Liya Kebede: Model, actress, activist

At the age of 18, Liya Kebede left her home country of Ethiopia for France in hopes of becoming a model. She was immediately recognized by top fashion designers like Tom Ford and since then, she has gone on to explore an acting career and taken on successful ventures as a humanitarian.

Kebede's role in 2006's The Good Shepard led to her being cast in the 2009 film adaptation of Desert Flower as the character Waris Dirie.

In 2005, Kebede was given the opportunity to advocate for maternal, infant and neonatal healthcare as a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Health Organization. Just months later, the multi-talented model began the Liya Kebede Foundation, which raises money for the Durame Hospital in Awassa.

Kebede also supports her native continent with her clothing line called Lemlem, which utilizes the skills of African artisans and aids communities in becoming self-sustaining.

Perhaps because of her glowing ethnic skin, Kebede was recently named a spokesperson for L'Oreal Paris, joining other beauties like Frieda Pinto and Jennifer Lopez.  

FDA rules on sunscreen labeling

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently ruled that a sunscreen must protect against both UVA and UVB rays in order for it to be labeled "broad spectrum." Additionally, such products may also include labels that inform consumers about the cancer-preventing benefits of broad spectrum sunscreen.

Dermatologist Julie Pena said that many people are unaware that UVA rays may be even more dangerous than the sunburn-causing UVB rays, which almost all sunscreens protect from.

“SPF has nothing to do with UVA protection,” said Pena. “UVA does everything bad UVB does and more. It causes skin cancer and aging of the skin.”

Additionally, the FDA proposed a ban on labeling sunscreens as having an SPF of higher than 50, since these products have not been shown to offer any protection.

African American women may have a tendency to forego sunscreen because they feel as though their ethnic skin gives them adequate protection from the sun. While the prevalence of skin cancer in this population is lower than among Caucasians, the disease tends to be more deadly for people with dark skin. Skin care products for black skin that include sun protection may help these individuals to avoid melanoma and other carcinomas.  

Keep skin looking beautiful during pregnancy

Pregnant women often experience feelings of low self-esteem as their bellies grow big and skin issues begin to arise, such as stretch marks, acne, oiliness or melasma.

However, these ladies should know that their round stomachs are beautiful and that the vast majority of skin problems that occur during gestation are temporary and treatable.

Melasma is a skin discoloration that is the result of hormone fluctuations during pregnancy, and can be more pronounced in African American women. It almost always disappears after giving birth and is easily treated with skin care products for black women. Such creams are meant to even out skin tone and help dark spots on black skin disappear.

To prevent oiliness or acne, choose a skin care product that is oil-free and contains natural ingredients to help your complexion stay healthy looking and bright.

Stretch marks may be avoided by keeping the belly and breasts moisturized. Additionally, plenty of water and a nutritious diet have been shown to improve skin elasticity, thereby avoiding excessive marks from stretching.

Pregnant women should always consult with their doctor before using any skin care products that contain active ingredients.  

Sun safety myths exposed

While advice to wear sunscreen has become ubiquitous over the years, confusion and myths about keeping skin safe in the sun remain and may cause some individuals to put themselves at risk of cancer, wrinkles and dark spots on black skin.

Allure and Fitness magazines have busted some of the most prevalent misconceptions about the sun and SPF.

Allure reports that many African American women or individuals with dark, ethnic skin believe that they don't need sunscreen since they don't tend to burn. However, this is untrue. People with darker complexion still experience damage from the sun, and skin cancer has been shown to be less prevalent but more deadly in these populations.

Additionally, the magazine reports that some women believe that foundation helps to protect their skin from the sun. This is not true, and the source recommends wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen beneath makeup.

Fitness magazine reports that 5 to 10 percent of skin cancers occur on the eyelids, so it's important to cover every inch of the body. The source said that individuals should look out for creams with SPF that are specially formulated for the face.