Skin Care For Black Men

Every man can benefit from a personalized approach to skin care, and black men are no exception.

Here are three things you should know about skin care for black men:

Black skin is prone to many different skin conditions, including acne and shaving bumps.
Black men need to be very careful when choosing a scrub for their skin.
The best way to reduce acne-related brown spots is to prevent breakouts.

Regimen

Clean your face twice a day

Using a gentle facial cleanser for men twice a day will help remove dirt, oil and grime from your face without drying out your skin.

Exfoliate no more than twice a week

Exfoliation for black skin can be a tricky business.
On the one hand, using a facial scrub can help remove dead skin cells and oil that contribute to acne breakouts.

On the other hand, it’s essential that black men use a gentle facial scrub that won’t irritate their skin or cause embarrassing dark spots.

Look for a facial scrub with tiny particles that will remove buildup without damaging your skin, or better yet, an enzymatic or chemical exfoliation.

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid that helps to remove excess oil from the pores to prevent further breakouts.

Unlike other anti-acne ingredients, salicylic acid is gentle on the skin and does not cause discoloration.
Limit your exfoliation to no more than once or twice a week.

Use your hands to massage the product into your skin. Washcloths and scouring pads are too rough.

Moisturise and protect your skin

It is recommended to use a daily moisturiser with SPF in the morning. Or a moisturiser + a sun cream with a minimum SPF of 30.

Contrary to the popular belief that black men don’t need to use sunscreen, we all need SPF to protect our skin and help reduce the risk of skin cancer while keeping it healthy and hydrated.

For bedtime, no need for SPF.

Instead, it is recommended to use a moisturiser, which may be richer than the day cream.

You can also use a serum just before your cream to maximise the hydration you want.

Fighting ingrown hairs

Black men are particularly prone to shaving bumps due to the curly nature of their hair.

To reduce the incidence of ingrown hairs, it is recommended to shave in the direction of the hair.

Shaving against the grain can create jagged edges that are more likely to grow sideways or backwards.

Another shaving tip for black men is to prepare the skin before shaving.

Take a hot shower to soften the hair, cleanse your skin and apply shaving cream.

Don’t forget to follow with a soothing aftershave.