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Alicia Keys Drops Her 5-Step Skincare Routine

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We’ve all laid off the makeup recently in favour of a more skincare-focused morning routine. From face-de-puffing hacks to skin-saving moisturisers, it’s fair to mention lockdown has made us all a touch skin obsessed.

Alicia Keys was known for shunning make-up pre-lockdown, and who wouldn’t along with her lit-from-within complexion?

But it seems the singer hasn’t always been so confident in her own skin, and even wrote a chunk for Lenny Letter some years back, bearing on the daily insecurities women face trying to appear perfect:

“Every time I left the house, I would be worried if I didn’t put on makeup: What if someone wanted a picture?? What if they POSTED it??? These were the insecure, superficial, but honest thoughts I was thinking. And all of it, one way or another, was based too much on what other people thought of me.”

Now, it seems Alicia is in an entirely different place with her skin, which she admits has a lot to do with her new strict skincare routine. She did a bathroom tutorial for Vogue recently, listing the five products she claims have got her skin looking so good.

First up, Alicia applies the Osmosis Deep cleanse, £17.99. She likes to use it when she’s feeling sweaty after a workout, and when her skin requires “a little more strength” during cleansing. She lathers it up on damp skin, using upward stroking motions when she reaches her neck. When she’s done, she rinses the residue off with water, patting her face dry with a flannel. The cleanser contains “coconut surfactants,” which offer a deep clean without stripping the skin, like other lathering sulfates can do.

Next, Alicia uses a simple aloe vera gel as a base for her two-ingredient calming mask, squirting a few pumps into her hand before adding the Epicuren Bulgaricum Probiotic Mask Powder, $42. She gently massages the mixture into her skin using circular motions, like you would a normal exfoliating scrub. “What I like about it is that it smells like there’s food on your face,” she jokes. “And secondly, it kind of has a grainy texture, which feels good sometimes.” She then waits 5-to-20 minutes before washing the mask off. Probiotic skincare has been proven to support the skin’s healthy bacteria, and is available in all types and textures if you’re not a fan of powder-based skincare.

Moreover, Alicia says “This smells amazing, gosh it is so good,” as she mists the Sacred perfume Spray, $25 over her face and upper body. She goes on to clarify that what she loves about rose (or the scent of it) is that it is a heart opener, which is why we give roses to the person we love. “It really does open your heart,” she says. “And don’t we all need that?” in additional technical terms, rosewater is understood for its anti-inflammatory properties, and might help balance the skin’s PH after a deep cleanse.

Alicia likes the eye-wateringly-expensive Lancer Legacy Eye Treatment Duo, £450 because it comes with a day and night version. But if you want to try something slightly more affordable from the brand also loved by Victoria Beckham, we recommend the Lancer Skincare Eye Contour Lifting Cream, £80 (pictured). “My mother never put anything under her eyes for a hundred years,” she jokes, “and I feel like, let’s start now!”

Finally, you know a celeb is skincare savvy when they round off their skincare routine with a good SPF (UV exposure is responsible for a shocking 80% of ageing, you know?) Alicia uses the Epicuren X-Treme Cream Propolis Sunscreen SPF 45 in place of a normal moisturizer, which is fine if you feel your SPF offers enough hydration for your skin type. Alicia loves the texture of her Epicuren SPF, commenting on how lightweight it feels. This is so important when choosing sun protection, because if you don’t enjoy using it, the likeliness is you’ll slowly phase it out of your routine.

Throughout a video she posted, the star also lists the big lifestyle changes she’s made in order to improve her complexion, such as drinking more water and cutting out dairy, bread and fried foods. She also stresses the importance of taking time for yourself. “If you feel overwhelmed, escape to your bathroom and take some deep breathes in,” she tells viewers with a smile.

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Mariah Carey Covers Irene Cara’s Classic ‘Fame’ Ballad

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Mariah Carey continues to dig within the crates to share unreleased tracks that got off from her.

The history-making popular music diva shared an excerpt from her upcoming memoir “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,” during which she details her love for the 1980 movie “Fame” and its star, Irene Cara.

On Friday, she officially released her version of 1 of the songs Cara performed within the classic film movie, “Out Here on my very own,” which was an Oscar-nominated top-20 hit.

“My mother entered me in a talent competition in the city, and I sang one of my favorite songs, ‘Out Here on My Own,’ by Irene Cara,” the five-time Grammy Award winner shared to her 9.5 million Instagram followers. “I felt ‘Out Here on My Own’ described my entire life, and I loved singing that way—singing to reveal a piece of my soul. And I won doing it.”

“At that age. I lived for the movie Fame, and Irene Cara was everything to me,” Carey continued. “I related to her multicultural look…her multi-textured hair and, most importantly, her ambition and accomplishments.”

“’Out Here on My Own’ was such a pure song that touched my heart, and I couldn’t believe I won a trophy for singing a song I loved,” she wrote in the caption. “It was the first time I’d received validation as an artist.”

The “Vision of Love” singer/songwriter furthered: “Coincidentally, it wasn’t until after I had written about ‘Out Here On My Own’ in the book, that I found it in the vault while making ‘The Rarities.’ Totally meant to be!!”

Carey’s version of the ballad, recorded July 17, 2000, was going to appear on the soundtrack album of her 2001 critically panned movie “Glitter,” which was apparently originally titled “All That Glitters.”

