The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

A PERSON’s face is the first part of the body that is seen when interacting with others. Therefore, taking care of the skin on a daily basis is important, as it serves as a major physical attribute, said local esthetician.

Tiffany Dickenson, an esthetician at Bella Mente Spa and Salon, said her goal is to educate as many black women and men as possible about skin care. She said she also aims to help break some of the myths in regards to skin care, such as “dark skinned people do not need sunscreen.”

Tiffany said this misconception that dark skinned people should not use sun screen or a sun block to protect their skin is a major issue that has persisted for many years.

“This is something that I hear most often and it is very untrue because sunscreen helps the skin, no matter the colour,to be even-toned when you do tan in the sun. It helps to prevent deep lines in the skin and all the discolouration that women tend to try to bleach away. And if they wear the sun screen on a daily basis, they would have less of the bleaching to do,” said Tiffany.

She said sunscreen helps in preventing skin cancers, as well as hyper pigmentation which is also known as uneven skin tones. “It also prevents leathery skin, where you would see some people with the thick layer of skin in certain areas,” she said.

A person with leathery or dry skin tends to look much older than they actually are, according to some health specialists. According to the Discovery Fit and Health Section on Howstuffworks.com, keeping your skin smooth and vibrant is not necessarily easy, as it takes time and money. However, it usually pays for itself in the long run.

“If you’ve ever been outside for a long time on a windy day, you know that your skin feels dry and tight when you finally retreat indoors. Similarly, prolonged sun exposure can also burn your skin. Everything from the climate you live in to the amount of pollution in the atmosphere around you can have an adverse affect on your skin texture,” the website stated.

Tiffany said leathery skin appears over time due to repeated sun damage and lack of exfoliation. “Exfoliating and sun-screening would be two of the best things we can do to our skin,” she said.

“Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, leaving the skin smooth. No matter the season, exfoliation of the skin from head to toe, will get a person glowing,” states the beauty section of SheKnows.com.

“I think a lady should exfoliate at least three times a week with a scrub, but it really does depend on your skin. We have some people that have normal skin and they do not need the scrub. There is a such thing as over exfoliation,” said Tiffany.

The worst things a woman can do to her skin other than not using sunscreen is using a razor on the face and also going to sleep with make-up on.

“First of all, before women put on their make-up, they should apply a moisturizer to make sure that the skin does not get clogged by the make-up products. If you were to go to bed at night leaving all that make-up on your face, the skin is not able to breathe with the foundation, concealer and face powder. Those are three layers of products that are blocking the skin from being able to breathe through the night,” said Tiffany.

At this point, Tiffany said she would advise a woman to apply a night cream, and allow it to work and rejuvenate the skin for the eight hours that she sleeps.

“A lot of our women in the Bahamas are at the forefront of important jobs nowadays and we want to portray a well groomed look. Taking care of your face and getting regular exfoliation, getting rid of congestion in terms of pimples, black and white heads, it all gives you a more smooth appearance,” said Tiffany.

She said a few basic products that every woman needs when it comes to taking care of her skin are: a cleaner, toner, a mask and moisturizer with sunscreen.

“It takes three months for every skin care regimen to really work with the skin’s composition. So if it is working for you then you should continue on with the regimen. After three months, that is when you should evaluate if something is working for you or not,” said Tiffany.