PENDA SARR

Hey guys, I hope you're all doing well and getting ready for the holidays! It's officially the cold season and of course #imnotr...

Hey guys, I hope you're all doing well and getting ready for the holidays! It's officially the cold season and of course #imnotready.

As the weather changes,  so does our skin. We are more prone to dryness and dehydration when temperatures drop, so it's important to work even harder to take care of our skin. To help you navigate through this season, I thought it would be a good idea to provide you with a list of tips that will keep your skin hydrated and moisturized.

1) Hydrate daily & layer your hydration

The first step is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! The cold strips our skin, so it's important to hydrate twice a day (and if you workout throughout the day, make sure to wash your face and have a proper routine after your session as well).

To increase hydration levels, I recommend you "layer" your hydration. I learned this technique from beauty guru and esthetician Sean Garrette (https://www.instagram.com/seangarrette/?hl=en). Layering hydration is essentially layering the products that are aimed at providing your skin with moisture. For example,  whilst doing your skincare routine, you'd first apply a hydrating mask, then a hydrating toner, then a hydrating essence on top of it, and finally,  a hydrating serum and moisturizer. All of these products will work together and provide you with intense hydration, and an amazing glow (a win-win situation really).

I know it may be tricky to figure out what kind of products you should use, so here are some recommendations (you can click on the bold product name and it will take you to the link):

Hydrating masks

- Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask by Youth to the People
- Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask with Avocado & Swiss Glacier Water by Origins
- Moisturizing Moon Mask by Glossier

Hydrating toners

- Aqua Bomb Hydrating Toner by Belif
- CoQ-10 Toner by Indie Lee

Hydrating serums

- Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum by The Inkey List
- Honeymoon Glow AHA Resurfacing Night Serum with Hydrating Honey + Gentle Flower Acids by Farmacy

Hydrating moisturizers

- Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer by LaNeige
- Omega + Complex Moisturizer by Paula's Choice


2) Mix your moisturizer with oils

Another way to take care of your skin during the winter months is to mix your moisturizers with oils. The oils will keep your skin supple, and help prevent dehydration. I usually do the moisturizer/oil combo at night, but if you want to do it twice a day, that's fine too. Some great oils to mix with your moisturizers are rosehip oil(especially if you have oily skin), jojoba oil, and marula oil.

3) Use chemical exfoliants

Now, in order to ensure that all of your toners, essences, serums, moisturizers, and oils penetrate well into your skin and work effectively, you have to exfoliate your skin. Chemically exfoliating is less harsh and will allow for  your dead skin to shed off. The best chemical exfoliants are those that have salicylic, glycolic, lactic, or mandelic acid in them. I know that chemical exfoliants can be confusing, so if you want me to do a thorough blogpost on that, let me know in the comments :).

4) Drink more water & avoid hot showers

Apart from skincare products, you can also take care of your skin with a few lifestyle changes. Two key things to incorporate in your everyday routine is to avoid taking long showers that are too hot and drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. Drinking water throughout the day will keep you hydrated and avoiding those 500 degree showers will keep your skin from stripping!

Thank you for reading, I hope this useful.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at sarr.penda@gmail.com. You can also connect with me on my social channels below:

Connect with me

Instagram: @pendasarr
Snapchat: @pendouchi

This weather is so weird, isn't it? Somedays it feels like it's autumn, other times it's Antarctica. Thankfully, this week was s...

This weather is so weird, isn't it? Somedays it feels like it's autumn, other times it's Antarctica. Thankfully, this week was somewhat consistent.

Hey guys, it's been a while hasn't it? I've been wanting to do this review for so long and I'm happy I finally got the time ...

Hey guys, it's been a while hasn't it? I've been wanting to do this review for so long and I'm happy I finally got the time to sit down and do it.

As some of you may know, Nigerian-American beauty influencer and youtuber Jackie Aina partnered with Anastasia Beverly Hills and created her very own eyeshadow palette. I was so happy when I heard about this because Jackie is one of my favorite beauty gurus, and Anastasia is known to have some pretty pigmented palettes.

