Developing a good skincare regimen is one of the most important things a woman can do to maintain her natural beauty as she gets get older. Unfortunately, most of the information widely available is created for women with lighter skin tones. Melanin-rich skin requires special care to stay looking silky-smooth, even as we age.
Skincare Challenges Faced by Black Women
People with darker skin may need to take special care to avoid issues such as:
Acne, pimples, whiteheads and blackheads associated with oily skin
Patches of discoloration and hyperpigmentation caused by skin inflammation
Dermatitis (both contact dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis) due to sensitive skin
Skincare products are often designed for people with lighter skin tones. Acne products, for example, work well on light skin but can be too drying for those with sensitive melanin-rich skin. Recent advances for consumers include the emergence of clean beauty as a healthy alternative for skincare. However, in the last few years, the clean beauty movement has not emphasized the needs of darker-skinned women, and a variety of black skincare brands have appeared on the market to fill that gap.
Daily Skincare Routines for Dark Skin
For the most part, skin care for women of color remains the same as skincare for those with lighter tones. The basic idea of cleansing and moisturizing daily, staying hydrated, and using sunscreen applies to all women. But there are several specific approaches to skincare women can take to make sure their melanin-rich skin is healthy.
It's a good idea for black women to look for cleansers and moisturizers that are gentle and pH balanced for optimal skin health. Black-owned skincare brands such as AbsoluteJOI are designed specifically for melanin-rich skin and offer gentle but effective products. Ideally, cleansers should be non-comedogenic, paraben and sulfate-free, and contains ingredients to soothe and hydrate to cleanse darker skin without clogging pores or causing irritation.
Mainstream beauty products often contain harsh soaps that strip the skin of its natural oils and destroy the pH balance of the acid mantle – the natural phospholipid barrier that protects the skin. Using natural, plant-based cleansers and serums and moisturizing with oils that mimic the oils already present on your skin can help maintain a youthful blemish-free appearance.
Everyone's skin is different, and someone with an eczema-prone complexion may need different products than someone who has skin that tends to be oily. When you're first exploring skincare, it's wise to get back to basics. Stop using harsh soaps and heavily-scented products and choose a simple cleanser, moisturizer/night cream and sunscreen.
Yes, you must use sunscreen. It is a myth that people with dark skin do not need to use sunscreen. Melanin is the body's natural protection against the damaging effects of the sun, but it is not a total defense. Sun exposure can cause dark spots, sun damage and hyperpigmentation to appear on people with darker skin and it can make any existing dark spots from conditions like melasma appear darker.
