Fresh Faced

Whilst at the Anti-Pollution event that The Body Shop held in their Soho store last week, hosted by (the) Alessandra Steinherr, as well as taking in the expert advice on how to protect our skin while amidst such a polluted city like London, I also took the opportunity to (finally) try out some of the brand's make-up offerings. I couldn't tell you why, but I've never crossed paths with any The Body Shop make-up, despite hearing how good it is; particularly when I was younger. Now that I'm paying more attention to my skin, I've noticed that it's getting more sensitive to the quality of make-up I'm using; no longer can I get away with wiping it off the next morning with a face-wipe (this is actually a sin in the skincare world), nor wear layer after layer of synthetic, pore-clogging foundation, concealer, primer, the list goes on, without visibly noticing the effects. 

I can't say that I've done a huge amount of research on it, but there doesn't seem to be a particularly affordable, skin-friendly make-up brand that springs to mind (suggestions are, most definitely, welcome), aside from The Body Shop when it comes to this. My skin has slightly lost it's mind at the moment and I'm still working on the root of the problem, so trying some of their cult make-up products has come at a good time of at least controlling the mayhem that's going on in my complexion. Another huge pull towards their make-up popularity is the brands ethos on cruelty-free, as well as being vegetarian and mineral-oil-free, and considering it's still not too expensive, it's quite a guilt-free purchase to make (you can sign their petition to Ban Animal Testing here). 

A foundation for those who want the coverage of one but want to still look as though they have their 'own skin' on their face, the Fresh Nude Foundation is your answer. It has SPF 15 protection, a semi-matte finish (for the much-desired 'dewy' look), up to 24-hour moisturisation and it is suitable for sensitive skin. So, in a nutshell, it's not going to irritate your skin, which foundations I've tried in the past have done, and it's light enough in consistency to remove easily.  

Skimming the line between skincare and make-up, this was an impulse buy on the recommendations of Alex Steinherr (who's going to ignore the advice of a beauty-guru) and a push in the direction of starting to use SPF-50 protection every day. Previous to this, I've been using Ultrasun Face pre-application of make-up, but the thick, white texture of that was making me reluctant to stick to it. Skin Defence is the opposite; really light in texture, absorbs easily and feels like a primer essence rather than an SPF. It protects skin against both UVA (more penetrative and promote skin-ageing) and UVB (surface-skin damage and redness), and contains Vitamin-C (3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid), and red algae extract to prevent dullness and great anti-oxidants that protect against free-radicals. You can see why they named it multi-protect! 

[Side note: My skin's broken out quite badly in the last week and, although I'm not sure, concerned that this may be the perpetrator. Many people get on really well with this, having no problems, and the above still stands, but I'd advise trying a sample before buying or just being aware of it. Feel free to message me on Instagram @aestheticalblog if you have any questions.]

Honey Bronze is actually more a bronzer-highlighter hybrid (depending on the shade you get, there are three), or maybe you'd call it a tinted shimmer. I assumed it was a small powder dome, but it's actually creamy in texture and you apply straight onto cheekbones and blend with fingertips. Anything brush-free, thus handbag-friendly, is good with me and the shade (I got 01 Highlight) is subtle but effective, especially when in the light. The formula actually contains honey (ethically sourced Ethiopian honey, to be precise) which boosts skin's moisture and gives you that glowing effect. 

To avoid the cycle of re-applying lipstick every five minutes in between drinks, I've been a devotee of matte liquid lipsticks ever since they became a 'thing'. In shade 030 Crete Carnation, this Matte Lip Liquid has re-inforced why I like them so much (you can tell I haven't been out-out for a while as lipstick just hasn't been on my radar for months). I'd say it's slightly pinker than it looks, so especially suited to fair-hair, light in texture and, most importantly, no maintenance needed (e.g. carrying around a matching lip liner..). 

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All photos taken my myself.