The Essentials.

ph: tittyferandampleforth

The weather is changing here in London (what else is new)  and I'm sad to say I can feel it getting colder already. I always find that August is usually a disappointing month on the British Isles and I often wonder if the hemisphere decided it had had enough of us Brits complaining about how hot it was and packed up and off to the Med. Anyway, during our brief spell of unadulterated heat, I got a tan which has made my complexion darker. So when it came down to replenishing the beauty supply, I thought I would opt for a shade darker than my usual foundation, but this time 'lighter'  in terms of coverage to allow my skin to breathe. I chose Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Oil Free, mainly because I noticed my friend's skin was looking more radiant than usual, so I asked her what the hell she was using. The great thing is, of you're darker skinned (olive/brown/black) then I think you're in for a treat. Darker skin tones tend to also be oily or combination and in need of sun protection, so when this lovely tub of wonder stuff also happened to contain SPF 20 and oil free- well it was no contest.

For sun protection I was faithfully using good old Peter Thomas Roth oil free sunscreen factor 30 giving both the standard UVA/UVB protection. I used it for many years and started to wonder if my skin started to get used to it so I switched to Kiehls Ultra Light Daily UV Defence SPF 50. Why the jump from SPF 30 to 50? Well having dark skin means you are constantly exposed to the threat of Hyper-pigmentation. That means where ever you might scar on your skin, your body tends to produce more melanin than it should in the healing process, thus making that scar appear darker than the rest of your complexion. If not treated carefully, this can look reeeeaaaaallly unattractive so I try to use invest in as good a sunscreen as I do a cleanser. I love the texture, light and oil free but still hydrating and no weird grey residue which makes me look like I had a fight with a vacuum cleaner. Great investment if you ask me, and as an extra boost, I'll also get the large size for all-over body protection.

When it comes to make-up I have to admit, I. Am. Not. Into. It. Not at all. Like who cares? I am someone who prefers clear skin, bright eyes, good teeth, hair and nails. (And spend whatever it takes to achieve it) However, I do like a good lipstick though. Nothing wrong with a bit of mascara and rouge for the cheeks either. I just can't handle 'conturing' and 'adding a base' etc etc. (Watch you tube beauty tutorials and you'll catch my drift) In my opinion, less is more, but if you want 'more' go brighter or bolder on the lips, like the lipsticks from MAC. The one pictured above is called 'Ruby Woo'. It's really popular and great for all complexions, matte (my favourite) and really intense colour. So there you have it, a sample of my 'essentials' for the next couple of months to see me through this dodgy August.

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