We all want to have incredible skin - soft, radiant, vibrant, basically the exact opposite of Freddy Krueger. So, we go shopping for beauty products, hunker down in our bathrooms and, like mad scientists, try to concoct the perfect formula for a luminous look.
If you're looking for tips, or just want bask in awe at a beautiful queen, prepared to be amazed by Michele Manteaw. She posted two selfies in Reddit’s r/MakeupAddiction that garnered a massive amount of attention. The post, entitled Glowy Winter Makeup on Dark Skin, attracted more than 16,000 upvotes and 300 comments. Redditors were blown away by her gorgeous makeup and even more gorgeous skin.
"OP has the softest looking skin ever," commented one person, while another wrote, "I am in such awe. This is so gorgeous! The dimples tie the whole thing together!" A third added, "It actually chaps my ass that your foundation looks so much like your actual skin. Chaps my ass!!" After Manteaw shared a list of her makeup products, many people asked for the deets on her skin care routine. She replied:
"a few important elements to my routine would be: • high key moisturising (regardless of your skin type - oily skin can sometimes be dry skin trying to overcompensate its dryness, thus making excess oil!) • washing my face with a foreo and a gentle but clarifying face wash • (bi)weekly sheet masks from Korea • I like a lot of lush products! full of grace is my holy graillllllll like. girl. • drinking loads of water (as cliché as it may sound, but I honestly drink loads)
"also, complete side note but cutting as much dairy out of my diet REALLY helped with the overall texture and frequency of break outs. life. changing."
However, Manteaw's skin wasn't always this awesome. Like everyone else, she had to deal with irritating acne as a teenager. "As a black woman, my pubescent acne left me with terrible hyperpigmentation that followed me into my adult years,” she told Cosmopolitan, noting that two particular products helped clear her complexion.
"The Body Shop's Vitamin C Microdermabrasion is a godsend, but be easy with it; it’s quite an abrasive product, so I only used it twice a week," Manteaw told the publication. "African Black Soap from my motherland—Ghana!—is also amazing for fading scars and cleansing skin; just make sure to top it with a good moisturizer afterwards."
On Manteaw’s YouTube channel, she shared beauty tips with followers, including her 17-product makeup routine. Of course, we all have different skin, so what works for her won't necessarily work for everybody. But you might pick up some killer tips to add to your repertoire. The next time you hunker down in the bathroom and try to concoct the perfect formula for amazing skin, you just might strike gold. (Personally, I'm going for more of a Freddy Krueger look.)