Family Encyclopedia >> Beauty & Style

Black skin:flawless complexion

Dr. Sayag's diagnosis:

thicker and more resistant than fair skin, beautiful black skin is a little lucky in terms of aging because it shows the least (and the slowest) the marks of time. The other side of the coin:sensitive to dry cold, it often suffers from a lack of radiance and uniformity (scarring and/or pigment spots) as well as an imbalance between water and sebum leading to minor shine problems.

Play the tender card

• The idea:it is not because it is resistant that it must be provoked, on the contrary! We play on velvet by opting for a cleansing gel with water, adapted to the nature of the skin (normal to combination, oily) or a milk without rinsing if we do not tolerate contact with water.

• The right gesture:here again, very gentle movements are made to lather the gel (or apply the milk). And dry your face without rubbing, gently patting a towel.

• We love it:for its magical alchemy of 8 exotic plants that purifies the skin while moisturizing it. Great bonus:you can also apply it as a treatment and leave it to act all night long… Lait Sensuel du Kalahari, Omoyé, 33€

Make a deal with the scrub

• The idea:regular exfoliation is a good option to revive radiance, especially when the complexion tends to turn gray. But watch out:twice a week is enough. Even less depending on the sensitivity.

• The right gesture:choose a scrub with ultra-fine grains or an enzymatic formula (zero level of abrasion) that is left to act for a few minutes before rinsing. You can follow up with a light moisturizing mask if you want to (still) boost the radiance.

• We love it:a powder of ground tea leaves, antioxidant grape seed extract and dried botanical extracts to mix with your favorite cleanser to brighten the complexion. Tea Tree Leaf Facial Scrub, Aesop, €33

Taming the shine

• The idea:it has a strong tendency to shine. And not only in society... However, it needs good hydration, otherwise it falls back into the gray.

• The right gesture:We adopt a good moisturizing AND mattifying cream. Or we do a little magic trick by combining a light moisturizer to apply on dehydrated areas (cheekbones, neck, jaws) with a mattifying cream or a "pore refiner" to apply on the T zone.

• We love it:a good day care that matts shine, reduces any imperfections while ensuring hydration. Pure Active Anti-Blemish Mattifying Moisturizer, Garnier, €6.90

Fight tasks

• The idea:pigmentary disorders and difficulty in healing, this is the big weak point of black skin which, when attacked, reacts (generally) by producing melanin. Hence the tasks...

• The right gesture:gentleness, always gentleness! Beware of wild depigmentation products which, by irritating the epidermis, only aggravate the problem. We prefer a classic de-spice or a serum that contains fruit acids (for gentle daily exfoliation).

• We love it:depigmenting effectiveness thanks to its action on the biological mechanisms at the origin of skin pigmentation + antioxidant vitamin C to lighten + glycolic acid for continuous exfoliation of charged cells in pigments. White Objective Serum, Bioderma, €32.85

Act at night

• The idea:if they benefit from extraordinary natural protection against UV rays, they are not equipped to fight against the cold, stress, pollution, tobacco, junk food...

• The right thing to do:take advantage of the night to boost their defenses with a good antioxidant moisturizer

• We love it:dermatologists love it, so do we! A powerful antioxidant to apply at night to allow the skin to regenerate its defences. Results ? She can better fight against the signs of aging. Resveratrol B E night antioxidant, Skin Ceuticals, 145€

The joker

Sun protection is systematized on a daily basis. Not for a UV problem but because it's the best way to protect the skin from spots, whether scarred or pigmented.