Products for Girls with Melanin
Skin care is currently growing faster than any other segment in the beauty industry. Despite all the growth and innovation occurring, it’s still difficult to understand your specific skin care needs without a lot of guidance. Basing your skin care routine around your skin type (normal, oily, combination, dry) is crucial in the process of finding a routine that works for you. Likewise, it's extremely important to base your skin care routine on your skin tone. Many skin care companies feel the need to falsely advertise their products as suitable for all skin types. Physically speaking, the skin care needs of women with color do differ from white women.
While we all require UV protection, cell renewal, and a healthy skin barrier, the prevalence of hyperpigmentation is huge among people of color. Hyperpigmentation causes the skin affected by inflammation to produce larger amounts of melanin, which can lead to darker/uneven skin tones. Hyperpigmentation also can be onset by hormonal changes during pregnancy. Although hyperpigmentation can affect anyone, those with more melanin tend to be more widely affected. Because of this heightened sensitivity to inflammation, there’s a great need for hydration & brightening products.
What exactly is melanin? Let’s get into it. Melanin is a term used to describe the natural pigments found in the base layer of human skin. This pigment is what gives color to the skin and hair. African and Indian skin tend to produce the highest levels of melanin thus making their skin the most darkly pigmented. While melanin helps protect the skin from UV rays (and obviously is the cause for beautiful brown and black skin), it can also pose health risks when it collects in concentrated forms.
Now, let's get into some products/ingredients best suited for people with high levels of melanin:
Shea Butter - I’m sure by now, everyone is familiar with the benefits that shea butter carries for POC. This ingredient is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and smoothing abilities. It’s locked and loaded with Vitamin E, making it amazing for combating hyperpigmentation. This ingredient is a staple in POC communities, but there are also many other ingredients that are game-changers for girls with melanin. Keep reading to learn more!
Hyaluronic Acid - This is a very popular ingredient in skin care, and for good reason! In essence, it’s a sugar molecule that is naturally produced by the body. Hyaluronic acid allows the skin to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated. As darker skin becomes more dry, it begins to appear duller. Therefore, it is super important to keep your skin hydrated, and hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient to aid in doing so! On top of this, hyaluronic acid has a newer, more effective sister ingredient called hyadisine. It is one of the latest weapons in anti-aging & hydrating skin care. This revolutionary ingredient also happens to be featured in all three of our venom-based serums!
Niacinamide - Niacinamide is one of our favorite ingredients here at Intoxicated Cosmetics. Niacinamide single handedly is capable of soothing inflammation, reducing fine lines, combating hyperpigmentation, and strengthening the skin barrier. No wonder we love this ingredient so much. It also, once again, is featured in all three of our serums *wink wink*.
Don’t believe that our products are what you’re looking for yet? I got you. Our customers have time and time again told us that our products have not only helped reduce their dark spots and hyperpigmentation, but completely diminished them. Check this customer review out: “I have had issues with hyperpigmentation since giving birth to my daughter 5 years ago... nothing has worked and I’ve tried it all. I heard of intoxicated cosmetics and started with the Snail serum. I figured what could it hurt to try one more... I no longer need to spend 10,000 a year on chemical treatments.” - Amanda T
SPF - People of color tend to skip SPF as it is widely known that melanin helps to protect against the sun. However, daily SPF (at least 30) is essential in the treatment and prevention of hyperpigmentation (as well as obviously protecting against skin cancer). Sunscreen is not just necessary for white people. It is an absolute must for all skin types.
Royal Epigen P5 - We, here at Intoxicated, are absolutely obsessed with this ingredient. It’s inspired by bee’s Royal Jelly and scientifically modified to maximize its effectiveness. It’s able to speed up tissue regeneration and healing. Not only does it allow the skin to recover more quickly, but in studies with women presenting uneven skin tones, this ingredient improved the uniformity of their complexions within just 28 days. Amazing right?! Be sure to try out our Bee Serum to reap the benefits of this amazing ingredient.
Vitamin C - This ingredient is groundbreaking for dark skin. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is capable of producing collagen and helps to protect against UV rays. Vitamin C is a powerful ingredient in repairing the skin and fading dark spots. And once again, all three of our serums contain vitamin C, making them a great option for POC!
Green Tea - There are compounds within green tea that have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It also helps to prevent UV damage and treat sun damage. Another superstar ingredient that also just happens to be included in our Snake Serum!
There is no reason for girls (and guys) with melanin to believe that they have to choose from the products marketed for everyone, but that realistically are made for non-POC in mind. We have different skin types, and therefore should have different skin care regimens. Luckily for us, there are so many products and ingredients out there that are capable of giving us the skin of our dreams, you just gotta know what to search for!