How To Hydrate Your Skin Back to Life

Everyone wants beautiful clear skin - but not everyone wants healthy skin - that’s where we went wrong. My skincare journey has been quite the rollercoaster. I’ve had acne on and off my whole life and resorted to visiting several dermatologists who have prescribed different medications, and I almost went on Accutane. During the pandemic things got worse, and by that, I mean my face felt inflamed, bumpy and all around uncomfortable. Most importantly, I wasn’t comfortable with my body and the way I presented to the world. I remember a friend in college, commented on someone’s acne saying they looked like they were going through puberty. My pit fell to my stomach thinking “is this what people think of me?” I resorted to applying foundation daily because I wasn’t sure if and when my acne would disappear.

On one of those many uneventful days during the pandemic lockdown, I began following a ton of estheticians who focused on acne-prone skin and skin of color. I watched so many of LABeautyologist’s videos people started to call me DCBeautyologist because I was really starting to know my stuff! I loved the fact that MakeupforWOC highlighted affordable products that anyone could take a quick trip to their local CVS or grocery store and pick up. So that is exactly what I did. I picked up CeraVe’s benzoyl peroxide cleanser and treatment and I thought “this is the end of my acne journey.” About a week later I noticed large, pink inflamed pimples all over my cheeks and chin. My face had even more acne and my face simply just hurt. I regretted my self diagnosis and treatment plan and decided to bite the bullet in the bank and meet with a real esthetician.

Initially, I was hesitant to meet an esthetician because everything was virtual and I believed I needed to be in-person in order for a professional to get a good look at my skin. At this point, I had run out of options. I scheduled a virtual consultation with the Fairy Glow Mother, an Oakland-based esthetician and sent her photos of both my face and chest where the acne was visible. The form was fairly simple, yet detailed and when we finally had our zoom meeting she asked me about my sensitivity level, diet, family health history and current regimen. Hadiyah created a customized skin care plan “The Skinopsis.” This included a face study that explained my acneic skin type ranged from grade II-III and hyperpigmentation. What I loved the most about her service is that she developed a custom routine for both the morning and night that focused on five elements: cleansing, toning, treating, moisturizing, and protecting the skin using SPF. She was intentional about reducing costs by keeping products I already purchased and that she found beneficial in my routine. The last page of my Skinopsis included recommended products in the each of the five categories varying in costs to fit each of her clients’ needs.

When I tell you I ran to Sephora and online stores to get my hands on these products as soon as possible, chile! As I was waiting for my products to arrive, I still had to deal with the current breakout I had caused for myself. I continued to read different articles and posts about new products.

Through that research I discovered four important things:

Clear Skin is not, necessarily healthy skin.

Having healthy skin is better than having clear skin.

All Black people do not have clear skin.

Acne does not make someone look less beautiful.

My skincare journey truly began at this moment. I took many selfies to track my progress initially, then eventually I began to see a glow - a radiance from within. As I was scrolling through my photo album I realized, that was the first time I felt confident in my own skin, all while having the biggest breakout I’ve ever experienced. I finally felt free. Free from the perceptions of others but most importantly, myself.

Here are my favorite skincare products:

1 —

Kate Somerville
EradiKate® Daily Cleanser Acne Treatment

It all begins with clean skin. Before I met with an esthetician, I thought cleansing was optional. I was shocked when I was told to cleanse twice a day due to the oils and dirt you acquire from the day. Finding the right cleanser for acne-prone and sensitive skin can be difficult because many ingredients tend to be harsh. This Kate Somerville foaming cleanser works really well on my dry/combo skin while activating 3% sulfur, a gentler acne fighting ingredient. Cleansing both day and night can make all the difference.

2 —

Face Reality
Calming Facial Toner

Toning is the gem of skincare. It helps your skin stay hydrated and preps your skin to take in other products like treatments and moisturizers. LABeautyoligist believe you should tone after each step to allow products to penetrate into the skin. This Face Reality toner is a game-changer for my sensitive (sometimes inflamed), dry skin. Not to mention, the ingredients include aloe barbadensis leaf extract, Rose flower water, glycerin - all super hydrating ingredients.

3 —

Topicals
Faded

For medium to dark-skinned people like me, hyperpigmentation is a very common. Hyperpigmentation is a common condition that makes some areas of the skin darker than others, causing it to often be confused with scarring. In my opinion the best hyperpigmentation product is Faded. I saw results in as little as two weeks! We love topicals because not only are all of their ingredients have been scientifically proven to provide results, but they are also free from dyes and anaimal testing. Did I forget to mention the creators are Women of Color?!

4 — Protect

Supergoop!
Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++

Experts claim that applying sunscreen during all seasons is a must. Typically, people don’t add enough sunscreen when they apply it to their face a neck. Tiara Willis, founder of the “two finger method” to ensure we’re getting enough protection from potential UV damage. I’ve tried several sunscreens throughout the years and my go-to is Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen because it has a clear finish to match any skin tone out there.

5 — Removal

Garnier
SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

Clean skin is the key to healthy skin. They key to healthy skin is removing your makeup after a night out and in! I was always a stickler about removing my makeup after a long day, but through my research I learned it’s much better for your skin to use micellar water and a cotton pad than my then go-to makeup remover wipes. They wipes tend to be too harsh on our delicate skin so something like cotton is a gentler surface use as you prep for your cleanse.

The gworls that get it, get it and the gworls that don’t… learn here!