SKINDEEP: August Beauty Loves.

Dewy, fresh-faced beauty. I am obsessed (to put it mildly) with skincare. For me, the perfect canvas to put product onto is well-maintained skin. Full disclaimer before we get well into some new finds for dry skin. Genetics play a huge part in regards to our individual skin issues and no two faces are alike, I am quite lucky to have had fairly unproblematic skin. I get the occasional cystic acne flare up when my period is due, as well as the odd yellow headed pustules which form when I don’t double cleanse after a night out, or if I’ve been under a lot of stress. I will *always* pop said spots with the efficiency and delight of Dr. Pimple Popper, and then mourn the polka dots of scars and hyperpigmentation left behind in their squishy satisfying wake. My main skin issues are chronic dryness, hyperpigmentation under my eyes, mouth, and chin, as well as the odd scar, clogged pores, and blackheads.  For the past couple of years, I’ve trialed many a product to give me that fresh, Parisian girl glow – you know the one, the effortless ‘I throw on some jeans, a white tee, ruffle my Afro and voilà!’. 

I’ve been dipping and dabbling in a few products over the past couple of months, and they’re so good that I HAD to share, my fellow dry skinned sinners, feast your eyes on this delicious lineup…

First up is a fairly unassuming product, it’s Glossier’s Invisible Shield SPF. For a long time, like most black people I was of the opinion that those of us with melanin-rich skin, did not need SPF because the melanin in our skin naturally protected us from the sun, now I know better and will not leave the house without anything less than an SPF 30 on my face in the summer months and SPF 15 in the winter months. I love the serum-like consistency of the product as well as the fact that it leaves no awkward SPF flashback.

Being a certified pimple popper has left me with a constellation of dark marks, mapping my face like little stars. To tackle this, I’ve pulled out the big guns, acids. I’ve raved about Pixi’s Glow Tonic, a gentle glycolic acid exfoliant that leaves the skin looking brighter, fresher and glowy, but I needed something that would help to shift the hyperpigmentation, dry patches, and blackheads and this came in the form of The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution. This stuff can be a little offputting at first, with its consistency and colour very bloodlike and the intense tingling/burning feeling when applied, but for me the pro’s far outweigh the con’s, and I can vouch for the fact that it (as part of a strict regime with other products) cleared up my skin so well that I no longer have to use orange colour corrector under my concealer.

Speaking of Pixi’s glow tonic, I didn’t think it was possible for me to sing it’s praises any higher than I already do, but I’ve been using the Glow Tonic To Go Pads when I’m in a hurry or travelling as it’s so portable and easy to use, so if you’re a fan of the original, you may want to check out the pads too as I absolutely love them. Pixi’s rose caviar Essence is what I’d describe as a luxury for less product. From the scent (which *actually* smells like real roses and not at all synthetic) to the effectiveness of the product in regards to locking in moisture and boosting radiance. I use this right before moisturizing on my face, neck, and decolletage. 

A finishing/setting style spray has become part of my holy grail techniques for my dry skin. As soon as my skincare routine has finished and/or makeup has been applied, I will always spray my face with a good high-quality facial mist. Liz Earle’s Instant boot skin tonic has been my godsend in these warm summer months, creating a natural dewy finish, adding moisture back into my face and giving me a fresh-faced finish.

The LCO (Liquid, cream, oil method) has been a very popular method in which to make sure kinky coily hair textures retain as much moisture as possible by layering products and then ‘sealing’ it all in with an oil based product. I’ve been doing a similar thing with my skincare regime, sealing in all the serums, toners and moisturizes with a light oil, my sealant of choice at the moment is The 100% plant derived Squalane from The Ordinary. It’s a light serum feeling oil that leaves my skin with a dewy style glow after application and works as a breathable barrier.

There’s been hella hype about glossier in general since last year, and I can’t lie, I absolutely dig the branding, the pro skincare, minimal makeup approach, the aesthetic. But do the products actually live up to their hype? I can honestly say the products I’ve tried so far have ( I ADORE the birthday cake balm and the clear gloss). The Glossier priming moisturiser is my perfect summer face hydrator, it is lightweight, non-oily and absorbs easily. It doesn’t have a scent which I like as I can find the scent of facial products fairly overbearing at times.

So, that’s what’s been on my face lately, I’ve had so many requests for an updated what’s on my face, so I help this has been helpful! If you’re a skincare fanatic like I am, let me know and I’ll be sure to make this more of a monthly or bi-monthly thing, documenting new products or empties.

xo