The singer-songwriter-choreographer Teyana Taylor isn’t letting a pandemic slow down the release of her third studio album, called simply “The Album,” which is out this month). Ms. Taylor, 29, isn’t piling on cosmetics during these difficult times. Instead she’s taking a more relaxed approach to beauty. Find out how she’s doing it.
Bedtime Prep
What happens before bed has a big effect on what happens in the morning. Before bed, I wash my face with black soap and tea tree oil, and then, after my face is squeaky clean, I do a coffee scrub. You can do a regular coffee scrub or one mixed with coconut oil. I do the scrub maybe two to three times a week. Either scrub you pick, it leaves a slightly oily residue that feels really good.
Then I use either 99 or 100 percent aloe vera gel to tone it down. Sometimes you get a little redness after the scrub, and this takes it right away. I let that dry for three to four minutes, and then I apply my coconut oil. I also love vitamin E oil or shea butter.
When you sleep, your skin is creating new cells. I feel like the coconut oil is just baking into my skin, and when I wake up, it feels and looks amazing. That’s a good night’s rest right there.
All of these products are from Whole Foods, and I’m not partial to any specific brand. You can go to CVS. I get vitamin E oil from Walgreens.
I love my skin. I’m not even going to front. I make my own concoctions by mixing ingredients I like all up in one moisturizer. I learned this from my mom and my aunt — we’re Trinidadian. My aunt and I used to make customized shea butter concoctions when I was younger. This way of looking at beauty is instilled in me.
We’re in a pandemic. If you run out of your favorite cream or product, you can always look around in your cabinets for coconut oil or olive oil and other natural remedies that are great for your skin.
The New Zoom Makeup
There are two types of people during this pandemic. You have women who really feel like they need to put on a face full of makeup to feel cute. I support it. But for me personally, I’m going to throw on this wig. I’m not going to glue it all the way down for this Zoom call, but it’ll be on.
I always make sure I have on a good brow, good lip liner and a good lip gloss. And I have a trick with my brows that shows a little goes a long way. I see all these women with completely filled in brows. You don’t need to do so much. You can use technique. I use a matte brow pencil, and I draw a line on the bottom of my brows, and then I use a spoolie and brush the line up into my brows.
Work Makeup
My videos are a collaboration with everyone who works with me. I’m very hands on. With my makeup artist on “Bare Wit Me,” we were going for a ’20s and ’30s makeup look. That era, there was a lot of power in the eyes and lips. The eyebrows are a little thin for me, but I like the idea of a good lip defining the look.
Nails 911
Oh my God, my nails look so bad right now. They’re so bad, I’m at the point where if I see my daughter Junie’s kiddie nail polishes lying around, I just pick them up and use them. My nails are yellow, green, pink, purple — all on different nails. I’m going through a nail struggle!
Simple Hair
In the beginning of the pandemic, I was throwing on wigs. I was locked in the studio and didn’t have time to consider what to do with my hair. Now I’m really big on my Buddha wraps — no wigs, no nothing. I’m just putting on these fabrics to create these beautiful African-style wraps. There’s something very regal about them, and it’s another way to feel beautiful without resorting to a lot of artificial stuff.
For shampoo and conditioner, I’ve been using a lot of Carol’s Daughter. And I do love leave-in conditioner. It could be just a lot of different oils — back to my coconut oil again! But honestly, it’s really whatever is around.
Scent Magic
I’m a fragrance mixer. I’m currently using a lot of different things. I love Baccarat Rouge 540. I love Tom Ford Oud Wood. I’m a wood and spice kind of girl, and then I layer in the Baccarat, which has a little sweetness. By the time I’ve mixed about four different perfumes, and that’s mixing with all the body oils I have on, I have my own scent.
-
Updated June 5, 2020
-
Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 happen?
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
-
How does blood type influence coronavirus?
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
-
How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
-
Will protests set off a second viral wave of coronavirus?
Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.
-
How do we start exercising again without hurting ourselves after months of lockdown?
Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home.
-
My state is reopening. Is it safe to go out?
States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
-
What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
-
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
-
How can I protect myself while flying?
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
-
Should I wear a mask?
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
-
What should I do if I feel sick?
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
People often ask: What are you wearing? I’m very open to sharing my secrets, but it’s layers here. It’s something I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older. It’s all about the layers in how you smell.
Dance It Off
My main form of exercise is dance. I can dance for hours. Take my latest video, “Bare Wit Me,” for example. Look at the choreography. We practiced that for weeks — straight dancing, practice, working all parts of the body. That’s what I am into, and it works for my body type and toning.
Letting Go With Diet
My diet is all over the place, let me tell you. I love to eat, but up until Covid-19, I had always been on the go. So now, when I am not ordering takeout, I try and keep the meals I cook at home simple. We do big grocery runs to Costco and BJ’s so we have enough food to last for weeks. Of course, I stock up on all the things I shouldn’t, too — noodles, snacks and all that.
When I am cooking, though, I love to make pasta. I make this Cajun pasta that hits every time. Otherwise, it’s chicken, fried chicken wingettes, add some rice or sides, some veggies, and I keep it moving.
