YOUR SKINCARE JOURNEY STARTS HERE

The skin is our largest organ - Body and face care are key to our overall health and wellbeing. Learning about the different skin types and factors that influence it helps to know what products to use in maintaining the health and radiance of your skin.

 

Breaking the Myth on Skin Color Versus Skin Type

The most important factor to consider when choosing skin care products is your skin type rather than skin color. Not only is it the first step in building your routine, but it is also the foundation on which all your products and regimens rest. It also helps you understand your skin’s patterns and changes so that you can best take care of it and select products which will be most effective for you. It is not that darker skin tones do not have some physiological differences from lighter skin tones; it is just that those differences do not determine products you should be using except if you are looking to change your complexion or combat a particular skin concern.

 

 

Think of it like your diet, we all need the same nutritious foods that supply antioxidants, vitamins, and omega fatty acids to be healthy irrespective of our skin color. The same concept applies to skin, which is why everyone’s skin needs the same helpful ingredients to address issues like dry skin, clogged pores, signs of aging, sun damage, uneven skin tone, oily skin, sensitive skin, and so on because skin type is determined by genetics. All skin problems affect every race in the same way with only minor variations, but those variations do not affect how you take care of your skin. What affects your skin is using the wrong product for your skin type or using products with ingredients that will exacerbate any skin problem you have or can trigger bad skin reactions. Everyone needs to have healthy, beautiful skin regardless of their skin color.

 

Evaluating Your Skin Concerns

Apart from knowing your skin type, another factor to consider when shopping for skincare products is your skin condition. Unlike skin type, skin conditions can change during the course of your life. The condition of your skin can vary according to internal and external factors which it is subjected to such as climate, pollution, medication, stress, hormones, hereditary factors as well as the skincare product choices you make. That is why it is important to select skincare products that match your skin type and skin condition. Dermatologists and skin experts can determine your skin type by measuring and analyzing the following factors:

  • Signs of aging
  • Change in color
  • Skin sensitivity
  • Sweat and sebum production
  • Natural moisturizing factors

 Unique Characteristics of African Skin 

Having darker skin color does have an advantage over lighter skin tones because darker skin color does offer some amount of protection from sun damage. Essentially, the darker your skin tone, the more natural defense your skin has against the sun. However, this does not mean darker skin tones are not at risk in the long term for the same problems unprotected sun exposure causes those with lighter skin tones. Sun damage can be cumulatively destructive for everyone—the difference being how soon it shows up in the mirror.

Although basic skincare needs are the same for everyone, there are some concerns that African skin tones are more likely to experience which may require special attention, but none of that changes the universal daily skincare need everyone has. 

  • Skin thickness
  • Level of ceramides
  • Ingrown hairs
  • Uneven skin tone
  • Hyperpigmentation
  • Reaction to acne

Take our SKIN QUIZ to confirm your skin type and begin building your new skincare regimen today.