Get a girl who can do both. Content creator Aamirah Essof, better known by her digital alias @abrowngirlrecommends, is not only a relatable beauty fanatic but also a burgeoning self-taught nail artist.
Championing products that cater to deeper skin tones is her main area of expertise, but her ultra-watchable videos are a welcome contribution to the beauty influencer landscape in that they are playful and utterly unpretentious.
The Beauty Breakdown with… Aamirah Essof
Her Beauty Philosophy
Bright and sparky, Aamirah's on-screen presence reflects the fact that she holds both creativity and self-expression dear. Coquettish pearls and bows feature heavily on her nails, and she's partial to a slick of gloss – a girl after our own heart.
Skincare-wise, hydration is paramount, especially during the colder months. She favours humectant-packed formulas such as Laneige's Cream Skin Toner and Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Water Cream to ensure dewiness and comfort.
"I'm all about glowing skin and enhancing my features."
"Hydration is my number one priority in winter, so my morning skincare focuses on replenishing the water lost during the night. I start off with Kate Sommerville's Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser which cleanses without drying out the skin."
"My next essential step is toner. Layering toners is the best way to get juicy, plump skin, I love Laneige's Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner & Moisturiser which is a two-in-one toner and moisturiser hybrid. I always finish with a hydrating SPF50, La Roche-Posay's Anthelios Hydrating Cream SPF 50+ is my holy grail!"
"For daily makeup, I'm all about glowing skin and enhancing my features. For my current winter base, Nars' Radiance Primer beautifully adds luminosity, especially when paired with Rose Inc's Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum."
"For concealer, I'm loving the new Fenty Beauty We're Even Hydrating Longwear Concealer, I go for a brightening shade under the eyes and always set it with Huda Beauty's Easy Bake Powder in the shade 'Blondie'."
"I have prominent dark circles, so I love hydrating, full-coverage concealers: Huda Beauty's Faux Filter, Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow and Hourglass' Vanish Airbrush are a few of my other favourites. For a seamless finish, use a brush and buff the edges with a beauty blender. A flat foundation brush is great for distributing foundation evenly and gives a flawless base."
"I use a single-blade razor to shape the outer area of the brow and tweeze any stray hairs below the arch, I like to keep the brows looking natural and not too defined, using Benefit's 24-Hour Brow Setter and Anastasia Beverly Hills' Brow Wiz in 'Ash Brown'."
"I like to keep the rest simple, with Makeup By Mario's Soft Pop Blush in 'Earthy Pink', Fenty Beauty's Hella Thicc Volumising Mascara and finishing it off with Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray."
"My favourite trick is to add a pop of colour in the inner corner of the eye, it really gets all the compliments."
"My approach is extra clean skin, I always double cleanse, in fact triple! I go in first with micellar water, then an oil-based cleanser and finish off with a gel-based cleanser. I use retinol three times a week and exfoliating acids twice a week."
A few of Aamirah's current evening skincare favourites...
- Kate Sommerville's Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser
- La Roche-Posay's Foaming Cleanser
- Laneige's Cream Skin Toner
- Tatcha's The Dewy Serum
- Caudalie's Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
- Garnier's Vitamin C* Brightening Eye Cream
- Murad's Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel
- CeraVe's Advanced Repair Ointment
- Fenty Skin's Cherry Treat Lip Conditioning Oil
"I love changing my makeup according to my mood and the main way I do this is through eyeshadow. If I have a fun event I always go bright on the eyes, using shimmers and holographic finishes."
"My favourite trick is to add a pop of colour in the inner corner of the eye, it really gets all the compliments. My favourite eyeshadow palettes are Pat McGrath's Celestial Divinity and any Huda Beauty palette."
"It really depends on what I want to be the centre of attention, if my outfit is the moment I'll go for a nude lip with a brown liner. However, if my outfit is quite simple or neutral, I'll go with a bold lip, either a dark, bright matte or shiny vinyl red."
Quick-Fire Beauty Questions…
What is the most common makeup mistake you see and how can it be avoided?
"Using too much product - you don't need as much as you think, it leads to cakey makeup that is ruined within a few hours. It's always better to work with a little product, blend it in first and then go from there."
Are there any beauty hacks or time-saving tips you can share for busy mornings?
"If you can't do a full makeup routine, just conceal any blemishes or spots, brighten the under eyes, use a tinted brow gel for quick tidy brows, a sweep of blush, mascara, plumping lip gloss and setting spray to melt it altogether. This will literally take five minutes and I've done it so many times."
Which multitasking makeup products do you find particularly useful?
"Chanel's Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick is amazing to use as a highlighter and eyeshadow, it adds a gorgeous shine to the skin and really makes you look healthy. The Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Lip Stain Masque is also great to use as a blush, it leaves a gorgeous tint to the cheeks and only takes a few minutes."
How do you adjust your makeup routine for different seasons or weather conditions?
"In the colder months, I use heavier foundations and creamy products because you need the extra glow and hydration. For the warmer months, I focus on light skin tints, powder blushes and lots and lots of bright eyeshadow!"
Are there any upcoming beauty products or trends that you're excited to try in your makeup routine?
"I'm really excited for creative makeup to make a comeback this year after the 'clean girl' aesthetic took over. I've really missed self-expression through makeup and I think the beauty world is going to have a huge revival!"