Advice From Nobody

You are here: Home / Archives for BEAUTY / Skin

The 7 Best Sunscreens For Black Women

Filed Under: Body, Healthy Living, Skin //

sunscreens for black women

Thanks to the abundant presence of melanin in black skin, people with darker skin have some protection against sun rays, which can be harmful to the skin.

However, even darker skin needs protection from the sun.

Despite having a form of protection due to melanin, dark skin tones still require defense against the UVA and UVB rays of our sun. Sunscreen does a great job at this, but not just any sunscreen will do, for darker skin, you need a much stronger formula.

To adequately cater to your darker skin, sunscreen must be applied daily and liberally.

I’ve rounded up some of the best sunscreens that could work best for you and that you can incorporate into your daily skincare routine.

Best Sunscreens For Dark Skin Tones

1. Black Girl Sunscreen

$18 ON AMAZON

This product is specially designed for black skin. If you’re Black and have struggled with finding sunscreen to properly protect and care for your skin, this Black women-owned sunscreen could be the right choice for you.

This product is especially great if you’re looking for a moisturizing SPF.

It has a lightweight application, cruelty-free ingredients, a pleasant smell, and leaves no white cast after application.

2. Elta MD UV Pure Broad-Spectrum SPF 46

$39 ON AMAZON

The gentle formula has a broad-spectrum SPF 46, as well as niacinamide and lactic acid, to clear pores and reduce shine, which makes it a great choice for acne-prone skin, it contains ingredients like niacinamide and lactic acid to control oil.

This sheer facial sunscreen offers broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection without leaving a white cast.

It also contains niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, ingredients that help calm and protect sensitive skin.

It’s also lightweight and oil-free.

3. CeraVe Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 

$14 ON AMAZON

This sunscreen is formulated with three essential ceramides to help maintain the skin’s natural barrier while also protecting it.

It also contains hyaluronic acid to help hydrate skin.

4. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen, SPF 55

$8 ON AMAZON

This sunscreen goes on clear and non-greasy, so it won’t leave any white cast.

It’s a lightweight lotion that’s water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, so it’s great if you’re going swimming and is specifically formulated to keep skin hydrated and soft.

It’s also fragrance-free and oil-free, so it’s perfect for black women with sensitive skin.

5. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer, SPF 15

$16 ON AMAZON

This daily moisturizer not only provides UVA and UVB protection, but it also contains soy complex to even out skin tone and texture and is also highly hydrating.

It’s hypoallergenic and oil-free, making it a great choice for anyone with sensitive skin.

6. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen, SPF 60

$20 ON AMAZON

This sunscreen is non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog pores.

It also contains silica, which helps absorb oils and gives skin a matte finish. It offers powerful UVA and UVB protection and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, so is great to take on vacation.

7. SUN & SHINE MINERAL SUNSCREEN LOTION: SPF50

$18 ON AMAZON

This is a fantastic product that provides SPF50 broad spectrum UVA UVB protection for the face and neck.

This sunscreen lotion is enriched with zinc oxide and is suitable for sensitive skin.

It is a great product to have in your skincare collection to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun and prevent sunburn.

Sunscreen is an essential part of any skincare routine, no matter the time of year or your skin color.

With the right knowledge of ingredients and an understanding of your skin type and needs, you can choose the best sunscreens for your needs and ensure your skin is properly cared for.

Remember to apply sunscreen regularly, even on cloudy days, and to reapply often when engaging in outdoor activities or swimming. Sunscreen is your best defense against sun damage and skin cancer, so make sure you use one that works for you!

[jetpack-related-posts]

The Best Skincare Secrets For Healthy, Glowing Skin

Filed Under: Skin //

retinol

We all want glossy clear skin.

But, realistically we all have our own skincare concerns, dry flaky skin, oily acne-prone skin, fine lines, or acne scars, and no matter what skincare routine we try, we just can’t seem to shake.

These general skin care tips from dermatologists can benefit just about everyone.

1. Protect Your Skin From The Sun

If you do one thing for your skin, it should be sun protection.

Overexposure to the sun can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems-not to mention the increased risk of skin cancer.

So protect your skin from UV damage:

–Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 20. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two or so hours, or more often if you’re out swimming or sweating a lot.

–Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Or at the very least, wear a hat.

2. Be Gentle To Your Skin

Some daily skincare routines can do more harm than they do good. So always remember to keep it gentle:

–Limit The Cleansing: Our skin produces antibacterial oils that moisturize and protect our skin, over cleansing our face can strip our face from these oils. So be mindful of this.

–Avoid Strong Soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.

-Don’t Over Dermaplane: Dermaplanning can be very beneficial, but don’t overdo it. Make sure to use an oil to lubricate your skin. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.

–Moisturize: If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.

-Don’t Overexfoliate: Exfoliation helps clear off dead skin cells, but over-exfoliation can cause your skin to react with excess oil production or breakouts.

3. Eat A Healthy Diet

A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best.

Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

There is no confirmed relation between acne and a bad diet – but some research suggests that a diet rich in fish oil or fish oil supplements and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger-looking skin.

4. Drink Plenty Of Water

Hydration is a must for healthy, glowing skin. Dehydrated skin can feel dry, itchy, and dull.

Drink a lot of liquids throughout the day, to keep your hydration levels high.

5. Invest In Supplements

I love supplements, especially for my hair and skin.

Studies show that supplements like collagen, vitamin C, and multivitamins may help improve certain aspects of skin appearance like hydration and wrinkles, while probiotics and omega-3s could be helpful for people with skin conditions such as acne.

6. Keep Your Pillowcase Clean

Your pillowcase has a build-up of oils, dirt, and sweat from daily use.

