The Best Skincare & Treatments for Black men

What makes Black men’s skin different? What routine should be introduced? What treatments are recommended? We’ve got the answers for you.

Black men's skincare isn’t spoken about as much as it should be (sadly that’s the history of beauty marketing). But that doesn’t mean men don’t care about the health of their skin, especially when spending so much time on a grooming routine. As partners, keeping up a skincare and grooming routine will keep skin happy and healthy. Now, we get that so many products on the market can be overwhelming or you’re hoping to create a routine but not sure where to start, but believe us, it doesn’t need to be complicated. Questions like, what helps with my oily skin? How do I reduce the number of ingrown hairs? Do I need to wear SPF? (Spoiler alert: yes you do!) are all answered in this guide.

Some Facts About Men’s Skin

Research tells us that it’s the testosterone hormone which determines male skin as male skin. Therefore, there are some differences. “Men’s skin is thicker than women’s and is often oilier, due to more activity with the sebaceous glands (where oil is produced) or as the result of having more sweat glands. Men can also have enlarged pores (just as a side note, you can’t close your pores, they’re not doors), but having said all this, men can still have a dry skin type,” explains Bianca Estelle, Black Skin Directory Practitioner, Medical Aesthetician and Founder of Bea Skin Clinic.

Black Men’s Skin Structure

Essential male skin characteristics;

• More facial hair and higher chance of ingrown hairs

• Thicker skin (on average 20-25% thicker than women’s)

• Rougher texture

• Larger pores

• Increased oil production (increasing the chances of acne) especially around the nose and forehead

• Higher collagen density (ages slower than women)

Common Concerns Amongst Black Male Skin

Ingrown Hairs & Razor Bumps

The main concern that black men have to deal with when it comes to their skin is razor bumps and ingrown hairs due to shaving irritation. Because Afro hair is both coarse and curly, it gets caught under the skin as it grows, encouraging inflammation, and causing bumps and irritation on the surface. They can often be painful and irritating, but don’t squeeze them, it’ll cause further irritation and potential scarring.

 The most effective way in treating razor bumps is to introduce correct shaving practices such as shaving in one direction, not going over the same area a multitude of times – especially with a multi-blade razor and avoiding shaving daily, the hair needs to grow first.

In addition to this, try treating razor bumps by exfoliating the skin with gentle acids such as salicylic and glycolic acid which will remove dead skin cells and help to release trapped hair from under the skin. Exfoliating Tip: In between shaving and on clean skin, sweep your exfoliant over the area and then finish with a soothing, gentle moisturiser and SPF.

Our recommended exfoliators for male skin include:

Dark Spots

Another primary concern is dark spots, otherwise known as PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) which happens because of an increase in melanin production when the skin is injured from cuts, acne or the squeezing of spots.

If you’re trying to tackle dark marks, we recommend starting a robust skincare routine that includes skin-brightening ingredients such as Retinol (only use retinol at night and sparingly build up to what your skin can handle), Vitamin C and Liquorice Root Extract. Try the below after cleansing, each serum will help to fade dark marks and improve any post-shave scarring.

Also, applying SPF on a daily basis is vital. “Unfortunately, there is still a misconception that people with darker skin tones don’t need to wear sun protection. This is not true! By wearing sun protection, you can not only prevent further sun damage but if you opt for a product with the right active ingredients, you can also address existing pigmentation. Ideally, you should use an SPF with a treatment ingredient like Alpha Arbutin which is a pigment suppressant, and this can be found in selected sun creams” Bianca explains.

Check out the BSD Sun Awareness Campaign articles for our recommended list of sunscreen (that don’t leave a whitecast)!

Excess Oil

Generally, men tend to have much oilier and thicker skin (20 - 25% thicker), if not properly maintained and looked after with a daily routine, spots and breakouts can become more frequent. Yes, the natural assumption is to target drying out oily skin, however this will only cause the skin to produce more oil to compensate for the harsh products used in the first place and drier skin. Keeping a healthy balance of moisture is important so introducing an oil-free moisturiser is a great place to start.

Don’t forget cleansing both in the morning and evening will also keep oily skin at bay.

Treatments for Black men

Chemical Peels

In order to keep your skin looking and feeling its best, combining in-clinic treatments with a solid skincare routine is fundamental and advised by our BSD Practitioners. Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme, Black Skin Directory Practitioner and Medical Director at Adonia Medical Clinic shares, “chemical peels work very well to help overcome ingrown hairs and hyperpigmentation. It helps to streamline skin care routines that then can be boosted with peels in the clinic for greater results”.

Jessner Peels

“A glycolic acid skin treatment is a brilliant option, especially for razor bumps and ingrown hairs. Jessner peels are also great and men often like medical microdermabrasion as it’s quick, with immediate results that produces smoother and more radiant skin.

Your At-Home Routine

Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated and while we recommend in-clinic treatments if you have a nagging concern you want to solve, most of the work is done at home. On that front, regardless of skin type - be it oily or dry - a good skincare routine is important and should consist of the essentials - a cleanser, antioxidants, moisturiser and sunscreen (minimum SPF30). Finding your routine is essential and with our product recommendations above, we’ve got you covered.

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