A restful night's sleep combined with a healthy diet can equal beautiful skin

African American skin care can be a complicated process that can sometimes require time and patience. According to the website Black-Women-Beauty-Central.com, this might not be a bad thing. The beauty site reports that if a woman is spending less that 15 minutes a day on her routine, then she is not giving her skin the right amount of attention. The website offered tips on how to keep black skin looking healthy by paying attention to other lifestyle factors that make change skin's appearance.

First, the site recommended quitting bad habits such as smoking or eating junk food. Smoking can increase the number of wrinkles on a person's skin, and junk food can potentially create an acne problem.

The magazine Real Simple also mentioned the importance of healthy habits on skin and spoke to an expert in the field to explain the connection between diet and skin's appearance.

“Diet can play a role in strengthening your skin’s ability to maintain moisture, too,” says Leslie Baumann, a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami, quoted by the news source.

Real Simple gave the example of substances rich in the essential fatty acids found in walnuts, flaxseed, salmon and olive oil as being the best foods to help skin cells stay hydrated

Black-Women-Beauty-Central also mentioned that getting enough sleep (8 to 10 hours a night) can reduce the appearance of dark circles and lines, suggesting that a restful night can help lead to a beautiful morning. 

Benefits of healthy extracts in skin products

Lately there has been a lot of talk about the health benefits of pomegranate. This fruit is known as a source of antioxidants, and the Mayo Clinic reports that these substances can protect the body from free radicals, which accumulate from day to day pollution that the body encounters, such as toxins emitted by cars.

Recently, Mercury News reported that pomegranate extract is showing up in many skin care products. Currently, there are many products for ethnic women that contain this and other antioxidant rich extracts, such as green tea. The news provider spoke to David McDaniel, M.D., assistant professor of clinical dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School to learn the benefits of having pomegranate and other natural substances in skin care products.

"There are many benefits to natural ingredients in skin care, for example licorice root, chamomile and pomegranate. For some, there is a pigment lightening effect for improving the appearance of uneven skin using licorice root extract and pomegranate.Pomegranate also has a strong antioxidant protective effect and can be found in many good skin care products," said McDaniel, quoted by the news source.

This suggests that when choosing an African American skin care product, women may want to look for ones that contain these healthy ingredients.

Tips for findings the right skin care product for black skin

Finding the right African American skin care product can be difficult. With so many options on the market, it's tough to know which shade or makeup combination will make dark skin shine. The UK news source The Guardian reported in January that the U.S. is leading the revolution in African American makeup products, going so far as to call it the "promised land" of dark skin care.

The website AfricanAmericanMakeup.org offered some tips on what to look for when shopping for an ethnic beauty product. First, the site suggested keeping the skin's undertones in mind, for example if a person has cool undertones than they can wear eye shadows that have shades of blue in them.

Next, the makeup news source recommended that African American women use bronzer instead of blush to add a hint of color to the skin. While some companies sell blush that can work for darker skin tones, bronzers may be the best bet for ethnic women.

Finally, the site reminded women to speak up if they are unsure of which product to choose. Salespeople in makeup departments are there to help guide women in making the decision of what cosmetics will look best on them.

How and when to update the old makeup bag

When women find that perfect African American skin care product, they want to hang on to it for as long as possible. There's nothing wrong with being loyal to a particular brand, but it's important to to keep makeup looks updated with current trends.

Recently, the website InquirerLifestyle spoke to cosmetcs expert Luc Bouchard on ways to spice up makeup. First, the cosmetics artist suggested choosing a liquid foundation and putting some of it on a small plate. Then, take a moisturizer and mix it in with the foundation to help makeup look smooth and keep it from drying out the skin.

Next, the expert recommended using spot concealers to cover up blemishes and to not be afraid to go bold with lipstick choice.

"Bold lipstick can be magenta or a red orange, something you can use every day. I would probably go with a satiny-matte finish - more on the matte side than the glossy side," said Bouchard, quoted by the website.

The beauty website 101BeautySalon also offered tips on how to update cosmetics. They reminded readers that makeup has a shelf life, and that foundation should be thrown out after a year, mascara after six months and eye shadow and lipstick after two to three years.