Penned by Lesley Gore and Michael Gore, “Out Here on My Own” was nominated for Best Original Song at the 1981 Academy Awards.

The never-before-released gem will appear on the 2-CD compilation “The Rarities,” due Oct. 2 via Columbia/Legacy.

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“Glee” Star Dianna Agron and Winston Marshall Break Up

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Celebrity couples are always in the news, with their on-again-off-again romances and spur-of-the-moment weddings. Some couples, however, do a very good job of keeping their personal lives private. It’s always a shock when these couples’ relationship woes make headlines because we don’t know much about them, to begin with. Dianna Agron and Winston Marshall are one of these notoriously private pairs who recently called it quits.

Agron is an actress best known for her role as Quinn Fabray on Glee. Agron was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, but later moved to Texas and then San Francisco. She has a younger brother, Jason. Agron was an excellent student in highschool and spent much of her time performing.

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Some kind of old Hollywood feeling…

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She began dance at just three years old, with a focus on jazz and ballet. She later became interested in hip-hop and musical theater. Her acting career began with commercials and supporting roles in Numb3rs, Veronica Mars, and Heroes.

In 2009, she was cast in Glee. The young actress received the news just two days before production began. After her breakout role on the hit TV series, Agron made her way to the big screen. She starred in the 2010 musical Burlesque, working with Christina Aguilera and Cher. She also played Sarah Hart in the 2011 action film, I Am Number Four.

Agron was sought out by director and screenwriter Luc Besson for a role in his 2013 film, The Family. After seeing her on Glee, Besson says he created the role of Belle specifically with Agron in mind. Belle was the daughter of a Mafioso who ratted out his cohorts, forcing his family into witness protection.

Marshall is the banjoist and lead guitarist of Mumford and Sons. Marshall was born in London and was interested in music at a very young age. He learned to play the electric guitar when he was 13 and later became incredibly skilled on the banjo.

In fact, Marshall’s incredible talent on the banjo brought the instrument into mainstream music and inspired numerous banjo players around the world.

Before making it big with Mumford and Sons, the musician ran jam nights at a local club, Bosun’s Locker. He actually met Mumford at this club. He also played in several other bands, most of which played bluegrass sleaze rap.

Later, Marshall became interested in techno and EDM and joined Austrian DJs, HVOB.

Marshall had a brief, one night fling with legendary musician Katy Perry. The were both in Germany, playing shows at different venues. They met at a nightclub one evening and later retired to Perry’s private room.

Dianna Agron attends Apple Store Soho Presents Tribeca Film Festival. Agron and Marshall reportedly began dating around July 2015, when they were seen getting cozy in Paris. They were seen again at an after-party for the film She’s Funny That Way.

During the holidays that year, they became engaged. Fans caught a glimpse of Agron’s gorgeous engagement ring in February 2016 at London Fashion Week.

The couple was married in Morocco in October 2016. The wedding was a lavish, three-day event. Photos feature Agron in a stunning floral gown and white headdress, and camels decked out in vivid red, pink, and orange knit blankets.

Recently they announced their split. They say they’ve been living separately for the past year, and that Agron has begun dating again. There is no word on what caused the split, and friends say that Marshall was a very thoughtful husband who treated Agron like a princess.

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Former Girls Generation member, Jessica Jung Writes a Book Called “Shine”

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The story of a Korean-American teen who is picked by a significant agency to debut during a 9-piece K-pop girl group sure sounds familiar … but what we actually want to grasp is when Ace Entertainment will turn Jung’s story into a Netflix drama series.

Jessica Jung only turned 31 in April and her resume already includes singer, actress, YA book author, songwriter, fashion brand creative director and founder and, most recently, YouTuber. Meanwhile, her novel Shine is slated to hit the shelves in September 2020. What do we know about this long-awaited book, as well as Jung and her journey?

Born in San Francisco, California, she later moved to Korea in her early teens to train at SM Entertainment, one of Korea’s best agencies. Making her debut in the world famous girl group, Girls’ Generation, she found mainstream success in the industry at a young age.

In 2016, she met with disagreements within the group and company and was dismissed from the team. Later, she joined Coridel Entertainment, founded by her long-time boyfriend, business mogul Tyler Kwon, and released her debut solo album, “With Love, J”. Since then, she has actively been taking part in helping to co-write her albums, with credits for more than 10 songs.

She is seen most often with her sister, fellow K-pop star Krystal Jung. The two were much loved for their reality programme, J&K, which was even set to renew for season two, until Jessica fell out with her company – the very same one that houses Krystal.

For now, fans of their sisterly dynamics can be content with watching their vlogs on Jessica’s YouTube channel, Jessica Land. The two often travel together, making for fun videos. Recently, they attended a pottery class together.

Jessica Jung in Youtube

Jung’s YouTube channel is also blooming, with more than half a million subscribers. From song recommendations to daily vlogs, and even fashion lookbooks, Jung is adept at sharing her life with her fans. Recently she handmade rings for a giveaway.

Furthermore, Jessica’s book, Shine, is going to hit the shelves in September 2020. The book is about Korean-American teen, Rachel Kim, who is picked up by one of Korea’s most famous agencies. There, she debuts in a team of nine girls.

As she goes through various hurdles to let her star rise, she also falls in love with resident bad-boy and media darling, Jason Lee. Sound familiar? It’s practically an autobiography. The book has also already been picked up by

We can’t wait to see how far Jessica will go.

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