Liam Sharma’s ultimate summer beauty guide
Hello, I See You, Summer.
Firstly, I’m sorry. I lied to you all. I promised you the world and gave you a slice of Invercargill; nothing. I can try fabricating some measly excuse to front my problematic procrastination, but in all honesty; I’ve just been well and truly over it.
Something about winter’s wrath fucks with my chakras, I get all slumpy. I’ve been moaning all of winter, anything anyone says I clap back with a dark hiss. “Look at that tart in Mykonos” has been spewed out of my mouth on hourly rotation all winter. Dare we say it, I’m melodramatic at best, alive at worst, I’m constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown and I have a flair for dabbling in the after-hours. So that’s why when summer finally shows up to the party, I change, like a snake, I shed my ugly carcass.
All the pigmentation in my skin seeps its way front and centre, I drop a minuscule amount of tummy weight swearing off my dairy pie addiction and voila, I’m a reborn sun-baby.
Last month our nation was mourning, its idyllic boyband, the All Blacks have succumbed to the mighty English. Boooo. I told you I’m over it. So here we are team, I’m currently cramming this out on my first 25-degree day this ½ of 2019 and I’m ALIVE and ecstatic to be here. You bitches’ slept on me, rule 1. never sleep on Liam Sharma, maybe just with, for a lucky few. Anyway, I’m about to deep dive into my personal hot picks to keep your skin plump, fresh and smooth during the warmer months ahead.
1. New Zealand sun is major
Sunburn is probably the worst environmental factor your skin can be subjected to. Sun damage is what the baby boomers are dealing with at present (amongst other things, like out-dated philosophical views on existence); these days I reluctantly listen to skincare podcasts with qualified dermatologists because the conversation always starts and ends with SPF, and I feel victimised. I know, it’s something we’ve been told from birth. But I feel like a lot of us (me) just never listened (me).
The long-term effects sunburn has on your skin are mind-blowing, ideally, you want to grow into a cute peach, but a lot of people are turning into haggard old prunes. Personally, my problem with sunscreen is the thickness, it smells like arse, makes me look whiter than I already am, and the products never excite me enough to maintain the regular application. That’s why this summer all of us are pimping out our sunscreen, we’re putting our generic millennial spin on bottles and making sun protection cute and efficacious.
Hot tip: SPF30 has a 97% skin protection from the sun, SPF50 has a 98% skin protection, so you may as well skip the additional chemicals and stick with an SPF30. Try Glossier Invisible Shield, SPF 35. Invisible Shield is hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, vegan and cute as hell.
2. All about those juicy lips!
I know my lips are touching new entities this summer, and why shouldn’t they be? I’m in my late teens (I’m 24), I should be allowed to enter the unknown. They may as well look voluminous and plump while doing so. I’m keeping this SPF15 Go-To Lip Balm, Pinkey-Nudey Tinted, in my man-purse. Kiss me, especially if you’re over 50, then you can wife me.
3. Keep it simple, but boujiee
When I’m balls-deep in summer I’m all about low maintenance products, my ten-step skincare routine turns into two or three, max. I strip it down, refine my product choices and stick to essential basics. Syrene is a new love affair of mine, I’m enticed by its Aqua Range. The Oil to Foam Cleanser will be my accomplice this summer. Look, I hear you and I see you, critics – some people are so sceptical about oil cleansers. Personally, I love them, I’m obsessed with being able to jade-roll the residues post-cleanse. What I love about Syrene’s Oil Cleanser is the texture, it’s gentle at first touch but when activated with water you can feel your impurities being swiftly washed away. I love the foam, like a 60-second ritualistic bath for my face. I’m excited to see what range(s) Syrene brings out in 2020, definitely one to watch. Oh, btw this cleanser is made from seaweed extracts, boujiee.
4. Essence is my lifeline for summer
Good god, I love how humans have the capability to continuously innovate new essential skincare steps and flog them off to me using enticing pastel marketing, have all my fucking money. Let’s talk about essence products, at war it’s best-used post-tone and pre-serum, essence is another layer of radical fighting ingredient. I’ve grown fond of the Then I Met You Giving Essence, it looks like a cocktail which resembles my body’s blood level nearing the end of summer, 95% bloody mary. 5% regrets. It’s activated with polyglutamic acid, which is a powerful humectant and holds 4x more moisture than its comrade hyaluronic acid. Meaning, it keeps your skin’s natural moisture locked in, hydrated and plump. Thank me later.
5. I will never not serum
I just won’t. It must be done, personally I’m a night owl. I love leaving my serums on overnight to heal and repair my dumpster yard skin and rubbish bag eyes. The Inkey List is a well-known friend of mine, it has just released a Sea Kelp Serum (crying/cute emoji eyes), I love that it’s a spray bottle too. It’s targeted towards fending off pollution, okay…… I also just think it’s so CUTE. Imagine how cute it would look at the beach, or just like in my toilet bag, it’s too tiny, I just want to keep it in my pocket forever. It’s only $9.99, c’mon.
6. Bucket hats for faking it
I’ve been really going through a phase with bucket hats recently, which is weird because it’s been rainy and damp this week. But I’ve been faking the environment and seeing the world through my own eyes, as per. I can tell my BH enthusiasm isn’t dampening anytime soon, I love RUBY’s Hello Kitty collaboration.
7. Bag love
Lastly, I need something to keep all my efficacious junk in. I don’t want grubby toilet bags with residue toothpaste plastered on the insides. I want to keep my shit somewhere prissy, trendy and to be honest glamorous. I want my products to feel at home under my ownership, the same feeling I desire from any potential sugar daddy. I really love Georgia Jay’s Baguette Baby Blue man-purse. Dreamy darling, just divine. Fuck the price tag, I’m blind to shit I don’t care about.
That’s all from me, until next time my loves.
You know you love me, xoxo
Liam xx
Reviews — Liam Sharma
Image source — here
