Black skin care is best handled with knowledge and experience, and skin care products should be chosen according to skin type. Doing so will require a person to focus on the ingredients in the products she chooses and it will generally require an individual to use different products for her body and face. Dark marks tend to be a problem when dealing with black skin and are best addressed through both preventative and corrective measures.
The best care for black skin occurs when it is being cared for by a knowledgeable individual. People of color should take the time to learn how their skin is unique. This includes understanding which problems they most commonly face and learning what has been proven to be effective or harmful for their skin. When seeking professional skin care services it is also important to ensure that the service providers have experience with black skin.
It is generally not recommended to use body care products on the face, but there are some items that are designed for full-body use. These are not usually good products to include in a black skin care regimen. Black people tend to have facial skin that is characterized as oily, whereas dryness is an issue that occurs over much of the rest of the body. Using a product for oily skin on dry areas or vice versa can make one's skin problems much worse.
Though oiliness is a common problem, extremely harsh products, such as those containing alcohol, should also be avoided. For oil control, a gel type facial cleanser is generally recommended and products containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) should be given preference. It is best to choose a facial skin care system that has an alcohol-free toner. Individuals dealing with oiliness should also consider a shine control or oil control moisturizer.
Dry areas other than those on the face should be addressed with increased efforts to infuse the skin with moisture. One way of doing this is by applying a skin moisturizer while still damp, which helps to trap moisture against the skin. Another way is by choosing a thick moisturizer, such as body butter. A product that includes ingredients, such as jojoba or shea butter, with natural moisturizing properties are best.
Dark spots are a common problem for individuals of color. These spots are believed to develop due to inflammation that occurs when bumps form. To help control the problem, a good black skin care system will include a pimple spot treatment, which is used to arrest the development of bumps during their early stages. It is also a good idea to select products that have soothing ingredients such as aloe or chamomile.
Existing dark marks are best addressed with products that have natural ingredients such as Vitamin C and cocoa butter, which are believed to have fading properties. Another ingredient to look for is salicylic acid, an exfoliator. Be careful with an ingredient called hydroquinone that is commonly used in black skin care products that advertise fading abilities. Before choosing to use any of these products, do some research on hydroquinone because its safety is a matter of debate.