This means they can harbor bacteria and cause acne breakouts. In some cases, pillowcases can even damage your hair or skin. I suggest having a silk pillowcase that is more gentle on your skin and keep that clean.

7. Choose Skincare Products Formulated For Your Skin

Understanding your skin type will help you learn how to take care of your skin and select skin care products that have the right ingredients for you.

Some skincare products might do more harm than good for you so be careful when picking your products.

8. Keep Your Hands Off Your Face

Whenever you touch your face, you transfer dirt, germs, and oil from your hands to your face.

Do your best to leave your skin alone throughout the day. Avoid picking, popping, or squeezing pimples, as this can just make them worse over time.

And if you find it hard to keep your hands off your face, keep your hands clean to at least minimize the germs and dirt that transfer to your hands.

Keep these 8 tips and tricks in your back pocket to allow you to have healthy glowing skin.

[jetpack-related-posts]

12 Best Skincare Ingredients That Will Give You Amazing Skin

Filed Under: Skin //

Whether you’re just starting a skincare routine or are looking to add new products to your roster. You can easily find yourself overwhelmed by the number of skin care products available to you.

There are so many tips and skincare secrets out there that it can be very difficult to know where to begin.

Knowing what specific ingredients to look for can make it a lot easier and help you through making your decisions.

1. Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is effective because it holds its weight a thousand times in water and is always a great addition to any skincare routine. This helps retain moisture in the skin and prevents the moisture from evaporating into the air.

It’s a great moisturizing agent for all skin types. A good hyaluronic acid serum is great for any skincare routine, especially in the drier months.

2. Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs)

Products that include AHAs(glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids) have become very popular in the skincare industry over recent years.

Although primarily used for exfoliation, the great benefits of AHAs are, promoting collagen and blood flow, correcting discoloration and age spots, preventing acne breakouts, brightening your complexion, and increasing product absorption.

Creams, lotions, and serums with Alpha-hydroxy acids can help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and irregular pigmentation and have also been known to reduce enlarged pores.

3. Ceramides

Ceramides are long-chain lipids and are essentially the glue that holds our skin cells together to keep our skin barrier intact and healthy. A healthy skin barrier helps seal in moisture and seal out harmful elements.

Although the body produces ceramides, levels in the skin decline with age.

Ceramides have multiple benefits for skin health, they; maintain the skin barrier, boost hydration, rejuvenate aging skin, and prevent UV skin damage.

This CeraVe cleanser contains three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid. It cleanses, hydrates, and helps restore the protective skin barrier. It’s always been a favorite of mine when doing my daily skincare. 

4. Retinol

Retinol is a powerful antioxidant derived from Vitamin A and can be found in many anti-aging products.

It has multiple benefits; it improves acne and acne scarring, patchy and irregular pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture, skin tone, and color. As well as your skin’s hydration levels promote cell renewal and boost collagen production.

It is recommended to introduce retinol to your routine slowly, to build up your skin’s tolerance to it. It may cause sensitivity so make sure to follow up with a broad-spectrum sunscreen.

5. Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals and environmental stressors, repairs UV damage, prevents premature aging, reduces hyperpigmentation, and helps to even out skin tone, stimulates the synthesis of collagen, minimizes fine lines, scars and wrinkles.

Initial use of Vitamin C-containing creams may cause stinging or redness, but these side effects go away with continued use.

6. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an oil-soluble antioxidant, there are many forms of Vitamin E. Unless you have oily, acne-prone, or sensitive skin, Vitamin E can provide your skin with multiple benefits.

Vitamin E creams can hydrate and heal the skin and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Paired with Vitamin C, both ingredients work even better, so aim to find products with both these ingredients.

7. Niacinimide

Niacinimide has multiple benefits, from moisturizing to repairing the skin’s barrier.

Also known as Vitamin B3 it boosts keratin, provides protection from environmental stressors, helps keep skin firm and healthy, may help retain moisture, and stops skin flushing.

If you have sensitive skin, experts suggest choosing products with a lower concentration of under 5%.

8. Beta-hydroxy acids (salicylic acid)

Salicylic acid removes dead skin and may improve the texture and color of sun-damaged skin. It penetrates oil-laden hair follicle openings and helps prevent acne.

In many cases, salicylic acid can be less irritating to the skin than products that contain AHAs. But provide similar improvements in skin texture and color.

9. Alpha Arbutin

Alpha Arbutin is a skin brighter, and gentler than hydroquinone and a safer way to treat uneven skin tone, melasma, and hyperpigmentation with little to no irritation.

It can be used to treat pigmentation when combined with kojic acid or Vitamin C.

10. Dimethicone

The silicone-based ingredient is the second most common ingredient in moisturizers. If you deal with dry skin, this ingredient can be very beneficial, especially in winter.

This ingredient can help with scar tissue and makes your skin feel soft.

11. Glycerin

A major skin care ingredient found in moisturizers and lotions. It is a humectant found naturally in the skin and acts as a moisturizing agent to establish hydration and prevents dryness.

Glycerin’s skin-replenishing and skin-restoring properties make it the best humectant among others such as hyaluronic acid and AHAs.

12. Polyhydroxy acids

Polyhydroxy acids are a type of hydroxy acid just like AHAs and BHAs but is the gentlest of the three by far.

PHA helps shed dead skin cells, reduce hyperpigmentation and reverse sun damage to promote an even-toned and radiant complexion.

PHAs are great for almost all skin types as they don’t dry up the skin. Experts recommend using PHAs in combination with hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

So, armed with any of these products and an amazing skincare routine, and a skincare fridge to cool your products, you’ll soon be making your way to perfect skin.

[jetpack-related-posts]