Skincare – ÉbèneNoire

Fall skincare edit

Published on November 4, 2018November 4, 2018 by SameeraLeave a comment

The change in weather means it’s time swap out the skincare products in my bathroom shelf just like I would my closet. Below are my picks for the Fall.

Fall skincare edit.png

Makeup remover- La Roche Posay Micellar water- I picked this up when I was on vacation three months ago and have loved it since! It takes off all my makeup and leaves my skin feeling soft.
Cleanser- La Roche Posay Purifying cleanser- This cleans my thoroughly and however doesn’t leave it feeling tight.
Toner – The ordinary glycolic toner- I’ve loved this toner for almost two years and raved it multiple times. It’s a great treatment for my hyper pigmentation and always keep it in my rotation
Vitamin C – The Ordinary ascorbic acid + alpha arbutin toner – This has been a life send for my skin. I went through a really bad phase of going to sleep with my makeup on and this reversed all the side effects. This is my favorite vitamin c serum that I’ve used so far.
Hydrating serum – Botanics hydration burst serum- I love this affordable serum from Target! It feels amazingly hydrating without feeling too greasy.
Moisturizer – Origins energy boosting ginzing moisturizer- i’m not crazy about this moisturizer but I find it perfect for sealing in all the layers of product that
SPF- Glossier invisible shield – This is the best SPF I’ve ever used. It doesn’t leave a white cast which for my ebony queens is a miracle to find in an SPF product! It also never leaves me feeling greasy and I love the neat and neon packaging.

What products have you added to your routine with the change in season?

What I do to get ready for the week

Published on March 4, 2018March 4, 2018 by SameeraLeave a comment

Sunday blues are a real thing. Thinking of how amazing yet fast the weekend was and how long you are away from yet another Friday always makes my Sundays feel a lil blah. That’s why I came up with a routine on how to get rid of the grey mood I find myself in every Sunday.

Meal prep

Not only does this make me feel so much better while I’m doing it, it makes my life so much easier during the week! I always ALWAYS feel guilty for buying lunches during the week. So I always thank my Sunday self for the prepped lunches.

Make plans during the week

Who says you only have to hang out with your faves on the weekends? As someone who feels best when I’m laughing with friends, Im always excited when I know I’ll be seeing my faves during the week. Another great thing about living in NY is the endless amount of things to do in the city. So I always make sure to check timeout’s list of events and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) calendar. Just last week, I was able to see my new fave actress Danai Gurira, in a screening of the incredible movie “Mothrr of George”. Next week I have a talk with Neil Gaiman to see at BAM!

Plan outfits

This makes my mornings SO MUCH EASIER. I am definitely that person that loses inspiration with regards to getting dressed unless I have something new. A great way I’ve gotten over this hump is making a list of potential outfits right on my notes app. It has helped me on really tight mornings when I’m panicked and frustrated. Another great way to prep outfits is Polyvore or Pinterest!

Clean out your main space

For me this is my bedside table, vanity and living room. I feel so refreshed whenever I do this. It makes me feel way less cluttered and disorganized and ready for the week.

At home facial

This is the last step on Sunday nights, and it really makes me feel like I have my shit together. What else says you’re doing this adulting thing right more than layering on all the sheet masks, peels and hydration treatments. I always light a candle (current fave is anything lavender scented) to make it feel all the more spa like. I always do the facial in my plushest of robes and end it in the comfiest of pajamas right in time for bed.

Do y’all get the Sunday blues? How do you chase the feeling away?

Getting back to basics

Published on February 23, 2018February 20, 2018 by SameeraLeave a comment

Over the past couple of months, I’ve neglected my skincare routine. I know, shameful. Y’all are free to drag me. It wasn’t something that happened suddenly but slowly over the winter months. I wasn’t wearing much makeup or going out much so I kept convincing my self that going to bed without washing my face was no big deal (*** insert GoT shame gif)

After really looking at my face over the weekend, and seeing the damage my laziness has done, I’m slowly trying to get myself back to a semblance of a skincare routine. Below are a few tricks I’ve used to motivate myself to go through my routine, when I’d literally rather be doing anything else. 😥

Play a Youtube video while doing your skincare routine.

I recently got a pop socket for my phone and it’s been a game changer. It helps me watch videos while doing chores and especially while washing my face. My favorite people to watch at night while going through my bedtime routine are Fleur, Estee, and Amelia. They’re so chill and inspirational in terms of skincare routines, that I have no choice but to plow on with mine

Facetime a friend who’s also into skincare

This is a little unusual but it has helped me so much! My friend and I have the same schedule and love catching up before bed. This way, we also get to see what we each use during our routine. We tend to face time on Sundays as we both have more time to chat and catch up on all things fun, like the thirst levels produced by the box office hit that is Black Panther 😛

Do it right after walking through the door

I tend to have ~~a lot of~~ more energy as soon as I get home compared to at 10 pm when it’s time to go to bed. For that reason, I immediately walk myself to the bathroom when I know I don’t have to leave my apartment for the night and take off my makeup. It makes the rest of my night feel like a Sunday.

