Written by: Phindile Le Bris Sithole-Spong
We’ve all heard the saying “black don’t crack”. And whilst it is true that darker skin tones do age better. Taking care of your skin, no matter your skin colour, is essential, especially if you live in a big city with lots of pollution, germs and so much more. As someone who loves skincare, and has since about 16, I am always looking for ways to better take care of my skin, from the inside and out. I love to do this by masking at least twice a week. Not only is it relaxing, but it leaves my skin feeling young and supple.
To start, I like to cleanse my face as usual. I start with my go-to Bioderm Micellar water, which removes makeup and dirt. From there, I like to wash my skin with a hydrating gel cleanser in the winter and a balancing foam cleanser in the winter. Finally, when my skin is nice and clean, I like to follow up with a light scrub using whatever light scrub I have on hand, emphasising light. After all the cleaning and scrubbing, I like to steam my face with my facial steamer, which is easily one of my favourite beauty tools. From there, I chose one of several masks to help address whatever issues my skin is having.
If it’s a day like today where my skin feels good in general, I like to turn to my chemical peel from The Ordinary. It has a slight sting but leaves my face feeling fresh and tight. Afterwards, I wash my face and apply a hydrating oil like marula oil from Drunk Elephant or organic rosehip oil. One essential and, dare I say, crucial step to all this is also to make sure I wash my hands BEFORE I touch my face. I also have a rule about other people touching my face.
Finally, I like to end off my spa night with a cup of chamomile tea or, as a French like to call them, infusion, which is just a name for any non-caffeinated teas. This adds to the spa feeling and makes me feel like I am really taking care of myself.
When it comes to working from the inside out, I like to add collagen to my smoothies in the mornings to help with the elasticity of my skin. I also try to drink as much water as possible and stay as far away from many fruity juices. Keeping a balanced diet also helps me feel and look good. And finally, I love to sweat as much as possible. Whether it’s a run or jog outside or an online workout. I also love good steam and sauna to rid my body of toxins and use this particular ritual to connect with my girlfriends as we make a whole day of it by going to a hammam and scrubbing our skin from head to toe.
