A Master Guide to Understanding & Caring For Your Melanin Rich Skin
First, skin is skin.
Women of color have more melanin, yet fundamentally the skin of women of color is the same as the skin of non-women of color.
There are certain characteristics that are more common among women with melanin rich skin that result in having a different set of priorities.
While there is numerous information about achieving and maintaining healthy skin, women of color generally are left to put forth more effort into caring for their skin.
We're here to help shift the conversation. Here's why?
It is estimated that more than half of the world's population are people of color, yet most education for dermatologists and estheticians rarely provide training on skin or color.
Social media feeds, website, books, marketing campaigns, etc. target services to non-women of color.
Quality advice, care, and education to support women of color are scarce.
Skin Health 201: Melanin: The Ultimate Protector
Melanin is a molecule that functions as the body's built-in UV protection. Every one of us, regardless of skin tone, has countless melanin molecules in our skin. Exactly how many depends on our ancestry. Melanin is produced in the outer layers of the skin (epithelium), and becomes directly infused into almost every epithelial cell.
What’s the role of melanin in our skin?
Our human biology responds dynamically to sun exposure. The skin cells arrange the melanin granules just above the cell nucleus, protecting our vital DNA just like a sun shade.
Lighter skin has lighter melanin, and so it is more susceptible to cumulative DNA damage—which can lead to skin cancer more often than individuals with more melanin. The darker melanin in dark skin tones is protective against DNA damage, but darker skin is more susceptible to cosmetic pigmentation irregularities.
Skin Health 301: How Your Melanin Rich Skin Behaves
It’s no secret that every skincare journey is different. Some of us have never had a breakout in our lives, others have spent countless hours trying to find the right solution to no avail.
Are there major differences to my skincare approach?
There are two areas where your approach to skin care will differ from non-women of color - sensitivity and aging.
Sensitive Skin
Women of color are twice as likely to have sensitive skin. This is supported by research showing the skin contains more components associated with allergic reactions.
You are more likely to have reactions to skincare products, especially those with perfumes, artificial dyes and other chemicals.
Over time, using products that irritate your skin will lead to more issues with hyperpigmentation.
Products should have simple ingredients and limited additives that gently cleanse, treat and moisturize
skin without stripping or irritation.
If you do not think you have sensitive skin, it may still be worth treating your skin as if it were sensitive and avoid products that cause irritation to keep your skin in its most healthy state.
Aging
Age on skin of color shows differently than non-women of color.
As melanin protects your skin form increased sun exposure, you will face fewer issues with wrinkles.
While you are less prone to wrinkling, you are more likely to experience dark marks, discoloration, and hyperpigmentation.
You are more likely to have oily skin even as an adult. This means dealing with acne and anti-aging at the same time. It also means that your anti-aging products should not contain heavy emollients that clog your pores.
Anti-aging products should not be harsh as they will cause reactions and sometimes cause/worsen hyperpigmentation.
Daily sunscreen use is necessary for everyone regardless of their skin tone.
The protection from melanin in your skin determines how you age, not your resistance to sun damage. You can be diagnosed with skin cancer.
Much of age related discoloration is caused by accumulated sun damage.
Your skincare routine should focus on treating discolorations and efforts to protect your skin against the sun. Wear Sunscreen!
What challenges complicate melanin-rich skin?
While melanin-rich skin has some key benefits, melanin is in fact linked to the skincare challenges you face. Here are the five most common skin conditions that impact you skin:
Increased sebum concentration - on one hand increased sebum or oil production means increased moisture and protection against wrinkles. However, it also means your skin may be prone to acne and subsequent dark marks.
Reduced skin hydration - increased melanin can also lead to a reduction in skin hydration. Some may even develop a skin condition called eczema which can cause dry, itchy, and cracked skin.
Vitiligo - vitiligo can occur across the spectrum of skin tones, it’s most noticeable among diverse skin tones as the condition is characterized by patches of skin losing pigment.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation - as previously mentioned, melanin-rich skin is prone to hyperpigmentation which appear in the form of flat discolored patches on the face and body, often referred to as “dark spots.”
