No matter what we do, it seems that some of us just can’t get our skin to behave, especially after having to wear a mask for a year! Is it just me, or is wearing a mask making everyone break out more? My chin has never looked worse!
It seems that our skin issues never go away, but it’s not impossible to have healthy, glowing skin! Here are some tips to help you achieve the glowy skin of your dreams!
Remember to always speak to a dermatologist or a professional for your skincare issues. This article is meant to be a guide and is not meant to replace the advice of a licensed professional.
The products in this article are simply recommendations and you do not have to go out and buy them but you can always start your journey here! Do your own independent research to find what your skin needs.
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1. Oil cleanse before washing
Before you look at this like, “are you crazy?” there is a reason this works. Oil attracts oil, so the oil you apply will bring out the oil in your skin.
It also helps remove makeup and dirt. When you finish oil cleansing, your regular cleanser will come next. Here is a great video on oil cleansing to help you better understand: ESTHETICIAN APPROVED: OIL CLEANSING GUIDE FOR ALL SKIN TYPES | ACNE, OILY, DRY, COMBO
Here are some oils that are great for oil cleansing:
Tip: If you’re not comfortable with oil cleansing, double cleansing with another facial wash is a great way to make sure your skin gets really clean. You can use a cleansing face wash then follow up with a moisturizing one to make sure your skin doesn’t dry out.
2. Use a sulfate-free & hydrating cleanser for dry skin
Dry skin needs constant hydration for it to remain healthy. Here are some effective hydrating cleansers:
- Paula’s Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-to-Cream Cleanser
- Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser (for normal to dry skin)
- Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser (for sensitive skin)
- Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser
3. Wash your face for 60 seconds
60 seconds is the most ideal amount of time to wash your face to ensure it is properly cleansed.
No more, no less! Too much can cause irritation and dryness, and too little will cause your face to still feel unclean.
This video explains & demonstrates the 60-second method.
4. Cleanse with your fingertips and let your face air dry
Cleansing with your fingertips is a lot gentler for your skin than brushes. Some brushes can cause micro tears in the skin and irritate it further.
If you have long nails and don’t feel comfortable with using your finger tips, you can use a gentle facial cleansing brush such as one of these.
For more options of gentle facial cleansers to use, you can try one of these cleansers that are formulated for all skin types.
- Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
- The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser
- Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser
- Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser
Tip: Letting your face air dry instead of drying with a towel is great for a number of reasons. One of them being that some products work and absorb better when the skin is still damp.
Another reason is that bacteria can transfer from your towels to your face and that would defeat the purpose of washing it in the first place. So let your face dry naturally!
5. Always wear SPF
SPF protects your skin from damaging UVA and UVB rays that can speed up aging. Wearing it every day, yes, even on rainy days, helps keep your skin youthful and glowing.
SPF also should be applied regularly during the day for maximum safety from harmful rays. I don’t know who started the rumor that black people don’t need SPF or that we don’t get sunburns or cancer, but they lied.
We can get sunburnt or skin cancer so it’s still important for us to protect our skin with a good, powerful SPF. Here are some of the best SPFs for black women:
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Mist SPF 55
- Black Girl Sunscreen Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30
- Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen
- Supergoop Mineral Sheerscreen SPF 30
- Paula’s Choice RESIST Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50
These SPFs are great because they don’t leave a white film on our face that makes us look ashy! There are even some that are spray on for those of us who wear makeup and are worried about reapplying.
Depending on your preference, you can find sheer, matte, or even tinted SPFs! There are so many options so there is no excuse for not having SPF in your skincare routine.
The best SPFs are probably found outside of the drugstore but, yes, we can use those ones as well. Any SPF is better than no SPF.
6. Don’t use super hot water to wash your face or body
Hot water can be very drying and can even increase the amount of oil your skin produces, causing more breakouts.
It’s best to wash with lukewarm or cold water, which means wash your face after you get out of the shower (or take a really cold shower!).
I know it’s much easier and faster to wash your face in the shower, but your skin will thank you for doing it this way.
It may be hard to do this during those cold winter months, but using lukewarm to wash your face and body, then turning the water up to a warmer temperature to rinse off your body should give you the warmth you need and also not dry out our skin.
7. Minimize touching your face
Unless you are washing your face or doing any part of your skin-care routine, keep your hands away from your face! Constant touching and picking can cause acne scars and uneven skin tone.
Some spots can even be permanent or only removable from a professional, which can cost a lot of money. You can transfer a lot of dirt, germs, and oils from your fingers to your face and no one wants that!
Just think of all the places your hands have been and have touched before you put them on your face. If that’s not enough to deter you, I don’t know what will!
8. Use shea butter for dry skin
Shea butter is great for the body, not recommended for the face due to its thickness. Whipped body butter that comes with shea butter is super moisturizing and leaves the skin smooth for hours. Use fragrance-free or light fragrance butter for sensitive skin.
9. Exfoliate your skin
Exfoliating gets rid of the dead skin cells and leaves your skin feeling smooth, soft, and supple. Here are some of the best exfoliants for our skin:
- Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
- Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
- Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2%
Exfoliating is a step that’s best done as part of your night time routine so that the skin does not become too sensitive to the sun or other products.
10. Use oil-free products if you have oily skin
Too much oil on your skin can wreak havoc can cause more breakouts. If you have oily skin, try looking for oil-free products. Here are some great ones to try:
- Farmacy Whipped Greens: oil-free foaming cleanser with moringa and papaya
- Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser
- Paula’s Choice CLEAR Oil-Free moisturizer
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
11. Drink lots of water and herbal tea
If no one has told you, water is always the best thing for your skin. Hydrating from the inside will ensure that your skin on the outside stays hydrated and healthy.
12. Moisturize daily
Moisturizing is vital for keeping your skin hydrated and healthy
- Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer
- Seoul Ceuticals Multi-Function Anti-Aging Snail Repair Cream
- Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue
- Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion
- Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
13. Use a toner to help with hyperpigmentation
Dark skin suffers a lot from hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. Toner is a great product to use for helping to even out the skin tone for gorgeous, glowy skin. Here are some of the best toners:
- Laneige Essential Power Skin Toner for Normal to Dry Skin
- Fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner
- OleHenrikson Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
- BELIF Aqua Bomb Hydrating Toner
14. Use moisturizing face masks
A face mask is not needed daily, but it is a great thing to have for your self-care Sundays. Here are some of the best moisturizing facial masks:
- Youth to the People Mini Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask
- Gleamin Vitamin C Clay Mask
- Paula’s Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask
- The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Mask
15. Follow the advice from Black estheticians and dermatologists & support black skincare companies
Black women skincare gurus are sharing advice all over Twitter! Make sure to follow them, so you don’t miss out
- caveofbeauty
- LABeautyologist
- MakeupforWOC
- skinclasshero
- skintarot
- delishcondish
- Fenty Skin
- Black Girl Sunscreen
- CruzanChoklate
- dermbeautydoc
Please always do what’s best for your skin. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and don’t be afraid to ask questions! There is so much out there that is going to benefit our skin and increase our natural glow.