It’s Never Too Late To Learn The Basics of Great Black Skin Care

This was a week of calls from my 40 + dark skin beauties. Most of whom thought they never needed any type of skin care regimen because their skin was dark. Call after call we talked about learning the basics to having beautiful black skin.

If you know anything, you know when your skin feels out of the ordinary. But how do you tackle a black skin challenge if you don’t know a few of the basics. You certainly can’t set goals for your skin or put a good skin care regimen in place for your beautiful black skin until you know the basics.

You read that right. Yes you might want to have goals in mind for your skin. Why? Because goals in general, give you a course of action and the same rule applies to your skin.

Your skin care goals can be general, as in a basic black skin care regimen to maintain your youthful glow. Or, it can be more specific as in treating acne or oily conditions in your skin. The care of your skin would also be determined by your type of skin.

One of your first goals might be as simple as knowing what type of skin you have so that you can give it proper care and treatment with the right products.

Caring for African American Skin Types

Knowing your skin type will assist you in setting goals for your skin. Typically this falls under four categories.

• Normal, which is smooth and supple with a balanced pH. For the most part normal skin has little to no breakouts, dark spots, dryness or oiliness.

• Combination skin is typically oily in what is known as your T-zone. Your T-zone is found across your forehead and down the bridge of your nose into your chin. And the rest of your face can be dry especially on your cheeks.

• Dry skin is thin with dry patches and for some a dull, ashy, gray look.

• Oily skin is shiny more often than not and congested with blackheads. Your type of skin can also be challenged by conditions of your skin.

Black Skin Conditions

There is also what are known as conditions of your skin.

• Acne is a condition of oily skin. It is often the result of over production of oils in your skin and can also attributed to hormonal changes.

• Mature skin is the condition your skin takes on as it ages. Mature skin can also become challenged with dry skin. As you mature your skin looses a lot of its natural oil and thus takes on a more dry state.

• Sensitive Skin – For some of you if the wind blows in the wrong direction, it shows up on your skin. Dark skin is not often thought of as Sensitive skin, yet skin of color is the most sensitive skin on the planet. Most equate sensitive skin with being pale in appearance with red and blotchy areas.

While this is a true statement, melanated skin is even more sensitive. A scrap, cut or bruise can cause skin discoloration and uneven skin tones. If this happens, it can take months, years for some to clear up the discoloration.

And while most of you feel that you can go into the Sun’s rays and not be affected, this is not true. If you are of the darker skin tones, too much sun will cause skin challenges that may not be seen on your skin for months.

Can darker skin burn from the Sun’s rays? Yes my Dark Skin Beauties, your skin can burn from the Sun’s rays.

What’s the take away in this article?

We began with talk of setting goals for your skin and having a skin care regimen. So, goal number one would be to know your skin type and condition of your skin.

This knowledge will allow you to treat your skin with the right products and ingredients from the beginning. Not knowing your skin type and condition will cause you to use the wrong products causing you an even greater challenge for your skin.

To learn more about a good skin care regimen for black skin, check out this article. If you like what you’ve read, share it with a friend.  They’ll thank you for it.

That’s it for this week. As always …

Dedicated to Your Beauty

Juliette Samuel
Esthetician/Author/Aromatherapist/Publisher
Nyraju Skin Care