Are You "A Jiggaboo or a Wannabe"

Are we really still stuck on this concept?  I was gonna start this blog with a rant about weave wearing sistas.  Not that I have a personal issue with it, I was just so frustrated this week after having yet another one of my customers come in distraught about her hair loss…a problem acerbated by wearing weave (though she blames stress and everything else); everything but the weave even though I am looking at damage right where the weave was attached.  And it got me to thinking, why are so many black women still wearing it.  Just what is wrong with our own hair?  Sure, not everyone can grow long hair, but I remember sistas rocking some gorgeous haircuts.  I know I know, I am totally off the subject of skin, but it is still about beauty--black beauty.

So, I have noted that a good 50% -60% of my customers consistently wear weave and probably 90% has worn it at some point or another.  Why do they wear it?  Well, I’m not shy about asking.  So I did.  A good portion responded that they were trying to let their hair grow or was giving their hair a rest so that it can become healthy.  Well, we are all adults…reason it however you like.  But every time someone I know (and I do mean every time) has worn weave to let their hair grow, it resulted in some damage and sometimes hair loss.  But for some reason they tell me “Well, there was going to be some damage because of how long it’s been braided”.  Isn’t that contradictory?  Wasn’t the point supposed to be growing it?  Healthier hair?  So, is it really about hair growth and health?  How many of you know women who have complained about their hair being unhealthy, damaged, thinner, etc.  Do they wear weave?  Do they in anyway blame the weave?

Our hair, our nose, our lips.  In this industry, makeup artist learn to contour our noses to look thinner, they put weave in our hair to make it longer and shinier, they tell us that if your lips are too full, don’t wear color lipstick it draws too much attention to them or put the lip liner up higher to give the appearance of thinner lips. (Meanwhile women of Anglo descent add lip plumpers and fat to make their lips larger…hmmm.)  Why is this trait not appreciated when seen on Black women?  We are who we are, Black women, with unique features and beauty.   How can the media embrace this if we don’t?  Is the only measure of beauty Anglo?  Maybe it’s because I’m in this industry that I can see beauty in all my customers.  Each one has their own unique look and something attractive can be found in all of them.  Granted, it’s not just a black women’s issue with tearing ourselves apart (I’m guilty too.  When I look in the mirror, I can point out a thousand perceived flaws with my body.) but, for black women, I think it is doubly worse because we can never make our features smaller,  narrower, our hair longer, shinier, our skin lighter and unfortunately…our beauty isn’t celebrated.  When will our beauty be celebrated?  When will our beauty become the standard by which all other beauty is measured?  Maybe it starts with us… teaching that appreciation in our communities…in our homes…to our sons and daughters.  Teaching them that what they have IS GOOD ENOUGH...it is more than good enough...IT IS DESIREABLE.

Please, pipe in with your thoughts on my blog.  I won’t take offense to those who disagree with my views.  I think discussion is healthy and necessary.

And forward this to your friends and family.

The Scoop on Lighteners/Whiteners and Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone is probably the most commonly used lightening agent and the only FDA approved bleaching agent.  When purchased over the counter, 2% is the maximum concentration while 4% is the standard for topical prescriptions.  But, there are concerns regarding it.  Studies suggest that hydroquinone can cause an adverse reaction called ochronosis, which is a darkening of the treated area, even at concentrations as low as 2 percent.  This buildup of blue-black pigment is most common in darker skin types, such as those of Asian, Hispanic and African descent.  It often results from sun exposure during hydroquinone use.  Some studies have asserted that there's a link between ochronosis and long-term use of high levels of hydroquinone  as well, though it must be noted that many of these studies come out of South Africa, where hydroquinone has been available over-the-counter in concentrations of more than 5 percent and is often used from head to toe.

I personally,  am not a fan of hydroquinone based skin lighteners which is what you normally get when purchasing over the counter skin lighteners/whiteners and what you always get when using  prescription lighteners.   Although studies frequently site the adverse reaction ochronosis, I have actually only seen that in a patient once…and trust me, it is a really ugly reaction and very difficult and sometimes impossible to correct.  Why am I so against hydroquinone then?  Because I have seen quite often in clients the adverse reaction of hypopigmentation (the removal of pigmentation) resulting in spotty, patchy complexions.  So now a person seeking to eliminate dark spots now has spotty light spots all over their face.  Usually dermatologist will instruct patients to use the lightener just on the dark spot.  This is to avoid the patchiness I’m talking about.  But, how do you spread a gel or cream on a spot without getting any product on the skin outside of that area…and how do you get an overall evening of the complexion if you are spot treating your face?

