african-american face - skincare.jpg — MY SKINCARE ESSENTIALS

(and a few lessons I’ve learned)

I am serious about skincare.

Well, maybe not serious, but I definitely put forth effort to maintain smooth, blemish-free skin. This wasn’t a priority until I experienced adult acne (what???) the summer after college graduation when I broke out with black spots (a.k.a. hyperpigmentation) on the side of my face. After going through a process of elimination, I determined that the cause was likely triggered by a new hair rinse I was using at the time to maintain my signature look of black, shiny hair. Perhaps I was wrong, but it was the only thing “different” in my normal routine. I stopped using the product and set out to resolve the issue of my skin discoloration.

Since that time, I’ve tried many products over the years—from drugstore to dermatologist prescribed to high-end department store brands. I’m often asked about my skincare routine, so I thought I’d share my top 5 hits and misses before landing on the products that love me back.

First things first…

Black Opal Products Changed the Game for my Skin (HIT)
I initially saw a dermatologist for the issue described above and nothing prescribed to me seemed to work (namely Cetaphil products). So I took matters into my own hands and started doing a little research, which is how I stumbled upon Black Opal products, created for women of color in collaboration with an African-American dermatologist named Dr. Cheryl Burgess based in Washington, D.C. I had a routine: Blemish Control Wash followed by Purifying Astringent (toner). This line of products did wonders for my skin, but as the years passed it became increasingly difficult to find the original formula of the face wash and astringent in mainstream stores like Target, CVS and Eckerds back in the day. Although Sally’s Beauty Supply stores sometimes carried the line, it got to the point that I was SOL unless I was in an African-American neighborhood. Like many of my favorite products (even today), something is always discontinued, as these two were, so I eventually moved on to others.
Cetaphil (MISS)
I have sensitive skin, which is why I suppose several dermatologists have sent me to the pharmacy over the years to collect my bag of goodies. I wanted to love the products because they are fragrance-free and budget-friendly, but they honestly did nothing noticeable to improve my skin. However, the makeup remover is my drugstore favorite when I need a product that does the job in removing stubborn waterproof mascara.
Shinto Clinical by Kimora Lee Simmons (MISS)
This was one of the rare times that I decided to “splurge” and try a high-end product. While living in Hawaii, I was thrilled to learn that Kimora was debuting her line at Nordstom in Ala Moana Mall. I worked a block away and walked there at least three out of five days a week. [My husband swears that I have strategically sought out jobs close to malls just so I’d have a reason to shop during my lunch breaks. While not true, it is quite funny that my last three marketing jobs (to include my current one) have, indeed, been less than five minutes away from my favorite store: Nordstrom!] Back to Shinto: The packaging was beautiful, but my skin said no ma’am…and a short time later I developed cystic acne on my chin and forehead! While I immediately stopped use, I couldn’t fathom tossing the face wash and moisturizer, so I eventually passed the products on to my husband, who always ends up using my “good” stuff anyway. Although this was a miss for me, it was fun meeting Kimora and I was pleasantly surprised to find her very personable and someone that you could imagine hanging out with for good convo over lunch and cocktails.

4. H2O, Baby (HIT)
I have to keep it real and admit that I don’t love water unless I’m physically active (i.e., playing tennis or struggling through a YouTube workout video), but I do recognize that my skin looks best when I’m hydrated and getting good rest (I’m a work-in-progress on that one and my skin is definitely dull-looking when I’ve neglected both). As I’ve gotten older and wiser, I’ve learned to appreciate its simplicity and benefits beyond hydration for healthy skin.

5. Back to Basics with Olay (HIT)
Listen, sometimes we just need to take things back to the old school and use what works. Olay is that “thing” for me. From face wash to moisturizing toner to the 7 in one moisturizer, my skin prep starts and ends with this brand that I remember my grandmother using back in the day when the moisturizer was pink, thick, smelled like something for “mature” women and went by the name Oil of Olay. As a young girl, that pink stuff seemed real fancy sitting on her dresser—like a grown woman’s beauty product. Now that I am a woman, here’s what my morning (and sometimes night) routine has looked like for the past 10+ years:

Morning routine

Face cloth, please
I don’t know if this is the norm, but when I was 17-ish, my Health teacher (shout out to Coach Davis) told us that you shouldn’t use the same wash cloth on your face that you do on your body. This made perfect sense to me. However, the thought had never occurred to me up until that moment, but I immediately changed that practice and have ever since.

Tip: If you’re a new mom, save those baby washcloths and use them for your skin routine (or buy a cute washcloth set from places like Target). Although it has been many years since I’ve used them, I liked the soft, gentle feel against my skin.

Step 01 // Olay Face Wash
I’ve tried them all but the three that I consistently rotate through, depending on availability, are the Nourishing Cream Cleanser (photo above), Revitalizing Foaming Face Cleanser, Classic Facial Cleanser (age defying) and sometimes the Refreshing Cleansing Scrub Cleanser. I like each for different reasons, but the one thing I dislike about the Refreshing Cleansing Scrub Cleanser is that sometimes tiny white remnants of the product are still visible even after going over my skin with the toner. It’s probably not noticeable to others, but magnifying mirrors show everything! Speaking of mirrors, here’s a tip I heard earlier this year to help avoid picking at your skin and being obsessed by bumps, blackheads, stray hairs, etc.: You should hold your mirror an arm’s length away from your face because that distance is the reality of what others see when talking to you.

Step 02 // Olay Toner
I don’t even feel right if I skip this step. My skin just feels like a cleaner canvas after I’ve applied a round cotton pad dabbed with toner over my face. The toner does a great job at removing excess dirt, so I always go over my skin one last time with a second cotton round to ensure I’ve gotten whatever was missed. If the pad is clean, I apply my moisturizer.

Step 03 // Olay Moisturizer
I honestly don’t remember when or why I went from using plain ole’ body lotion on my face but it just doesn’t seem right (for me) anymore. Heavy lotions clog my skin and they have me looking shiny (and not in a natural glow up way). The Total Effects 7 in One Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer delivers on its promise to not clog my pores. Here are the other seven benefits touted:

Replenishes moisture
Evens skin tone appearance
Enhances brightness
Visibly smoothes fine lines and wrinkles
Minimizes the look of pores
Restores firmness
Visibly reduces dark spots

I buy the original or fragrance-free versions, but there’s also one with SPF, which I cannot wear. Future post coming on that dilemma. I usually take advantage of CVS ExtraBucks Rewards plus 40% off coupons to replenish my stash when I’m running low (Yes, I get excited when my final bill goes from $50+ to $30 or less due to strategically using those perks). If I happen to be in Target, it’s likely that I won’t leave empty handed, so I try to remember to pick up the toner from there because it’s not always available at CVS as of late. I also occasionally buy my products from Bed Bath & Beyond with the blue coupon for $10 or 20% off single-item purchases. In case you didn’t know, those junk mail coupons don’t expire even though they have an expiration date—so keep them nearby because they do come in handy.

converse + connect

Of course one person’s “miss” is potentially another’s “hit” (and vice versa). Since this is a space where we can learn from one another, please share your skincare routine below (and what has or hasn’t worked).

Did you know?
Olay originated in South Africa in 1952.