Ateh Jewel talks medium-weight moisturisers
We're delighted to feature another guest blog from our friend and colleague Ateh Jewel. Her Jeweltones website is fast becoming a go-to for women challenged by finding a darker foundation, tackling Afro curls - or just to view one of her excellent videos. We spotted a blog posting about a subject which is close to Ateh's heart - but also a conundrum for many of you: how to find a medium-weight moisturiser, for combination skins...? Here's Ateh's advice.
'Every few years when it comes to my skin, I have to get with the program and remind myself I’m not 19 years old anymore. I came across this picture of me in India when I was in fact 19 with not a scrap of make up on, with my boyfriend now husband on my first big travelling adventure. Even though I am the opposite of being a backpacker my boyfriend/husband asked me if I wanted to bum around India for a few months and I dreamily said yes. In the picture I wasn’t thinking of my spiritual enlightenment or the beautiful lake palace from James Bond’s Octopus I was sitting across from but if I had enough conditioner left for a treatment on my frazzled hair!
As well as a flood of cherished memories this picture also woke me up to the fact that at 37, it was time to move my regime up a weight class. I have dehydrated combination skin. Like many women with darker skin tones, I live in fear of getting spots. A bad reaction to a new product and a heavy oily texture can all cause spots which can go nuclear and leave scarring and pigmentation that can take months and years to fade. As a result I am very ginger with what I put on my face. Looking at my 19 year old picture I realised my skin today wasn’t looking as smooth and refined as it could be, even with a almost a couple of decades added on, as I needed more moisture. I was using a light rose oil, which was lovely but the equivalent of going shopping for a :ycra catsuit at Topshop during half term - highly age-inappropriate and slightly deluded, my skin (like me) wasn’t in its mid 20s anymore.
However, even though my skin was screaming for a more robust skincare regime, heavy cold cream style moisturisers can leave me with breakouts and light weight ones leave my skin thirsty, lack anti-ageing ingredients and with gaping open pores: my skin’s way of saying where’s the water at?
If you like me want to nourish your skin without overloading it, here are some of my favourite medium-weight moisturisers that leave skin looking silky and soft and are also packed with anti-aging skin care benefits.
Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream, £37 for 50 ml. I love Dermalogica (as do Jada Pinkett Smith and Jessica Alba). This hydrating cream has no skin irritating colour or fragrance but is full of calming aloe gel, soothing arnica and skin protecting antioxidants like vitamin C and E.
Neals Yard Remedies Beauty Sleep Concentrate, £35 . I’ve started to use this at night and have noticed a real difference in my skin texture. My pores are no longer screaming and my skin looks more airbrushed as this lightweight fluid/cream is infused with narcissus taste bulb extract, a smoothing tri-peptide and anti-oxidant rich nourishing grape seed oil.
Chantecaille Water Flower Fluid, £60 for 50 ml. . I love a moisturiser that leaves skin dewy and ready for foundation. This moisturiser is light and oil free yet feels nourishing on the skin and great for oilier skin types. The fluid is packed full of skin brightening vitamin C from fresh oranges, jojoba and shea butters and lily bulb to help soften and soothe inflamed skin.
Crème de la Mer The Moisturising Soft Cream, £125 for 30 ml. If you felt Creme de la Mer’s rich texture wasn’t for you, this medium weight is for you. This whipped creamy texture is filled with the famous miracle broth, which leaves the skin looking radiance and nourished. A little goes a long way as the cream needs to be warmed and pressed into the skin.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, £87 for 50 ml.. I’m a huge Elemis fan and love the quality and essential oils used in the products. This multi award-winning moisturiser harnesses the power of rose and mimosa absolute and has been clinically proven to reduce wrinkle size by 78%.
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