The inclusion and consideration of brown skin tones across the beauty industry is a delayed but welcome change. The simple truth is that those with significant amounts of melanin in their skin face a very specific set of challenges while attempting to maintain an even-toned, blemish-free, brightened complexion. All-too-common roadblocks, including hyperpigmentation, cystic acne, or dry skin ailments such as eczema or psoriasis, mean we often have to create routines that may or may not set us up for success.
And we’re spending unnecessary amounts of money in the process of this trial and error to figure it all out. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for the skin-care issues facing all black women. However, there is a core set of guidelines that may make the journey a little easier. Ahead, three experts share the game-changing advice that promises to make a notable difference.
Vitamin C Is Key
When your body needs a boost of gentle but effective energy in the morning, nothing satisfies quite like a glass of good old-fashioned orange juice. Vitamin C can have similar effects on your skin. According to Rachel Roff, medical aesthetician and founder of both Urban Skin Rx and Urban Skin Solutions, “topical vitamin C/ ascorbic acid regulates your melanin, meaning that if you get sun exposure or an injury to your skin, it is less likely to overproduce melanin as a response. Overproduction often leads to dark spots or hyperpigmentation.
Application Matters
How you apply your products is just as important as the products themselves. After all, if they aren’t distributed correctly, they can’t properly function and deliver the results you seek. To ensure that this happens every time, Roff recommends dispensing all of your skin-care products to the back of your hand and then smoothing onto the skin with your fingertips.
“Dispensing to the palm of your hand and then rubbing it on with your full hand wastes product because your palms are so dry and tend to quickly absorb product,” she says.
May 2018 - 42 - ISSUE