The palette was officially released online and in stores on August 15th (yes, this review is well overdue haha) and has been a great success. The palette is all over social media, and everyone has been raving about it. I actually got it well after its release; I've used it a few times now, so I wanted to do a review for you guys.

First, as you can see in the picture below, the product's packaging is super original and unique. Jackie has a very bubbly and lively personality, so it's fitting that she created a palette that's reflective of her. The outside design is beautiful and it changes colors as you shift it, especially when it's held in sunlight.


The palette has 14 shades, and comes with a brush. What I love about the palette is how brown-girl friendly it is. Jackie is a big advocate for makeup for black girls, and I love how she made sure the palette had shades that would look amazing on everyone, including black women.


The palette is also great in terms of how versatile it is. Because of the variety of tones, it's easy to create neutral or colorful looks, depending on what you want to go for. I'm more of a neutral kind of gal, but this palette is definitely going to make me start doing more colorful looks (I mean just look at those purple tones).



Now, the best thing about all of this is the shade names haha. They're so funny! Dwollahs, Shookington & Wiggalese are my favorite ;).

It definitely stands out from traditional shadow names and I like that because it shows that Jackie wasn't afraid to make a palette that really exudes who she is.


Of course, I wanted to see how the colors would look on my skin so I swatched them all for you guys to see. Below is the top set of the palette:




(Swatch shade names from the bottom of my arm to the top: zamn, wiggalese, shookington, trust issues, edges, sponsored, ginger).

My obsession with mini dresses started about 3 years ago. Before that,  I rarely wore any(it was really just pants 24/7). I think I had jus...

Besides the dress, I'd say my favorite part about this look is the gold stiletto heels. They're one of my favorite pairs and surprisingly, my most comfortable too. Wearing this model specifically was a no-brainer, any other shoe would have looked too plain in my opinion.





Overall, I felt really good in this outfit and I think that's important. Clothing can often make you feel confident and empowered, and this dress definitely did.



Thank you for reading, see you on the next post <3

Connect with me:

Instagram: @pendasarr

Outfit details:

Dress: Nastygal

Shoes: Zara

Hyperpigmentation is perhaps one of the most common skin conditions, especially for people whose skin produces more melanin.  I myself s...

Hyperpigmentation is perhaps one of the most common skin conditions, especially for people whose skin produces more melanin.  I myself struggle with hyperpigmentation, and many people I know do too.

Hyperpigmentation occurs when areas of our skin darken after inflammation, breakouts, or exposure to the sun. Treating hyperpigmentation is definitely a difficult task, but with consistency and the right products and routine, you can get rid of it much more easily.

1) Face acids (exfoliation)

Face acids work by exfoliating the top layer of your skin. Exfoliation will help your skin shed  and allow for new skin cells to form. This will in turn help even out your skin tone, and reduce scarring. The best face acids are AHA's (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHA's (beta hydroxy acids). If you're dealing with mild to severe hyperpigmentation, you should try to incorporate acids such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid, mandelic acid, or lactic acid into your routine. For best results, only use these acids 2-3 times a week, preferably at night.

Out of the ones mentioned, salicylic acid and glycolic acid are the strongest(and the best to use if you have acne-prone skin). If you are first starting out with them, I would say to use it maybe once a week for about 2-3 weeks, and then start to exfoliate more regularly. If you have sensitive skin and want acids that are less strong, try mandelic or lactic acid. The Ordinary carries a lot of these AHA's, so if you're interested in getting some, check out their website:https://theordinary.com/product/rdn-glycolic-acid-7pct-toning-solution-240ml?redir=1.

2)  Retinoids 

Retinoids are derived from vitamin A and are another way to treat hyperpigmentation. Retinoids penetrate deep into your skin and can therefore provide effective results. A popular retinoid that you don't need a prescription for is Differin(it treats acne and hyperpigmentation). If you do want another type of retinoid, you'll need a prescription from a dermatologist.

