A lot of women suffer from the embarrassing spot(s) on their behinds- and if you are one of the few that don’t, lucky you!

So, what causes pimples to flare-up on your tush?

Folliculitis is often caused by bacteria. Sometimes, it may be fungal or yeast-related, or from irritants like dust, and chemicals around the hair follicle area. Factors that could trigger butt acne are: Bad hygiene, sweat, and tight-fitting clothes.

How to avoid the booty breakouts
The best way to avoid the bum breakout is to maintain good hygiene and shower regularly. Also, since it can be caused by friction, you should consider wearing loose-fitting clothes made out of breathable fabrics, especially when you’re sleeping. After working out, change out of your workout clothes and shower immediately.
The common mistake people often make when trying to get rid of bum acne is to over- scrub and over-exfoliate.

Most ladies think that using body scrubs and loofahs help get rid of acne, but in reality, it’s just worsening the inflammation. This can then lead to potential scarring and hyper pigmentation.

Lifestyle changes to banish ’Buttne’
1. Instead of going crazy on body scrubs, you should use body cleansers that contain benzoyl peroxide, as this helps keep pesky causing bacteria at bay. That’s not to say exfoliating your buttocks is all wrong, just consider using more gentle exfoliants, like salicylic acid or glycolic acid to break down dead skin cells and remove buildup.

2. Wear clean workout clothes to the gym, shower and change immediately after working out

3. Drink more water to help flush out toxins from your body

4. If you are prone to butt acne or have a sensitive skin, consider switching to hypo-allergenic body products and detergents that don’t have harsh chemicals or fragrances

5. As tempting as it may be, DON’T pop the pimples! This can make them more inflamed and possibly spread the infection.

The general rule of thumb if you are prone to sweating is to keep your bum clean and properly moisturized.  However, if your butt acne is caused by a fungus, you’re better off seeking treatment from a dermatologist.

Photo Credit: Nemanja Glumac

One of such women is popular makeup artist, Teniola Aisha Kashaam, known popularly as Tenny Coco. 

In a recent Instagram post, she revealed how her obsession with skin lightening began at the age of 19, and how finally at the age of 25, while reflecting on her life during her birthday period, she had an epiphany, and resolved to stop lightening her skin.

She said:

“My Road to Melanin:At the age of 19, I started lightening my skin….. By the time I was 20, I had become a heavy Skin bleacher… at the time it felt almost normal, I felt like I looked more attractive….. it became an addiction, I just couldn’t stop. I craved so much to be lighter.. I felt being black wasn’t beautiful enough. What a stupid way to have thought… I guess the society we live in played a little role in my decision to bleach my skin… coupled with being very Naive at that age. It’s widely perceived that the lighter you are, the more beautiful you look. To be honest I always knew it was a bad thing… I mean, I had seen loads of people with ridiculously damaged skin courtesy the effects of bleaching but I was just so deep into it… like I said it’s actually an addiction. 

As my 25th birthday started approaching I started to do a lot of Soul searching, a lot of self evaluation… concerning every area of my life and I finally started to see the light… to see how crazy I had been all these years… how crazy it was for me to have believed that my black skin wasn’t beautiful, to have allowed myself to feel inadequate or to try and tell God ‘ how you created me isn’t good enough’ what a silly, crazy way to have lived. Today I’m more than grateful that I finally saw the light. Black is beautiful! So beautiful! Never have I ever felt as beautiful and as at peace with my skin tone as I do now… Please Love your skin/Yourself the way God has made you…. you are beautiful, you are enough.

Time will always tell… imagine how I would look 10-15 years from now if I had continued to bleach my skin. Please don’t do it… I did it and I Had/ have so much Regret… it’s not worth it. You are beautiful just as you are.  I get a lot of messages asking me, how I was able to transition my skin back… I will be sharing all the tips soon enough.  Thank you to everyone who helped me get through this…… the Amount of support.” 

We are definitely loving the glow up! We appreciate the fact that she has been so open about her journey, and we’re sure lots of women who lighten their skin will be inspired by her story.

Embrace your skin tone ladies, whatever complexion you may be. Xx

Photo Credit: Tenny Coco

The video is so much fun to watch as the two sisters engage the audience with a quick Twitter Q and A session where they discuss Kylie’s interest in becoming a makeup artist, her plans to have 4 kids, Kim and Kylie’s favorite memories and many more.

It’s fun to see them have fun together and also to see that not only can Kylie make some great quality makeup; she also knows how to apply her products.

Watch the fun video below:

Well, Yara Shahidi to the rescue. She shows Vogue how to turn the warm weather into a beauty advantage with this beauty look that is just a right fit for summer.

Watch below.

Looking at these photos reminded us once more why makeup artist, Banke Meshida-Lawal, is highly sought after in Nigeria. She really outdid herself with these looks.

