#FaceFlawlessFacial: At-Home Facial Featuring Black-owned Skincare Brands
Last week during our #FaceFlawlessFacial, we were asked if we had a curated list of black-owned skincare brands that we support. Though we have featured and mentioned black-owned brands during every at-home facial so far, we have not focused exclusively on our melanin-rich product manufacturers. Today that changes.
CHRISTENE’S AT-HOME FACIAL ROUTINE AND PRODUCTS USED
I was wearing a little makeup today, so I started with Absolute Joi Moringa Cleansing Oil. It's a simple yet effective cleansing oil the loosens makeup, dirt, and sunscreen and emulsifies with water for a clean rinse. This brand has a full line of cleanser and other skincare products.
I once again followed up with the Marla Rene Honey Cleanser, I just love the consistency of this Raw Honey Cleanser. It always leaves my face clean and fresh without feeling stripped. Other great options from Black-owned brands for the double cleanse is the Matrescence Rose Glow Purifying Cleanser and Eve Milan Gentle Cleanser Gel.
The next step is steam, steam, steam! If you've been following along, you know I do it all for this step. Steam helps to cleanse and detox pores. Also, everything you apply after steaming is just that much more effective. You can use an electric steamer like this one, or use a bowl of water of hot water. The end result is the same.
If you haven't already gotten a skin scrubber, you are missing out! It's a quick, easy, and no-irritating, and relatively inexpensive way to lift surface impurities and do a mild, gentle extraction. Before using the skin scrubber, I spritzed my face with the Marie Hunter Green Tea Toner. It's a nourishing facial toner that contains Aloe, green tea, and niacinamide (Vitamin B3). Though I'm going to follow with a clay mask, I felt the toner was an excellent addition before the skin scrubber. I have to keep my face moist during use, and it's better to do it with something nourishing. (Spoiler: I'll tone again later — too much is never enough :))
My face is clean, and my extractions are done. The next step is to balance out the oiliness of my t-zone. For that, I turned to the Sun Meets Moon Earth Mud. Featured ingredients are kaolin clay, Dead Sea salt, and 50 mg of CBD Oil. The airless jar pump packaging of the mask makes it super easy to use without contamination. Don't feel pressure to apply a mask to your entire face. I'm oiliest in my T-zone, so that is where I applied the mask. You can follow that same logic for any mask you apply — use it where you need it.
Hyper Clear — a Vitamin C serum from Hyper Skin
After the mud mask, I revisited the Marie Hunter Green Tea Mist, spritzed all over my face, and pressed it into my skin for a few minutes. It was then time for a serum. I reached for Hyper Clear — a Vitamin C serum from Hyper Skin to help brighten and even skin tone and texture. The featured form of Vitamin C is Hyper Clear is 3-o-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid. It is an Ascorbic Acid derivative that is proven to be more stable and less irritating to the skin. It's a water-based formula that also contains kojic acid to help to refine skin. If you have found Vitamin C formulas to be irritating in the past, Hyper Skin Hyper Clear is a good one to try.
After pressing in my Hyper Clear serum, I used two small drops of Chloe and Chad Unscented Face Serum — a 100% Natural blend of oils. It contains Camellia, jojoba, oat, carrot, and rice bran oils. I have oily skin, and I never shy away from a face oil. I warmed a couple of drops in my palms and pressed into my skin.
Lana Ogilvie Retouch Eye Cream
My final step was eye cream -- for this step, I reach for the Lana Ogilvie Retouch Eye Cream. The first thing I have to note here is that it doesn't irritate my eyes, which is more than I can say for a lot of eye creams. Retouch provides excellent hydration for the under-eye area through the use of Aloe, hyaluronic acid, and more. It also contains a bit of retinol, that over time, will help to soften the look of fine lines, giving the under-eye area a refreshed look. See a complete review here.
FELICIA’S AT-HOME FACIAL ROUTINE AND PRODUCTS USED
My first step is to loosen dead skin cells with Very Pretty Skin Glycolic Resurfacing Milk Facial Wash. It's great at exfoliating the skin and refining clogged or enlarged pores. Massage for up to 3 minutes and then follow up with a slightly more manual exfoliant - Very Pretty Skin Microdermabrasion Foaming Face Polisher. It contains exfoliating micro-crystals that gently resurface and polish the skin. You only need to massage in circular motions for about 1-3 minutes to give skin a good buffing.
BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refine
Next, to brighten the skin, apply Lue by Jean Seo ERASE. This cleansing, exfoliating and brightening powder turns into a paste when activated with a few drops of water. Once the mask dries to the skin, begin steaming the face to remove. This helps to further enhance the exfoliation process and brighten the skin.
To hydrate and give the skin some bounce, follow with LAPCOS AQUA HYDRATING DAILY SKIN MASK. Packed with skin-loving ingredients like Plankton extract, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, this quick fix sheet mask gives up the glow in about 15 minutes.
Double down on the bright with BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner. This 20% Vitamin C serum is formulated to improve skin's radiance, texture, and restore loss of firmness. This patented formula has a silicone base and contains 20% L-Ascorbic Acid, the most potent form of Vitamin C used in skincare. The lightweight water-free gel-cream goes on the skin with a slightly powdery feel.
Seal the deal with Lana Ogilvie Renew Face Oil. It’s loaded with essential omega fatty acids and antioxidants to help fight free radical damage while nourishing and protect your skin. It really sinks in and locks in moisture.
If you have a few minutes more to give, improve the skin's circulation with the Pause Well Aging Fascia Stimulating Tool (Code: PausewithFelicia to save 20%. Not a Black-owned brand.)
Take a step back and marvel at your gorgeous, glossy skin.
Recommended Sunscreens from Black-owned Brands
Bolden Skin Brightening Facial Moisturizer with SPF 30