A beauty regime is essential for maintaining healthy, glowing, and vibrant skin. Everyone has different skin - it can be oily, dry, acne-prone or a combination of all of the above. These factors have to be considered when creating the perfect beauty regimen for you. Even skin tones and colour needs to be taken into consideration. So, if you have a dark skin, you will need a routine that helps your complexion look its best.
If you take your skin for granted, it can lose its natural glow and become susceptible to break outs. Dark skin has more melanin, which makes it more vulnerable to noticeable blemishes. That is why darker skin requires a custom beauty regimen to keep it smooth and healthy. Continue reading to find out how you can take care of your dark complexion.
How Should you Take Care of Dark Skin?
There are plenty of beauty products that come with specific ingredients to visibly refine darker skin. Let's take a look at what products and ingredients you need in your life to take care of your melanin-rich skin.
1. Moisturize Daily
Black skin tends to have more oil content, and this accounts for its smooth aesthetic. Nevertheless, moisturizing twice a day can prevent some of the ashiness your skin may experience from time to time. You should put on your daily moisturizer right after showering when your skin is feeling extra hydrated.
The best moisturizer for black skin should include a humectant like glycerin or aloe vera as one of its ingredients. Humectants are known to retain the natural moisture of your skin. You should also check whether the moisturizer is non-comedogenic, that is, it does not clog pores. Dark skin is acne-prone, so thick products that clog pores should be avoided.
2. Use A Gentle Cleanser
If your dark skin suffers from clogged or blocked pores, then start using a gentle cleanser. Facial cleansers with micellar water are most effective in removing impurities. The Micellar water also has tiny oil molecules to moisturize your dry skin so look out for products containing this wonder ingredient!
3. Buy Special Products for Hyperpigmentation
Dark spots are a common problem that every skin tone suffers from. However, these dark spots become darker and more noticeable on black skin. You can prevent this by using products that specialise in dealing with discolouration.
Hydroquinone and kojic acid are common ingredients in these specialized products. They stop the production of excess melanin from reducing dark spots without lightening your healthy pigmentation.
Although effective, these products should not be used for longer than three months continuously. Extended use of hydroquinone will start making your spots darker again. Instead of exploring specialised products yourself, it is better to go to a dermatologist. They will know what products have the best ingredients to help with your hyperpigmentation.
4. Treat Acne
Dark skin is prone to scarring and hyperpigmentation. Early treatment for acne and spots can stop the condition from getting worse. You can start by making simple changes to your current products. Products that are scented tend to irritate your skin and cause acne.
You should make sure that all your products are oil-free and are not perfumed. A good ingredient to look for in all anti-acne creams and oils is tea tree oil. It's believed to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that calm irritated skin.
5. Use Sunscreen Everyday
A common misconception is that black skin does not need sun protection. That is far from the truth. It is a well-known fact that going in the sun without sunscreen too often can lead to skin cancer, no matter the colour of your skin.
Additionally, black skin, when exposed to sun rays, can become uneven in complexion and start showing hyperpigmentation. Whether you are light-skinned or dark-skinned, sunscreen is a must. SPF 30+ gives the best protection. If regular sunscreen is too pasty for your skin, look for BB creams that are rated SPF 30+.
6. Anti-Ageing Serum
The anti-ageing process fast tracks when you are not following a proper beauty regimen. While dark skin tones already have oil content to prevent wrinkling, a little help never harmed anyone.
You can buy alcohol-free anti-ageing serums or toners to slow down the ageing process. In the ingredients list, look for retinol and vitamin C. Both ingredients are known to repair fine lines and wrinkles and protect your skin from free radicals.
Final Thoughts
An appropriate beauty regime benefits all skin types. People with darker skin tones are more sensitive to spots and acne as well as hyperpigmentation. So, it is even more important for people with a dark complexion to take good care of their skin.
To get ahead of these skin issues, you can begin by consulting a dermatologist.They will know what products will keep your melanin looking healthy and clear.