Check ’em out below:

Photo Credit: Banke Meshida-Lawal

Ghanaian international model, Dora Owusu, recently took to her Instagram page, to share how a boyfriend she had during her pre-teen years, dumped her because she was “too dark.”

She shared this photo and story below:

“So I had a “boyfriend” when I took the photo on the left. We were connected through mutual friends but hadn’t met in person before. He had two photos of me, this one and another one similar to it. When we finally met in person… he broke up with me the next day. My friend had him on speaker phone asking why he broke up with me and he said “It’s because she’s TOO DARK, I don’t want a girl that dark”. You could imagine how that made 12 year old me feel. Although I had good friends around me to cheer me up I couldn’t help but still feel terrible. I wish I could tell the beautiful unconfident 12 year old me that in 10 years I would be a model working with @covergirl & @anastasiabeverlyhillsand that those feelings are only temporary. I can’t believe I felt so terrible about my looks and now I get PAID FOR THEM?! Look at God! He definitely ALWAYS has a plan. •
•The boy messaged me a few years ago (post-glowup) but ”

With over 44,000 followers on Instagram, this model & fashion/beauty influencer, has been featured in campaigns for Covergirl, Sephora, Artist Couture, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Sophia Vegara, EBY , Cosmopolitan Magazine as well as others. She most recently starred in Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s  music video, All The Stars.

Dora’s deep chocolate complexion is highly sought after by photographers, brands and agencies – and she was recently signed to BMG Models. At the youthful age of 21, Dora’s career shows no signs of slowing down. While some may think modeling is just about being a pretty face, for Dora, being in front of the camera is a platform for a bigger purpose – showing girls who look like her that there is no limit to who they can become.

Photo Credit: Instagram

Our favourite beauty mogul and rockstar gives us the scoop on the wonders of setting powder in this 2-minute video tutorial.  Using her new Pro Filt’r Setting Powder from theFenty Beauty  collection, she shows us just how she maintains her glorious glow using this product.

Thank you Rih Rih, we are living for these tips.

Watch the tutorial below:

Banana Face Mask

Bananas contain vitamins A, B, E, and tons of potassium, all of which work to naturally fight blemishes by evening out skin, moisturizing, and combatting free radicals. Bonus point for the fact that even banana peels are able to reduce dark spots from sun exposure,  whiten teeth, and can prevent and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Banana & Honey

While the banana works to clear your skin, honey ensures it won’t dry out. Just mix one mashed banana with a tablespoon of honey, rub on your face and leave for fifteen minutes, then rinse.

Banana & Lemon Juice

If you have oily skin, the boost of citric acid in lemon juice will really help to to cleanse and exfoliate skin. Mash a ripe banana with juice from half a lemon, rub on your face and leave for ten to fifteen minutes, and rinse.

Banana & Baking Soda

Combine the power of banana with baking soda, which is a natural deep cleanser  and oil remover. You only need to add about 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda to your mashed banana mask for it to work. Let the mask sit on your face for about ten minutes before rinsing.

Banana & Turmeric Powder

Turmeric is packed with antibacterial properties. Turmeric powder is a great addition to a banana mask and will knock out the bacteria causing pimples. Similar to baking soda, a little goes a long way and all you need is a 1/2 teaspoon into your face mask. Apply and leave the mask for ten to fifteen minutes before rinsing.

Banana & Coconut Oil

Combining these superfoods and slathering them on your face just makes sense. Coconut oil features lauric acid, which kills acne-causing bacteria. Melt down a tablespoon of coconut oil (you can do this on the stove or in the microwave) and stir it into a mashed room- temperature banana. Apply to your face, leave for up to half an hour, and rinse.

We’re teaming up with Hazel Oils and its CEO, Ndali Modebe, for a giveaway. Here’s your chance to win a bottle of Hazel Oils, a luxury body oil rich in cocoa and peppermint.

Tis’ the season for Self Care. Soak yourself in the sweet chocolatey, minty Fragrance of Hazel Oils while it soothes you and gives you that natural glow.

To participate in the giveaway:
– Follow (on Instagram) @queenmoremi & @Ndalimodebe 
– Comment on the Instagram post and let us know why you should win. Include hashtag #QMHazelOilsGiveaway in your responses & we will pick our favourite Responses!
Good Luck! *Terms and conditions apply* Competition ends on January 5th, 2019. Only open to Lagos, Nigeria residents.

Everyday when I have to get dressed, I try to do it while standing in front of the mirror. It is a way of carefully looking at my body, without finding any faults and saying to the girl in there: I love you. I love every part of you: your flabby arms, your eyebrows that are not perfectly arched, your belly button that stores dust and fluids, your thick thighs and most especially, your breasts.

