. We love that shit. Speaking of grinding, I love it when she grinds on my dick more so than thrusting.” [via]

10. “Focus on getting yourself off. We’re just glad to be there.” [via]

11. “Don’t be afraid to be a little selfish when you’re on top. This is a position where you have more control. Use it to your advantage. If you want them to feel good, but a little vertical movement to it and allow their hands to roam.” [via]

12. “If you are riding someone, don’t try to lift off so far that just the tip is in you. In my experience, it is really hard to maintain that stopping point when both of y’all really get into it. Try to just lift off half his length in your enthusiasm you’ll probably get most of the way off him but the chance of going too far is reduced.” [via]

13. “Your best bet is: communicate better about what you both want.” [via]

14. “The best cowgirl I’ve ever had came from a girl who could salsa. The best feeling comes from amazing hip control. Smooth, powerful, rhythmic movements.” [via]

15. “Get on. Close your eyes if you need to, just lose yourself, vibrate back and forth as I guide your hips, and gush all over my cock. Also, if you are struggling with maneuverability issues during your first times together, reverse cowgirl is a great interim step, both physically and psychologically since eye contact isn’t a factor.” [via]

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16. “You should also be honest with each other and not just yourself. Switching positions if you’re getting tired is better than carrying on until you literally can’t do it anymore and it just becomes a pathetic attempt to get to the finish line that fails miserably. We go from cowgirl to missionary, to sitting and back to cowgirl for the big finish. If you need a break, take one.” [via]

17. “If it’s uncomfortable or awkward for you chances are they’re not enjoying it. 50% of my pleasure comes from knowing my wife is having a good time and it’s easy to pick up when your partner isn’t enjoying it.” [via]

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How to LAST LONGER IN BED

Hello again, dear friend Anonymous. Welcome back to our sex talk column where readers submit questions, and we do our research and then craft a story to answer as many as we can. This week we tapped Cheryl Fagan, sexpert and founder of On Top, to provide the steamy secret to standout stamina. She’s also responsible for deeply explaining holistic sexuality to our readers.

We know you’re antsy for the answer, so we’ll let her take it from here.

I Want to Last Longer in Bed. What Can I Do? 

“The answer to this question will differ from person to person. This question takes some self-inquiry. It’s not necessarily a matter of tricks and techniques you need to learn but getting real within and knowing what it is that you are expecting from the experience of sex.

Why do you want to last longer? Are you getting tired? Or bored? Is it because the pleasure is so intense you can’t get enough or is it that you think you ‘should be going for longer? This question needs to be considered from a biopsychosocial approach. There could be something going on hormonally or maybe medication is having an influence (I’d encourage seeing a medical professional rule this out). We want to consider some cultural myths or expectations that you may need to let go of. Are there interpersonal relationship issues? Do you feel safe? Do you know your sexual needs matter just as much as your partner’s? How are your self-esteem and sexual energy?

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We live in a culture that is constantly telling us that sex is about performance, but satisfying/nourishing/mind-blowing sex is so much deeper than that. It’s not just about lasting longer but being completely satisfied. So how can we help you find sexual satisfaction…

Without knowing all of the details, I’m going to approach this from a psychological perspective. What did I mean earlier when I said it’s not about tricks, but about self-awareness? Knowing your sexual inhibitions and how to work with them is the key to having the sex life you desire.

Sexual inhibitions can be conscious or subconscious blocks that we have to experience sexual desire or arousal. They can be a result of your upbringing, social conditioning, past experiences, and so on.

It’s not about more techniques or skills but lessening those inhibitions.

One aspect of being sexually empowered is knowing your ons and offs. What turns you on and what turns you off? List them. Consider your most memorable and mind-blowing sexual experience (if you don’t think you’ve had that—what is a fantasy?), and write down what you felt, smelled, saw, tasted, and heard. What was so good about it? Now think of a not-so-great sexual experience and answer those same questions. Don’t judge yourself—if you don’t like some positions, that’s OK, or if you like the lights a certain way, that’s OK. Once you have a better sense of this and can communicate that to yourself and then to your partner(s), you’re on the road to the sex you desire. Being able to honestly communicate about sex is one of the greatest determining factors of how enjoyable sex will be for you.

Once you understand your ons and offs better, act on that. Do the things that increase your arousal and limit the offs. When you’re so aroused, present in the moment, and prioritizing your pleasure and your partner’s pleasure, I am sure it will last as long as you both need for the satisfaction you’re after.”

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The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that BeautyLeeBar, LLC (“HelloBeauties”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. The opinions and content included in the article are the views of the interviewee only, and BeautyLeeBar does not endorse or recommend any such content or information, or any product or service mentioned in the article. You understand and agree that BeautyLeeBar shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.

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