Skincare for Black Men

SKINCARE FOR BLACK MEN

Black skin may be less susceptible to wrinkling, but it also comes with its own unique grooming challenges. Here’s how to tackle the most common of them.

Eliminate ingrown hairs

Ingrown hairs, where stubble grows back in on itself after shaving to form small, painful ‘razor bumps’, can occur in any skin type but is especially common in Afro-Caribbean skin because of the naturally curly nature of the hair. The easiest way to prevent them is to use an exfoliating face scrub before shaving, says barber and male grooming expert Jason Shankey. This clears away the dead skin and debris that interferes with growth. Also, always shave in the direction of hair growth rather than against the grain. “This can cause the hairs to become trapped below the skin's surface, resulting in ingrown hairs,” says Shankey.

What to buy

Vitaman Face Scrub.

Refreshing, cleansing and not overly abrasive, this scrub is perfect for beating razor bumps.

Anthony Logistics Ingrown Hair Treatment. Designed to gently remove dead skin cells and keep follicles free of debris, this easily absorbed gel is a post-shave essential.

Pack protection

“There’s a misconception that dark skin does not need sun protection and, worse still, isn’t susceptible to skin cancer,” says Sally Penford of the International Dermal Institute. “Although dark skin does contain more melanin, which provides a small amount of natural protection, this is still minimal and according to the pigment may only give protection equivalent to an SPF3.”

On days when you’re likely to be exposed to the sun for an extended period of time, make sure you use a moisturiser with a minimum SPF15 sunscreen, advises Penford. Just remember you do need to try to get some sun. “A lot of black guys in the UK suffer from vitamin D deficiency so sunlight – which stimulates its production in the body – is really important,” says Dr Chidi Ngwaba.

What to buy

Clinique For Men Dark Spot Corrector.

Containing a raft of botanical extracts to reduce pigmentation, with continual use this is the perfect weapon against dark spots.