Healthy, younger looking skin is what everyone dreams of and at its healthiest, black skin is nothing other than incredibly radiant. With a beautiful spectrum of hues and tones, it’s no wonder we have many phrases to describe our skin’s resilience and beauty. Ever heard of the phrase, “black don’t crack”?
Luminous, healthy skin is not hard to achieve. I’ve researched and practiced all the steps I’m about to share with you and I’m passionate about educating African-American women about ways to achieve natural beauty through health and wellness. So it’s my pleasure to offer five simple tips for healthy, beautiful black skin.
1. Hydrate and eat a healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet rich with fruits, vegetables and water (eight glasses of water per day) will help you achieve a more youthful appearance. This is because hydrating and eating well helps to keep your skin moist, refreshed and supple- which will help the skin fight off wrinkles and blemishes.
2. Exfoliate. Exfoliating is another important step for achieving radiant skin. Exfoliating helps to safely slough off the top layer of dull, dead skin cells. And this removal helps give your skin a more even complexion by removing the layer of skin that has been affected by sun damage, acne scarring, and hyper-pigmentation (or lighter and darker blotches). When exfoliating, gently use an alpha-hydroxy and/or beta-hydroxy exfoliating scrub. I like Neutrogena’s Pore Refining Cleanser and Oil of Olay’s Age Defying Daily Renewal Cleanser.
3. Moisturize. One of the most important elements that black skin needs to look its most radiant, is moisturizer. Moisturizer helps skin maintain a supple, plump appearance. Make sure you moisturize right after you wash your face and use a moisturizer that won’t clog your pores (non-comedogenic). There are several excellent brands, but I like Oil of Olay products for black skin, particularly their Complete All Day UV Moisturizer with SPF.
4. Use sunscreen. Sayings like “black don’t crack” can give African American women a false sense of security–before they see that first premature wrinkle. And one of the biggest culprits behind premature wrinkling is not protecting your skin from sun damage. Sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and even more serious problems, like skin cancer. The most effective way to prevent sun damage is daily sunscreen lotion with SPF 30+. You can also use moisturizers and makeup foundation with SPF 30+ sunscreen already added.
5. Wash your face before bed. It’s tempting to want to go to bed all done up and looking your best. But going to bed with your makeup on is never a good idea. So wash your face thoroughly before bed so you clean away bacteria, dirt and makeup that can wreak havoc on your skin while you sleep.
