Skincare should be an important part of your beauty routine. From anti-aging methods to acne treatments, it’s worth using various techniques to look after your skin. Before you can do this, though, you need to take your skin type into account — and your complexion in particular has a huge impact on your most viable skincare options.
Keep in mind that a lot of skincare advice is geared towards people with lighter skin, so simply following generic tactics you find online might not prove effective if you have darker skin. Having a tailored routine will help you look after darker skin and get better results. To that end, here are 5 top skincare tips for people with darker skin tones:
Use targeted sunscreen
It’s a common misconception that people with darker skin don’t need to wear sunscreen. Anyone, regardless of skin tone, can experience sun damage or serious UV-related conditions such as skin cancer, so suncream remains an essential skin product.
However, some varieties of sunscreen can leave people with darker skin tones looking a little ghostly. Because sunscreen doesn’t fully soak in, needing to form a barrier, it needs to match the skin somewhat to avoid discoloration. Due to this, finding sunscreen that’s designed for darker skin will allow you to stay protected without tonal inconsistency.
Treat acne early to avoid hyperpigmentation
Though acne can vary in severity (you may experience anything from a few aggressive spots to angry flare ups), any bout of acne can produce dark spots and further pigmentation in darker skin. This is particularly likely if you pick at the affected area. Accordingly, if you can apply effective treatment early on, you can avoid the worst outcomes.
Using a treatment such as duac gel can provide significant improvement in skin inflammation and spots as it uses antibacterial ingredients to unlock pores, thus reducing the symptoms of acne and the chances of affected skin becoming further pigmented. If you ever think you might be suffering an acne outbreak, take action immediately.
Pick a good moisturizer to stay hydrated
When darker skin isn’t moisturised properly it can look dull and ashy. Why? Although all skin has pretty much the same makeup, one difference is that darker skin is more susceptible to moisture loss as it has the highest sebum content but the lowest ceramide level. In other words, water loss is higher.
Choosing a good moisturiser for your face and body will help lock in hydration, especially during the winter. Skin oil is also a good alternative. Not only will it nourish your skin, but it’ll also provide a healthy glow!
Be mindful of keloid scars
Did you know that keloid scars are more common in people with darker skin? They can occur due to acne, cuts, piercings, and other sources of skin damage. Now, while you can’t prevent keloid scars completely, you can minimise the chances of them occurring.
As mentioned, treating acne properly is a good way of avoiding scarring, but you should also follow proper wound care and protect wounds from sun exposure. And if you’ve previously experienced keloid scars, keep a close eye on any new wounds.
Do your research if you’re considering laser hair removal
Laser hair removal is a popular option for minimising hair growth. However, it’s not always a suitable option for people with darker skin. Lasers target the pigment in the hair, meaning that people with lighter skin but darker hair are ideal candidates as the laser can clearly distinguish between the two.
Since some laser options aren’t sophisticated enough to suitably distinguish between the pigment in brown or black skin and dark hair, they can result in dark and light spots. If you want to have your hairs removed, do your research and find a practitioner with experience treating dark skin. Alternatively, seek other treatment options.
Looking after darker skin is ultimately simple. It’s just a matter of doing some basic research to find out what works for your particular skin type. Do that, and you can build a skincare routine that works excellently for you.