This has never been easy for me; it is an uphill task and something I do with a lot of difficulty. It has taken a lot of self-awareness articles, podcasts and Twitter threads to help me love every bit of myself.

My breasts and I have had a very stressful relationship; first, they showed up when I was way too young to understand what was going on. Then, they grew fast and big—meaning I had to wear bras earlier than my friends (stirrups and harnesses masquerading as a piece of friendly clothing). At 13, along with all the puberty issues and self-consciousness, I had to struggle with finding the perfect bra. That was the beginning of my desire for perky boobs. Perhaps if gravity didn’t take hold of my boobs, I wouldn’t need to struggle to find a bra. Perhaps, if they looked like the breasts in magazines (the ones I caught the boys in my class lusting over) just maybe I’d be more attractive.

So, in the absence of the natural upward perk, I’ve had to live with bras. Finding a bra that is functional and sexy is no easy feat. Bras for girls like me who have G-cup sized breasts are not cheap. The average bras (A-C) are easily available in stores with prices ranging from $10 to $40. The same cannot be said for Ds to Hs. When you find them, it is very possible that they’re heavy-duty (wide-strapped and made of hard cotton).

Living in North America has come with its own special brand of bra-related problems for this G-Cup sized woman. The entire exercise is exhausting; I’ve had to resort to having bras shipped to me from the UK—not just because they’re cheaper over there, but because I know that certain stores try to make their bras a little bit more attractive. When a friend in the UK called excitedly to tell me she found a beautiful bra with underwire for under $30, I screamed in disbelief, asking for proof. There it was on my phone screen—black, lacy, with floral hints. The straps were thin too. It was so sexily unbelievable.

But why am I so determined to find a sexy bra? How was I socialized to believe that if my breasts are not perky or decked in lace, they are not desirable?

As a Nigerian woman of the Yoruba ethnic group, I was raised to know that I was to be a strong, capable woman, not for me, but for that man who was going to choose me. Growing up in that environment, it was hard to see women as equal to men; our sole purpose was to cater to men. Our breasts came with the package gift to men. The situation in modern Nigeria is quite similar to English women of the Victorian Era who had to wear corsets to lift their breasts and cinch their waist tightly—for the appeal and attraction of men. And, while bras came to Nigeria with colonialism, 21st century Nigerian women continue to wear bras due to socialization.

So you could say I was late to embracing feminism and learning to love myself. I had to reject the thought that a woman choosing to walk around without a bra is a scandalous event. The belief was that she chose to divest herself of the harness because she wanted to have her boobs swinging for the attention of men. If her nipples showed through her dress, it was simply because she wanted to ensnare a man. In Nigeria, no thought was given to the fact that she simply wanted to be free.

In 2017, 23-year old Chidera Eggerue started a movement on social mediasharing images where she is braless. As a woman in her mid-thirties, I drew strength from knowing that it was OK to not conform to the socialized norm of constantly wearing a bra. What Chidera started on social media has ballooned into a burgeoning movement, which has spanned beyond the streets of the Internet.

But even with this inspiration, a woman should be able to choose letting them hang out freely, and bra shopping is still a nightmare. The more I lost weight, the smaller my frame became; yet, my cup size remained the same. This further pushed me into a smaller bra-size availability bracket. By this time, I had narrowed down two stores that carried my bra size. However, they were neither cheap nor available. My sister and I made a game out of it; finding the elusive bras and spotting them on sale.

Looking for a sexy bra for G-cups is truly a task, but it is not nearly as hard as finding swimwear or strapless bras. It’s so bad that invites to the beach or the pool are met with intense anxiety. I don’t know how much strain my good and faithful swimsuit can last. The garment is four years and going strong; because where am I going to find something that fits? Asking for prettiness is a stretch.

Another challenge of being big breasted is the shoulder ridge problem. For bigger breasts, the physics of harnesses and stirrups requires wider straps. Over time, these large straps, supporting the weight of your mounds, form ridges in your shoulder. Glasses wearers will relate to this a little; think of that ridge on your temples and the little ditch on both sides of your nose. Constantly wearing a bra to support big breasts means you’re hoisting your breasts via your shoulder and your back.

It is for this reason that I cherish every moment I do NOT have to step out of my apartment. The outing has to be super important for me to leave my house and have to wear these beastly things. If you ask me to go anywhere and I make up some silly excuse, please know that it is simply because I don’t want to pack up my breasts. For times when I absolutely have to leave the condo, I unconsciously find myself unhooking my bra once I step into the elevator.

This isn’t easy to reconcile with my commitment to love every inch of this body. But I have come to the realization that the woman staring back in the full length mirror is accountable to one person—me. These breasts come with the body; I can choose to wear a bra, or not. What matters is how comfortable I am in my skin.

Atoke is the author of +234 – An Awkward Guide to Being Nigerian. Follow her on Twitter.