Those whose heritage hails from Asia, Africa, the Middle East or Latin America may require a customized approach to their hair and skin.
Ethnic hair and skin care is a growing industry. Women and men alike want products and advice better suited to their hair texture and skin.
Some aspects of ethnic hair and skin care, however, are simply good hair and skin care practices.
- Complete wash-out:
Daily shampooing is often too drying for highly textured hair. Switch to a sulfate-free shampoo to help your hair retain moisture. If you have to wash your hair more than twice a week, consider co-washing, which consists of washing the hair with conditioner. - Conditional surrender:
Depending on how frequently you shampoo your hair and how well your hair retains moisture, you may need to deep condition your hair as little as once a month. Or as much as once a week. - Divide and conquer:
Highly textured hair is prone to tangling, especially when wet. Handle hair in sections, and divide the hair into sections for sleep. - Stay in touch with touch-ups:
If your hair is chemically relaxed and you have concerns about your hair’s growth, check the frequency of touch-ups against your length. Your new growth will tell you if your hair is growing. Your length will tell you if breakage is the culprit. - Part with the perm:
If you have thick, straight hair, use product to add volume without curling it. While hair can vary drastically in its needs, skin is often much simpler. Skin tone changes very little about what your skin will need to remain supple and healthy. - We all scream for sunscreen:
While darker skin doesn’t burn as easily, UV rays can still damage your skin long before you get a sunburn. Wear sunscreen daily. - Know the skin you’re in:
If you have Asian, Middle Eastern, or African heritage, you may need gentler products. Or more frequent moisturizing. Frequent blemishes, rough patches, or skin that feels too “tight” are signs that you need moisture. - Everything’s coming up roses:
Check your Middle Eastern grocery store for rose water or orange blossom water. Usually used for gourmet desserts, these serve as a simple complexion mist. They will soothe sensitive skin and when worn under a moisturizer, will help your skin stay supple. - Tone it down:
Darker skin is often uneven in tone. Regular exfoliation can help even this out. But microdermabrasion is even more effective at leaving you with skin that is evenly toned and soft. - Warming up:
Most Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern and African skin tones are warm rather than cool. Keep this in mind when selecting cosmetics, especially blusher.
Ethnic hair and skin care is a growing industry:
New research will help develop best practices for ethnic hair and skin care. For more on helping everyone look their best, fill out our form or click here today.
