TLC for your morena skin
Show off your beautiful brown skin with these top eight skincare and beauty tips from morena beauties, Rissa Mananquil-Trillo, Bianca Gonzalez, and Suzi Abrera.
Moisturize
No matter your skin color, it’s at its most beautiful when it’s well cared for—just ask model and host Rissa Mananquil-Trillo. To care for her skin, she shares: “I religiously moisturize all areas of my body every single day. That’s the best way to get that lit-from-within glow on beautiful brown skin!”
Shine right
Morena beauty and Close Up White Now endorser Bianca Gonzalez also reaches for a moisturizer, but if she wants something a little glam while highlighting her tanned complexion, “you can definitely use like a lotion with a little bit of shimmer.” But she stresses that you should apply it only where the light hits: the collarbone, your shoulders, or one line across your arms. (“If you put it all around [your arms], nakakalaki yun ng [braso]!” adds Bianca.)
A little scrub helps
Besides reaching for your trusty lotion, you can start the moisturizing while in the shower, use a beauty bar with a moisturizing cream or as Bianca does it, a moisturizing body wash with her exfoliating loofah bath glove. Just make sure to exfoliate gently.
Ditching discoloration or dark scars
While Rissa is “more than happy to be brown,” morena skin easily discolors when irritated. “Simple mosquito bites end up looking like scars of dark dots on my skin—yes, even if I don’t scratch or touch them!” She admits that she too sometimes need help from lightening products. “To lighten them, I use Pond’s Flawless White. It's really meant for the face, but it has amazingly worked wonders to make stubborn discolorations quickly disappear!”
Also read: 4 ways to brighten up your skin instantly
Hit the beach
For Bianca, the toughest thing about having morena skin is “keeping the color pantay.”
“That’s my problem, if I don’t take care of it, I honestly have dark knees, dark siko... I like going to the beach more than anything, it’s also to make pantay my color.”
Don’t forget your sunscreen
Whether or not you’re hitting the beach like Bianca, make sure to apply sunscreen or use beauty products with SPF.
While morena beauties have more melanin compared to their fair sisters (hence, more natural protection against harmful UV rays) you’re still not completely protected. “Even if we’re lucky to have skin that doesn’t burn easily, always wear sun block,” says TV host Suzi Abrera. “Doing Gameplan for years without sunblock has aged my skin indeed!” If sunblock is too rich to use on a daily basis, use skincare or beauty products with SPF 15 at least.
Also read: How SPF really works
Choose makeup wisely
Do you have acidic skin? One way to know is if the makeup you apply on your skin darkens over time. Suzi, who admits she has acidic skin, suggests you go to your favorite makeup counters and get a consultation. “They will of course suggest many products, but just buy what you will use often: concealer, powder, blush, liquid makeup. Make sure to determine also if you are acidic or not because you will have to get a different shade of base if you are,” says the Mars talk show host.
Show off your color
With all the TLC you’re giving your morena skin, don’t forget to flaunt your beautiful dusky color with a few fashion do’s. For Rissa, the best way to show your morena color is to put on beautiful gold jewelry or pearls to adorn you. “Their warm hues wonderfully celebrate Filipina skin!” What to pick in your closet? Wear clothing with sharp and crisp colors like white and red, which will highlight your skin tone, and stay away from muted earth tones.
Finally, whatever your skin tone is, whether your morena or fair-skinned, take care of your skin and keep in mind what Suzi says: “Be happy! Wrinkles and laugh lines don't seem to matter too much when a person is enjoying life to the fullest.”