Psoriasis - you may not have realized that this skin condition affects darker skin differently due to the fact that increased skin cell inflammation can temporarily destroy pigment cells, also known as melanocytes.
Skincare Tips 101: What to Look for in Your Skincare Products
Research has shown that your skin tone does not impact the type of skincare products you need.
Think of your skincare routine like your diet. Regardless of our backgrounds, we all need the same nutritious foods that supply antioxidants, vitamins, and omega fatty acids to be healthy. This healthy eating concept applies to your skin.
What Ingredients Should I Look For
You don’t necessarily need to stick to a specific set of ingredients or formulas when it comes to building your skin care routine. With that said, you should focus your selection on products that have multitasking actives that can help improve texture, even out complexion and encourage cell growth and regeneration. Here are some of the best ingredients you should consider:
Vitamin C: as one of the most hardworking skin care ingredients, Vitamin C delivers a number of benefits including wound healing, boosting collagen synthesis, brightening dark spots and protection from UV damage and pollution. It can also act as a melanin inhibitor that helps correct dark spots and prevent future discoloration.
AHAs and BHAs: alpha and beta hydroxy acids (such as lactic, glycolic, malic and salicylic acids) are known anti-aging ingredients that gently exfoliate the skin to even out tone and complexion and speed up cell turnover to effectively treat pigmentation and scarring.
Antioxidants: antioxidants provide the skin with much-needed protection against free radical damage and oxidative stress. They encourage the skin’s natural repair process, delay signs of aging and prevent inflammation. Their anti-inflammatory response protects the skin against sun damage and photoaging, preventing sunburn, dark spots and uneven skin tone.
Ceramides: Naturally produced by your skin, ceramides are a type of lipid that have been proven to increase the skin’s hydration, maintain moisture levels and strengthen barrier function. They are particularly essential for those with skin of color who often struggle with dry, flaky and dehydrated skin.
Are There Ingredients I Should Avoid?
You should avoid the same ingredients that everyone needs to avoid which are known to trigger irritation, allergic reactions, and strip and dry out your the skin.
Should I Use A Particular Sunscreen?
There are a lot of mediocre sunscreens on the market that tend to leave behind a noticeable gray tint and/ or cover your face with a greasy film. Both results can make you want to forfeit the step altogether. However, this shouldn't deter you from using a sunscreen on a daily basis. There are products on the market that will blend into your skin flawlessly.
Why Do Some Sunscreens Leave A Gray "Ashy" Tint?
The shadow or haz left behind after applying sunscreen appears due to certain ingredients that have been used. Sunscreen companies use various formulas to block two types of sun rays: ultraviolet B rays, which can cause sunburn and skin cancer, and ultraviolet A, which can accelerate sagging skin.
Chemical sunscreen, a category of sunscreen that works by absorbing or reflecting rays, tends to protect best against UVB rays—though some formulations protect against both.
Physical sunscreen, meanwhile, uses white compounds that are insoluble in water, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, to sit on the skin and act as a physical barrier that deflects both UVA and UVB rays.
The FDAs Role
The FDA regulates sunscreen as a drug instead of as a cosmetic, thus U.S. companies are especially limited in their choices of protective ingredients, whether chemical or physical.
Due to the long approval process, many companies tend to be laser focused on getting effective treatments out and are not concerned about how the formula appears on the skin.
Better Sunscreen Products for Skin of Color
There are a few products on the market that have great formulas that blend into the skin flawlessly:
Skincare Tips 201: The Order To Apply Skincare Products
Sequence Matters.
Why? Because you skin’s job is to keep things out and skin care products have ingredients we want to get in. But, only a very small amount of these key ingredients can penetrate the skin, even when perfectly formulated and perfectly applied. So, if you don’t apply products in the correct order, you will not see the best results.
A Daytime Regimen
Step 1 : Cleanse
Splash your face with warm water or wash with a gentle face cleanse.
