What better way to care for black skin than naturally. Your skin is beautiful. One of the myths about your skin is that it’s not as delicate as Caucasian skin.
As an aesthetician I know that your beautiful black skin is not only delicate, but sensitive and needs greater care and attention. When your skin is healthy, it’s soft, smooth and glowing. If your skin isn’t displaying any of these characteristics, you need to double up on your skin care regimen.
These tips are specially created with your beautiful black skin in mind. These tips are easy to follow, practical and above all based on natural black skin care regimens that embrace your identity with nature. Read on.
Natural Black Skin Care Tips for Your Skin
Step 1: Cleanse – mild cleansers are ideal for healthy skin. This is because mild cleansers wash away dirt without stripping excess oil from your skin. Harsh cleansers are notorious for stripping your skin of its natural oil. This harshness makes your skin dry, rough and flaky. Natural cleansers made from organic materials are mild and rich in vitamins and nutrients that nourish your skin. Examples include: coconut oil, honey, lemon juice, yogurt and olive oil. Most of these organic materials have potent antimicrobial properties that kill bacteria and micro-organisms that cause skin problems.
Step 2: Tone – skin toning is a crucial part of a healthy skin regimen. Toners are very useful for oily and acne prone skin. They are also useful for extra cleansing after wearing heavy makeup. It is often said that Toners reduce the size of skin pores, balance pH of the skin and minimize skin break outs. There are different types of toners; hydrating toners, soothing toners, and astringent toners. You would want to steer clear from astringent toners which are notorious for drying the skin excessively.
Natural cleansers are the surest bet because they contain organic molecules that balances the skin pH, minimize skin pores without drying the skin excessively. Natural cleansers are usually made from organic materials like; rose water, green tea, apple cider, lemon juice, tomato juice and cucumber water.
Step 3: Exfoliate – Exfoliation is a crucial step to healthy black skin. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that are matted on the skin surface. These dead cells are formed when the skin is exposed to harsh conditions like excess heat, sun, chemicals and excessive wear and tear. When these dead cells build up on the skin surface, they make the skin dull and rough.
To get the best out of exfoliation, be sure to use natural mild exfoliants. A lot of you like citrus fruits. Citrus fruits contain AHA acids, which are potent exfoliants. Sugar is another natural exfoliant which contains glycolic acid. Another natural exfoliant are dairy products like milk and yoghurt which contains lactic acid.
It is advisable to exfoliate once a week, preferably at night just before going to bed. Night time exfoliations rid your skin of dead cells formed during the day. Exfoliating at night also gives your skin time to rest and renew itself.
Step 4 – Moisturize – moisturizers maintain the elasticity in your skin by sealing in the moisture on your skin surface. This sealing action of moisturizers prevent excessive drying and scaling of the outer layer of your skin. Moisturizers are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants that prevent the oxidation of free radicals that cause skin damage.
To get the best of this step, moisturize your skin as soon as you have your bath. Rub in your moisturizer in circular motions, until all the moisturizer is absorbed. Do not over moisturize because this can block skin pores and cause break outs.
Natural moisturizers are mostly water based, rich in vitamins and contain less chemicals that cause skin damage. A good example of a natural moisturizer is avocado. Avocado is rich in essential oils and vitamins which help to lubricate the outer dermis. Other natural moisturiz2ers include honey, shea butter, coconut oil and of course, sweet smelling cocoa butter.
Step 5 – Sunscreen – it is wrong to think black skin doesn’t need sun protection. It is also wrong to think black skin needs less sun protection than Caucasian skin. Excessive sun exposure causes a lot of damage to the skin structure and Intergrity. Wrinkles, sun burn, discoloration and skin cancer are major issues for black skin.
Sun protection is not just a regimen for summer care. People seem to think sunscreens are only used during the summer or when trying to get a tan. To maintain a healthy skin, never go out doors without adequate sun protection.
When buying sun screens, use products that protect your skin from both UVA and UVB sun rays. Also use products with strong sun protecting factor (SPF).
It is true that the effects of sun protection are not so obvious on black skin. Nevertheless, black skin is just as affected by sun rays as much as white skin. It is not advisable to wait till you see changes before you use sun protection. By then it may be too late.
Natural sun screens include Shea butter, raspberry seed oil, coconut oil and zinc oxide. However, you should know that natural sun screens are not readily recommended because they don’t provide adequate sun screen protection. On a brighter note, sunscreens containing natural products are readily available in stores.
Healthy Black Skin is a Product of Time, Attention and Care.
If you show your skin some love, it will reciprocate with a shiny, healthy glow. Remember to exfoliate once a day preferably at night. Don’t over moisturize, use mild cleansers and use astringent toners sparingly. Above all, never go outdoors without a sun screen!
You don’t have to break the bank to have a healthy skin. Consistently follow these five steps to natural black skin care and the difference will be clear. The end result speaks volumes.
That’s it for this week! As always …
Dedicated To Your Beauty,
Juliette Samuel
Aesthetician/Author/Publisher
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