Because hydroquinone is also a bleaching agent, it can strip the skin of its natural pigmentation (and on top of that, cause a host of other issues when misused and abused).  I hope that is not the objective for which most are using lighteners.  If in fact your goal is to have a smooth even skin tone then look to the new, natural based skin lighteners such as GIVEN’s Clearly Even skin lightener, which are becoming more readily available on the market today.  While definitely more costly to purchase (hydroquinone is an inexpensive chemical to obtain), these skin lighteners are just as effective as hydroquinone, but without the side effects.  They only affect the over production of melanin, i.e. hyperpigmentation, not your natural pigmentation.  And since you are able to apply the product all over the face, you achieve a more uniform result as it can then affect the over production of melanin everywhere, not just in the most visible spots.

Checkout this article published by a doctor for Black Health Matters http://www.blackhealthmatters.com/fa-sept-2007.html.  She sites some eye opening facts and statistics…and I agree with everything she says except  “We must also encourage black people to seek help from a qualified dermatologist for treatment of pigmentary abnormalities, rather than self-medicating with topical bleaching agents obtained from non-medical personnel.” which is a direct quote from her article.  I am non-medical personnel, though I have worked with dermatologists in my field, and I know that hydroquinone is the chemical of choice in prescription lighteners here in the U.S....and no matter where a hydroquinone-based lightener is obtained from, the possible side effects do not change.  I always say safer than sorry.  Why take the chance?  Opt for non-hydroquinone-based products.

http://www.givencosmetics.com/

(Women of Color) Is Your Skin Oily or Is it Your Natural Glow?

Ok ladies.  One of the biggest complaints I get from my clients is that their skin is oily.  I have also, noted that I get that complaint more from my browner skin clients than my lighter skin clients.  Many people are not aware that the darker the skin, the more it reflects light.  Yes...that's right...reflect light, not oily shine.  If you have ever seen a body building show, you probably noticed that everyone uses tanners.  That's because their darkened skin will reflect the light more, revealing in finer detail the contours of their bodies.  So, I ask the question, is your skin oily or is it simply reflecting that inherent beautiful glow that darker pigment reveals. 

As an esthetician, people usually come to see me when there are problems with their skin that their home care products or medications have not corrected.  Many of my clients actually caused or excerbated the problems with their skin by trying to address the oil problem that they perceived they had...and so used harsher cleansers, washed more frequently, wiped their faces with alcohol, witch hazel, cleansing toners and astringents, etc. et. etc.  Sound familiar?  The problem with this is that all of those things actually causes the skin to produce more oil.

In trying to strip their skin of oil, what they really accomplished was the stripping of the skins hydration.  The acid mantle of the skin (the mix of oil and water that protects the skin by maintaining an acidic ph balance ranging between 4.5 -  5.5) has to have hydration(water) to maintain the proper balance.  When you disrupt that by stripping the skin of water content, you get skin that feels dryer and rougher, but actually produces more oil.  That oil will often get trapped under the dry, hardened outer surface of skin and now you have the added problem of flaking skin, blackheads, pimples, and darkened areas on the face (most often around the mouth, chin, and jaw area).  STOP THE MADNESS!!!

Embrace your glow...and if your skin really is oily, don't bemoan it so much.  Oilier skin ages slower.  You, my friend, will look countless years younger than your drier skin counterparts at your next class reunion.

So...how do you know if you really have oily skin?  Do you feel oil on your skin within an hour or 2 of washing your face?  Do you have larger and more visible pores?  Then yes.  You probably have oily skin.  However, if you are only oily in the t-zone (forehead, nose, chin), then you have combination skin and you DO NOT want to use all products for oily skin types.

For my truly oily people.  Use Beyond Acne cleanser which is not just for acne clients.  It has more surfactants to cleanse excess oil, but without stripping your skin.  Also, use a lighter oil-free moisturizer like Skin Balancing Lotion, and Moisture Seal hydrating toner to seal in hydration, and always use a good exfoliant to keep those excess layers of skin from building up and trapping oil underneath the skin.  Try Reveal exfoliant. AHA exfoliants are more effective than scrubs.

My combination people have to pay a little more attention.  Your regiment is not always so clear cut.  You may have to experiment a little more.  I have found that Clearly Beautiful cleanser which has fewer surfactants works well for most.  Combine that with Essential Moisture moisturizer and Moisture Seal hydrating toner, and Reveal exfoliant for a good regiment.  Now the difference is you may only need to use the Reveal exfoliant 2-3 times a week.  More may be too drying.  Also, in the summer months, some clients found Essential Moisture to be too heavy and Skin Balancing Lotion to be more suitable.

In ALL cases, however, while you may see some reduction in oil production, realize that science and products cannot undo what God created.  If you are an oily skin type then you will remain just that.  Don't try to dry your skin out...it will not work!   Instead, make use of mattifying powders (GIVEN Porcelain finish) or simply press tissue against the offending oily area to absorb the oil and shine.  And remember...it may not be oil...it may just be your natural beautiful healthy glow. 
www.givencosmetics.com