Must Know Beauty Secrets for Black Women

Black is beautiful. Healthy black skin is soft, firm and has a radiant glow. Over the years, black women have created, perfected and mastered beauty and make up secrets for healthy black skin.  These secrets are usually traditional recipes, home made ingredients and African women make up that are passed down from one generation to another.

It’s interesting to note that most beauty secrets for black women are made from natural and organic materials. This shows how much black people love to identify themselves with mother nature’s gifts and resources. Also, black people’s love for organic materials protects them from carcinogenic effects of artificial ingredients commonly found in today’s beauty products.

The beauty secrets for black women are…

Natural Oils Are Compulsory Skin and Hair Food

It’s no coincidence that a typical beauty regimen for most black women include a natural oil or butter. Most natural oil function as triple therapies for moisturizing, cleansing and exfoliating. These natural oils are sourced locally, affordable and rich in vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins for skin and hair health.

Coconut oil is a favorite for black women because of it’s high penetrative ability. Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids, protein and vitamin E that work to replenish, protect and moisturize both the skin and hair.

Shea butter is another favorite natural skin and hair butter extracted from the nut of the African Shea Tree. Shea butter has multiple purposes; moisturizer, cleanser, hair conditioner, and dermal conditioner for stretch marks, scars and burns.

Other natural oils include: jojoba oil, argan oil, avocado oil, olive oil, baobab oil, marula oil, cocoa butter and mango butter.

African Black Soap Tones Black Skin

The African black soap doesn’t make the skin darker. Ironically, it makes black skin lighter, and with an even tone. African black soap is a traditional soap recipe made with ash gotten from cocoa pods, palm fronds, and banana leaves.

This ash is mixed with palm oil to make a rough, earthy soap base. Lemon juice, cam wood, honey and aloe vera are later added to enrich the soap base. African black soap is a favorite natural exfoliant and moisturizer widely used to treat skin discoloration, sun burn, skin infections, stretch marks and rough dull skin.

Say No to the Creamy Crack

An increasing number of black women are saying no to hair relaxers, texturizers and embracing their natural curls and kinks. Hair texturizers and relaxers damage the normal texture and curl of afro kinky hair causing hair breakage, split hair, discolored hair, scalp burns, hair loss, receding hair line and other horrible side effects.

Which is why African women prefer to keep their natural locks and create natural ways to soften their thick tight curls.  Thanks to the persistence of black women, there are lots of natural hair moisturizers currently available.

Even the hair industry has taken a cue by producing natural hair solutions instead of hair relaxers. A couple of these natural ingredients include; most natural oils and foods like banana, milk and honey. There is also a rise in hair protective styles like braiding, twisting and plaiting.

Black Skin Needs Sun Protection

People think black skin needs little or no sun protection. That’s a big misconception. Although black skin contains more melanocytes and is more resistant to sun burn than any other skin type, the number of melanocytes are not enough to give adequate sun protection.

To prevent skin cancer, black people should wear enough sun protection by using sun blocks and creams with SPF. Other sun protecting materials include wearing face caps, wide brimmed hats and sunglasses.

Drink Up!

Of course we mean water.  Drink at least 2-3 liters of water a day to improve blood circulation, flush out toxins from the body and keep skin cells turgid and vibrant. Your skin needs enough water to carry out its necessary functions in protecting your skin from harsh external environment.  Also, water is a top nutrient in maintaining the internal function and environment of the organs in your body.

Be sure to drink extra amount of water in summer and hot seasons, don’t wait till your are thirsty to drink up and of course, drink less sugary drinks, alcohol and caffeine. These drinks make you dehydrated.

Eat Good Food

Black people love good food. In Africa, a woman is considered beautiful when she is plump and full in the right places. Eating balanced meals provides nutrition from the inside out to your skin and hair. The skin usually mirrors what goes inside. Good food makes good skin while unbalanced food makes unbalanced skin.

Get Moving!

Physical activity keeps you healthy, young and mentally active. Physical activity increases the heart rate, blood circulation which stimulates rapid excretion of toxins, carcinogens and free radicals that threaten to damage the body.

Physical activity blasts fat cells and puts minor stress on the bones and muscle making them stronger.

Sleep is Nature’s Gift to You

How often should a black beauty sleep? Scientists estimate a total of 7-9 hours of sleep for adults. Sleep is our body’s way of repairing and replenishing itself. When we sleep, our body gets to work repairing and replacing worn out skin cells, this gives you a healthy, glowing skin.

Which of these beauty secrets for black women are incorporated into your beauty routine? We would love to hear about them in the comments section below!