3)  Chemical peels

If you want something stronger that will produce great results, definitely start doing chemical peels. Chemical peels use strong acids and they reduce hyperpigmentation by removing the epidermis(if you have inflamed and irritated skin, avoid chemical peels until you heal). These are powerful and bring great and quick results. Chemical peels cause your skin to be extremely sensitive to the sun, so after doing one, you should stay away from sunlight for a few days. Also, don't ever try to do a chemical peel by yourself at home, it should always be with a licensed individual.

4) Wear sunscreen daily

All of the treatments mentioned in this post make your skin sensitive to the sun, so it's important so wear sunscreen. Not wearing sunscreen can actually make your hyperpigmentation worse. So, always make sure to wear sunscreen daily, and re-apply it every hour. Here are some good sunscreens you can use:

Supergoop Unscreen Sunscreen (https://www.sephora.com/product/unseen-sunscreen-broad-spectrum-spf-40-P428094)

Black Girl Sunscreen (https://www.blackgirlsunscreen.com/product/black-girl-sunscreen-spf-30/)

Glossier Invisible Shield (https://www.glossier.com/products/invisible-shield?g_campaign=US_Google_Shopping&g_campaignid=2047147846&g_adgroupid=72089136203&g_adid=358363440181&g_keyword=&g_keywordid=pla-293946777986&g_adtype=&g_merchantid=107339476&g_productchannel=online&g_productid=ISH-000-00-01&g_partition=293946777986&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq9itsuCj5AIVwp-zCh1jJAqPEAQYASABEgKnkPD_BwE)

Thank you for reading, I hope this was helpful!

Connect with me:

Instagram: @pendasarr
Email: sarr.penda@gmail.com

Do you ever get a random breakout or irritated skin immediately after you wear makeup? If yes, the ingredients in your products may be the ...

Do you ever get a random breakout or irritated skin immediately after you wear makeup? If yes,
the ingredients in your products may be the culprit. Makeup products have many ingredients and chemicals in them, and some of then aren't always best for our skin.

I've put together a list of the top ingredients you should avoid in makeup. These are detrimental to our skin, and can cause some other issues down the line.

1) Parabens

Parabens are common preservatives found in a lot of the products we use: soaps, lotions, and yes, makeup. Parabens tend to cause hormonal imbalances, which can lead to breakouts. If you see this ingredient on a label, stay away from it.

2) Artificial Fragrance/Parfum

Artifical fragrances/parfums are very irritating to the skin because they're full of allergens, irritants and endocrine disruptors. If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, fragrance may be making things worse. Try to opt for products that don't have any added scents to it, and see if that makes a difference.

3) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS)

SLS is a foaming agent and a surfactant. This ingredient tends to cause skin irritation and allergies. SLS has also been known to disrupt the oil balance in our skin and cause cystic acne, another reason why we should avoid it.

4) Talc & Silica

Talc and silica are minerals that are found in almost every single makeup product used for the face (primer, foundation, concealer, powders, etc).  Both of these minerals absorb oil, and help your makeup stick better to your face. They aren't that bad compared to other ingredients, but if you have dry or acne-prone skin, you should avoid it.

5) Dimethicone

Dimethicone is a popular silicone which is also found in many makeup products. Silicones smooth the face and improve your texture (but only for a short period of time). However, silicones also trap debris in your face, dehydrate your skin, and they can contribute to acne and congestion. They also block other ingredients from absorbing into your skin so keep it an eye out for it when purchasing new items.

I hope this was helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on Instagram(@pendasarr) or email me at: sarr.penda@gmail.com

Hey guys, I hope you’re all doing well! After working on my previous post, which focused on all of the outfits I’ve been wearing throughout...

Plus, I love how the colors in the backdrop bring out my complexion. Hashtag brown skin girl ;)