Step 2: Toner
Apply a small amount to a freshly cleaned face.
This step is a personal preference for many women because there’s an assumption that most toners are harsh and irritate the skin. If your routine has not included using a toner and you have had positive results, then there is no need to add a toner at this point.
Toners can serve multiple purposes, such supplying antioxidants, vitamin B derivatives and even toning acids.
Each type of toner is intended for a different skin issue.
Step 3: Antioxidant Serum
Use a dime size of an antioxidant serum.
Antioxidant serums boosts your skin’s inflammatory response to neutralizing damage from UV rays and environmental pollutants.
Step 4: Eye Cream/Gel
Dab a small amount of eye cream to maintain the health and thickness of the delicate skin around your eyes.
Step 5: Spot Treatment
Apply prescription medications and over-the-counter acne spot treatments by dabbing the targeted area only. These treatments need to be applied as close to the skin as possible to maximize their benefits.
Step 6: Moisturizer
Apply moisturizer while the skin is still damp, the quicker you are at applying your serum and/or spot treatment the sooner you can lock in hydration with your moisturizer.
Everyone needs a moisturizer, even if you have oily skin.
If using an acne spot treatment, skip those areas when applying moisturizer to make sure that it will not interfere with the active ingredients in the spot treatment.
Step 7: Apply Sunscreen
Apply a sunscreen of 45 or more, be sure to use a sunscreen that is intended for the face.
A Nighttime Regimen
Step 1: Double Cleanse
First remove your makeup using a cleansing oil to dissolve your makeup. If you have not worn makeup you can skip this step, if you chose.
Next, use a face wash to remove all the excess sebum, dirt and makeup you loosened up during the first step.
If you’re using a physical exfoliant, like a facial scrub, use it in place of your cleanser after removing your makeup.
Step 2: Toners and Skin Boosters
Skin care boosters can be mists, essences, or hydrating (hyaluronic acid) serums.
Apply skin boosters or essences after washing your face as you would a toner.
If using a toner and a skin booster, apply the toner then the booster. Tip: Toners are to clean and boosters are about delivering a treatment.
If using multiple boosters, apply from thinnest to thickest.
Step 3: Eye Cream
Apply your eye cream before your treatments to protect your eye area against potent ingredients that can cause irritation.
Step 4: Treatments, Serums and Peels
Prescriptions (tretinoin, acne and rosacea creams), retinol creams, exfoliating treatments (peel pads and masks) and anti-aging serums (infused with peptides, growth factors and other biologically active ingredients) should be applied at night.
Pick your evening treatment based on what your skin needs that night only.
Choose between prescription meds OR exfoliative treatments (like AHA/BHA pads, peels or detoxifying masks). If you use both on the same night, you significantly increase your risk of irritating your skin.
Don’t use retinol creams (over the counter or prescription) on the same night as exfoliative treatments. - Use exfoliative treatments sparingly, one to three times a week.
Step 5: Moisturizer or Night Cream
You can use the same moisturizer for day and night or use a different night cream.
Night creams are generally thicker, heavier creams designed to be absorbed over the course of several hours.
Skin Notes
These are just a handful of skin conditions and topical treatments skincare experts and dermatologists have found to impact and benefit melanin-rich skin tones.
Listen to your skin. No matter what experts say, it’s important to find what works for you and to always be kind to your skin.
It's best to keep track of all your products and when seeking advice share as much information as you can with a licensed expert who can take the time needed to help you find the right products and routine.
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Resources
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, February 2014, issue 1, pages 7-16
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, April 2013, issue 4, pages 434-437
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, December 2011, issue 6, pages 553-559
Skin Research and Technology, May 2010, issue 2, pages 168-178.
Clinical Investigative Dermatology, August 2015, issue 8, pages 423-429
Journal of Dermatological Science, August 2010, issue 2, pages 123–128
Journal of Clinical Aesthetic Dermatology, April 2010, issue 4, pages 24–38
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, January 2007, issue 1, pages 19–22