Use multipurpose products to make the process go by faster

I’ve found I get exhausted just thinking of the 4-5 serums or the 10 steps in my routine, so I’ve tried cutting down the process. One way I did this was in using products that are muilti-functional. For e.g. my beloved toner which has 7% glycolic is already a treatment because of the high % of glycolic acid. Therefore I feel satisfied to use a basic serum afterwards and then a moisturizer instead of using two serums (one to prevent oiliness and one to target hyper-pigmentation) so my routine goes by much more quickly.

The current steps in my routine consist of the below

Makeup remover-Bioderma
Cleanser: M-61 Glycolic cleanser
Toner: The Ordinary 7% GA
Serum: The Ordinary Buffet
Moisturizer: Glossier priming moisturizer

P.S, I ditched using a separate eye cream recently and instead take my already potent night cream and take it up high.

What are some tricks you use to motivate yourself to go through your skincare routine.

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The Ordinary- Review Update

Published on June 26, 2017February 20, 2018 by SameeraLeave a comment

Ir’s been over three months since I reviewed a wide selection of items from The Ordinary. I’ve since fallen out of love with some of products and more deeply in love with others. Check out below which made the cut and which you shouldn’t add to cart.

Continue reading “The Ordinary- Review Update” →

Skincare Staples: Winter Edition

Published on February 26, 2017March 13, 2017 by SameeraLeave a comment

As someone with an uneven skin tone, having a solid skincare regimen has become a requirement. It started with the Clinique 3 step system in high school, and has since progressed to include a multitude of skincare devices and acids.

Morning staples: Winter Edition

Cleanser: Cetaphil cleanser/Pixi glow mud cleanser
Toner: Lancome tonique benefiance exfoliating toner
Serum: Drunk Elephant Vitamin C serum
Eye Cream: Kiehl’s creamy avocado eye cream
Day Cream: Neutrogena visibly even daily moisturizer

These are the five steps I go through each morning. I tend to use the most basic and essential products in the morning and spend more time at night on my skincare

Continue reading “Skincare Staples: Winter Edition” →

Summer Skincare-Dark skin

Published on July 11, 2016May 11, 2017 by SameeraLeave a comment

Being dark skin, or ebony black as I call myself, I always felt that my skin required special attention in regards to skin care. I have since gotten rid of this notion after many google searches and many hundreds of dollars spent on skin care products. The truth is there is no need for black women or darker skinned women to use specialty skin care products. We all have different concerns and should build regimes and use products to combat our specific concerns.

I do repeat the statement “black don’t crack” a lot but this doesn’t mean that we (black women) shouldn’t invest in a skincare regime. I am 22 and have an established routine consisting of a glycolic acid, a night oil, a sugar scrub, a sonic cleanser, an eye cream and a daytime moisturizer with SPF. I believe it’s never too early to start on skincare so I’m sharing below my skincare regiment because black doesn’t crack, but it does crinkle 😉

Makeup Removers

Favorite makeup remover of all time. removes eye makeup gently and never leaves my skin dry

Second favorite makeup remover. Dissolves everything but I prefer it in the dryer winter months.

Cleansers

A great everyday cleanser. Haven’t seen the radiance it claims but it never leaves my skin feeling tight

Masks

Does exactly as the name says! It’s also a cleanser that I double up as a clay mask for fabulous results!

Treatments

Toner

This is THE Holy Grail product in my skincare stash. The glycolic acid in this does wonders for my complexion. Evens out my skin tone and makes my skin feel incredibly soft.

Serums

This gives my skin an amazing pick me up whenever I feel my skin is looking dull! Packed with my favorite ingredient as well, GLYCOLIC ACID!

I love using this oil anytime I feel my skin needs some extra moisture.

Eye Cream

This is the best eye cream I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried a LOT of eye creams. The amount of hydration this eye cream gives is out of this world. It also stay where you put it and doesn’t travel to make your eyes water which is a huge plus for me!

Day Cream

Enter a caption Philosophy miracle worker with SPF 30

SPF is a requirement for me in all my day creams be it summer or winter. Suncreen is the number one anti-aging tool so I make sure to never miss it in my regiment

Night Cream

Origins Mega-Bright dark spot correcting night mask

This is the newest addition in my skincare arsenal and so far so good. Love the scent and it leaves my skin feeling very plump at night before bed.

Those are all the products that I rotate through in my skincare regiment. They are constantly changing but like I mentioned staples that I will always have are the pixi toner, the mask and the kiehl’s eye cream!