The right care for black skin
Aesthetician Dija Ayodele tells Prudence Wade why the time is right for her book Black Skin: The Definitive Skincare Guide
Although things are slowly improving, black skin has historically been something of an afterthought in the beauty industry.
This is something aesthetician Dija Ayodele has spent her whole career battling, and now she’s written Black Skin: The Definitive Skincare guide.
Even though there would have been a place for a book like this years ago, Dija admits: “I think the reception is better now. As a society as a whole, regardless of our nationalities and ethnicities, I think we’re much more accepting of the inequalities and imbalances there have been in the past, and we’re much more willing to work towards solving those inequalities.”
She credits the Black lives Matter movement for helping move these conversations forward, saying: “Now is the right time [for this book] – if you don’t do things like this now, they’ll never get done.”
It’s an extensive handbook on everything you need to know about black skin, from potential issues to the best treatments – along with plenty of historical context explaining why black skin has been left out of the conversation for so long.
“For me, it was very important to place this context, because I also want the book to be an educational tool,” she explains, noting how black skin hasn’t historically been included in magazine spreads or beauty contests.
“If black women don’t feature in them, then the unheard or unspoken assumption is that black women aren’t beautiful.”
A lack of information and education means myths around black skin have flourished. The worst one? “That black skin doesn’t need SPF,” Dija says with a groan – particularly as it’s prone to hyperpigmentation, and “by forgoing your SPF, you are fuelling that cycle of discoloration”, she adds.
Another major myth is black skin can’t use certain treatments – such as chemical peels or lasers – or ingredients like hydroquinone.
“All of that is due to a lack of education,” Dija says. “The real truth of the matter is people should wear SPF, lasers are suitable for black skin (depending on which one you’re using), chemical peels are fine for black skin (depending on what you’re doing) and hydroquinone is also fine for black skin – if you’re using it under medical supervision.”
The importance of improving knowledge around black skin can’t be understated.
Dija draws the link between self-esteem and skin, saying she wants society to get to a place where happy skin is valued – rather than unrealistically flawless skin. “Because you have melanin, the door is always open for you to have blemishes on the skin – when you have an injury, cut, acne or eczema, melanin is going to flood that area and make the skin look discoloured.
“That’s the natural physiological make-up of black skin. So, happy skin is someone who accepts that’s how the skin works” – rather than chasing flawless skin through countless treatments and products.