In her new e-book, Black Pores and skin: The Definitive Skincare Information, one of many UK’s best-loved pores and skin consultants, aesthetician Dija Ayodele, takes a deep dive into the great world of Black pores and skin. Within the e-book, she explores its historical past – together with how racist structural inequalities affect Black girls’s expertise of magnificence – in addition to widespread pores and skin situations and construct an ultra-effective skincare regime.
“There was a glaring gap in the market for a book that spoke directly to Black women and the Black skincare community in general,” Ayodele tells me over the cellphone. “It’s an area I’ve worked in for a long time and I have seen my clients’ anxiety when asking me about products, treatments and procedures. They wonder, ‘Is this for me? Or for white women?’ They aren’t sure.”
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To deal with the imbalance in illustration, and make sure the world is aware of what it ought to about darker pores and skin tones, she wrote Black Pores and skin, an empowering and ultra-thorough one-stop-shop to immerse your self in. Under, she shares the 5 issues we should always all find out about Black pores and skin, however don’t.
Table of Contents
1. Black pores and skin doesn’t want aggressive therapy
“A lot of people think that Black skin is tough and resilient and that it can withstand aggressive treatments. But the very nature of having melanin cells, which are extremely active in the skin, means that discolouration can occur quickly. It is actually quite fragile, but a lot of people think the opposite. I would always advise seeing a professional to gauge what your skin concerns are – it’s not that you can’t use a plethora of products or try different treatments, but it does mean that your approach to it needs to be nuanced and tailored to your skin.”
2. It might profit from all elements
“There is no such thing as not being able to use certain ingredients or types of treatments – the whole skincare treatment menu is available to everyone. However, again, it’s about tailoring it to your skin concerns, as well as your skin type and colour. For example, when performing microneedling on a darker skin tone, I first use a shallow needle to see how the skin copes. Likewise, a lower percentage for chemical peels, too. Everything is for everyone: there is no such thing as ‘Black’ skincare. It’s just about tailoring what’s there to you.”
3. Black pores and skin is commonly drier than different pores and skin sorts
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“Black skin holds fewer ceramides in its upper layers. Ceramides are a bit like a waterproof jacket and they help keep the skin waterproof – if you don’t have enough of them, you’re going to be losing moisture, so Black skin tends to be clinically dry. It’s important for all skin types – but it’s more common in Black communities – to know that oil is not a moisturiser. If your skin is dry, you need water to hydrate – oils don’t feed the skin moisture. Hyaluronic acid is fantastic at hydrating the skin, but make sure to always apply a heavier weight moisturiser on top to seal the deal.”
4.Sure, you possibly can have laser therapies
“Back in the day – 20 years ago – lasers were not as sophisticated as they are now, so the risk of injury to Black skin was much higher. But now a Black woman can absolutely use lasers, just not all of them. For example, you wouldn’t use an ablative laser on Black skin because the risk of hyperpigmentation is quite high; instead, the Nd:YAG laser works well. You also need to ensure your practitioner is experienced and that they’ve worked with your skin type before you book in.”
5. The world of injectables is for you too
“One thing I always think Black women are missing out on is injectable treatments. Take lip filler – it is not just about creating bigger lips, for example, but rather about adding some extra hydration, getting rid of lines and repairing the lips. A lot of Black women feel they don’t have the permission to try these treatments. I tell a lot of my clients that there is no amount of lotions and potions that I can give them that will erase wrinkles completely – it needs to be put back in via a needle.”
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