Jasmine Mans Drops Her Skin-Care Routine

The poet behind Buy Weed from Women walks us through how she fights stress-related hives and gets her glow.

Jasmine Mans Drops Her Skin-Care Routine

Poet Jasmine Mans radiates cool confidence. She recently released a  book of poetry, Black Girl Call Home, to glowing praise. She runs the kind of Instagram that would make canonized poets write envious verses. And through her project Buy Weed From Women she has done a rare thing for a poet—monetizing her message, without sacrificing style. 

 She seems, well, at home in the world. 

Not quite. Mans is an extraordinary writer and performer who, almost a decade ago, earned the title of Glamour College Woman of the Year. But during the pandemic-era promotion tour for Black Girl Call Home, she's struggled with stress so significant it manifested in major skincare concerns. It's certainly common for stress to cause dramatic physical changes, but it's not ideal, especially during what will surely be remembered as the golden age of video meetings. 

“Around the time my book came out there was a wealth of stress and anxiety that caused me to get hives on a regular basis,” says Mans. “Everything’s on Zoom. I have interviews every single day. And my face is literally on fire!” Between the stress, the summer, and the front-facing cameras, Mans' skin has been going through a lot. “I’m literally relearning my entire face. It was incredible navigating this dynamic of wearing makeup and showing up camera ready, as well as nurturing my skin and making sure that my face is not swelling.” 

This dynamic is part of what makes Mans so beloved—her warm vulnerability, and her determination to show up with style. She's not embarrassed that she wants, literally, to be seen. “As a child, I wanted to perform just as much as I wanted to write, maybe more,” she says. “There was something about the attention, about being an artist onstage, that made me feel so strong and inside of myself that I always sought in all of my art forms.” 

To keep her skin attention-ready, she's focusing on simplicity, dermatologist-proscribed medications, and lots and lots of moisturizer. “Right now for me, I have to be as minimal as possible,” she says. “After I wear makeup I take it off immediately, and I try not to to do a full day of makeup. I literally pat my skin down with a cold compress sometimes, just to sooth my skin, and now that we’re in 90 degree weather I wear hats a lot more often and aloe.” And she's happy to share that she has help—Mans has been working with makeup artist Tamara Ash, who has her using all Nars products. 

As far as having a lifestyle that contributes to good skin, Mans tries to keep her everyday life spa-like. “I try to drink a gallon of water a day,” she says. “Natural detoxes are always good, and water is very important for that. And then clean air—I like to keep plants around and humidifiers, and sometimes sit in a steamy bathroom. I recently moved and got a bigger bathroom and was like, 'Ah! I can put candles here! And just steam this space.'  Healthy environments will always contribute to healthy skincare, specifically: plants, humidifiers, and a little bit of steam every once in a while.”

If you've ever struggled with angry, stressed-out skin, this one's for you. For Glamour's Drop the Routine series, Mans did just that—walking us through the routine that has made her look and feel ready for her (many, well-deserved) close ups. 

Cleanser 

I've been using the Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser for some time now. But since I've been breaking out, I try to use thick products, like a 100% pure shea butter—I’ve been going to a local friend who makes it for me. And then sometimes I like the cleansing of the hemp peppermint Dr. Bronner’s Soap. If there’s a day that I’m wearing makeup and I want that squeaky clean face feeling, I’ll use that.

Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser

Dr. Bronner’s Peppermind Pure-Castile Liquid Soap

Serum and eye cream

The Ole Henriksen cleanser comes with a serum and an under-eye cream—that's my luxury thing when I have a clear face and a bit of time. 

Ole Henriksen Vitamin C Truth Serum

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème

Moisturizer 

After that, I’ll soothe on something thick that’s moisturizing to my skin. There’s this CeraVe cream that’s dermatologist-recommended that I use pretty often. I'll also use shea butter pretty often, and I’ll mix it with a castor oil. 

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

Face spray 

I always have some rose water, that’s a big thing for me. If I’m about to walk in somewhere I love to look misty. I use Heritage Store, usually I get it from Whole Foods.

Heritage Store Rosewater Spray

Sunscreen 

I’m actually trying to find one! Nothing so far. My friends have been mentioning sunscreens for Black women that I need to jump into.

Body care 

For my body moisturizer, I'm always going with cocoa butter, it’s a Vaseline brand cocoa butter. Or I’ll use some Shea Moisture coconut oil.

Shea Moisture 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Lip balm 

I love the Dr. Bronner's peppermint lip balm. 

Dr. Bronner's Organic Peppermint Lip Balm

Face Masks

My brother and I have been doing sea moss face masks! That’s a trend I stumbled upon a year ago that I’ve enjoyed—eating sea moss and throwing it on my face. It’s not a big thing, just wiping it on my face, keeping it there for three minutes, and then jumping in the shower.

Soothing extras 

A friend of mine has this thing called Bertram’s Belly Rub, from the company Mama’s Sundry—it’s made with, according to the bottle, “hemp, lavender, rosemary, sage, and love.” It’s for women on their periods. When I got my period this week, I woke up in the middle of the night and was like, let me try rubbing it on my belly. It was a very soothing experience, so this is something I’m going to be using. Mind you, I was taking a Tylenol as well! But it was a soothing experience. I’m gonna play around with it.

Jenny Singer is a staff writer for Glamour. You can follow her on Twitter. 

This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Condé Nast