Sustainable and ethical routine for Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition that mainly effects women of color. It is what happens when the skin starts to darken in certain spots but not others, making a distinct look. It is very commonly seen with aging. It can also appear if you suffer from too much sunlight exposure, which can harm your skin. 

There are very few ways in which hyperpigmentation can be addressed, and many companies go about it in quite the wrong way. 

What are some good ways to take care of your skin?

One way that many companies work to help mitigate hyperpigmentation is with whitening creams. Needless to say, these creams have a very negative view in communities of color. Especially for those who have darker skin tones, as whitening creams are marketed as a way to lighten skin tones in order to fit arbitrary “beauty standards.” And I for one am not about that. 

The best thing to do that is healthy and good for the environment is to help learn to accept your skin tone, and to love yourself for who you are. And one of those ways is taking awesome care of your skin in a more natural way. This includes using natural products so you are not bombarding your face with harsh chemicals that are probably just making things worse. 

There are a couple of things you should focus on for treating post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. In short, it’s cleaning your skin, applying proper skincare products and whenever going out, using a suitable sunscreen.
First, here’s a quick explanation of some recommended products. All these products are vegan, cruelty-free and palm oil-free.

Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA:

It’s effective in reducing the visibility of the spot and hyperpigmentation. For maximizing benefit, the concentration of alpha arbutin is increased to 2% compared to the standard 1% concentration.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is highly effective for reducing skin blemishes and congestion. This product contains highly concentrated niacinamide. To balance out the sebum activity, it also features a zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid.If you’re using any other skin care product that contains L-ascorbic acid, then avoid applying both of them together. Instead, use them in alternating times.
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate:

Vitamin C

Is an effective antioxidant that brightens the skin while reducing aging signs. However, when mixed with water, pure vitamin C isn’t stable. As an alternative, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) is derived that’s water-soluble and stable derivative of vitamin C. However, in terms of potency, it’s less potent than L-ascorbic acid.
The product comes in the form of light cream, offering 10% pure MAP.

Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%

Azelaic acid is commonly found in grains. It’s also naturally produced by the yeasts living on the skin. Azelaic acid is known for brightening the skin tone and improving skin texture while reducing blemishes. It’s a good support ingredient that’s compatible with all types of skins. It also works as an antioxidant.
This formula offers azelaic acid in a very high 10% concentration in the form of a lightweight cream-gel system.
All these products sound really nice but what’s the application schedule? I’m glad that you asked. Here’s what I strongly recommend to follow. It’s a two-part routine.

 

AM

• Cleanse the target area. Use eco-friendly soap.
• Apply the following products
• Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA
• Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
• Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10%

PM

• Cleanse the skin with an eco-friendly soap
• Apply the following products
• Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA
• Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
• Azelaic Acid suspension 10%

To prevent further pigmentation, it’s important that the target area doesn’t get exposed to sunlight. If you must go out in the sunlight, apply an appropriate eco-friendly sunscreen.

What are some good zero waste products to use?

There are many zero waste products on the market for skin care, but I mainly wanted to focus on brands created by other women of color. One of the best companies I found was founded by Shilpi Chhotray, who is doing an awesome job when it comes to ocean work. She makes skin creams and facial masks at her shop Samudra Skin & Sea.

Avirida is another company that is well known for selling creams and facial masks that are packaged in bamboo, and easy to compost when you are done with them. A good way to take care of your skin and moisturize while also feeling better about yourself. 

And while not run by a woman of color, Ethique is a woman owned company that specializes in creating package-free shampoo bars and the like. This can be really good if you are tired of dealing with all that plastic. 

Many women with hyperpigmentation might feel as if their blemishes are a slight on their looks. Instead of understanding that this is natural, and they should not need to use harsh chemicals on their faces in order to feel better about themselves. 

 

I think you are all beautiful. And one of the best ways to showcase your beauty is by taking awesome care of your skin, so it radiates.  

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