As black women, we all go through the struggle of keeping our skin clear, nice, and hydrated. We all want to know how to stay toned, blemish free, and bright. Since middle school, I’ve had problematic skin until recently I found what works. Here are a few tips that I’ve used that will help.
Lather Up: Cleansing your skin with a facial wash and skin brush system twice a day is crucial to keeping your skin fresh and extracting all the dirt from the day and night. Try natural products like black soap or coconut oil soap. For me personally, I have acne prone skin, so I use Clean & Clear acne control daily cleanser. I started using this 2 years ago and I rarely have any breakouts. Always remember to tone your skin after a wash; my preference is Dickinson’s witch hazel.
Remove All Makeup: This may not be an easy tip, but this could be the difference between having pimples and smooth skin. Every night I go in with extra virgin olive oil and a warm washcloth. This is way better than using makeup wipes because it is all natural and gets the majority of my makeup off of my face.
Selective Drinks and Foods: My only beverages are waters, teas, and on occasion fruit juices. I am a pollo pesco vegetarian. This means, I only eat chicken and fish and I do not consume dairy products. No longer consuming dairy has changed my skin tremendously. There is no scientific fact that dairy contributes to acne, but it is proven that removing it from your body does help.
Clean Your Sheets: I wash my sheets once a week. Your pillowcases hold so much dirt that will get trapped in your skin while you are asleep. This fact alone is why it is important to remove all makeup before bed; you don’t want any unnecessary dirt being in your bed.
Sunscreen: There has always been a myth in the black community that our melanin is enough to protect us from the sun. I am living proof that sunscreen is important because I get sunburned like everyone else. Using sunscreen especially on your face prevents anti-aging.
Exfoliate Your Body: I use a back scrub and an exfoliating glove daily. This helps to get all of the dead skin and dirt off of my body which keeps my skin soft and radiant.
Stay Moisturized: Straight out of the shower I use shea butter and this keeps my skin moisturized and soft. On my face, after I wash I use Nadinola face cream to keep away dark marks and it also has moisturizer and sunscreen built into it.
Having a skin care routine is especially important in college. College is stressful enough. We don’t have the time to worry about dryness, wrinkles, and acne. Valuing your skin is a good attribute to have. College is the time for networking and creating contacts that can help you for the next years in your life, and having a good skin is just a way to boost confidence and charge college head-on.