We now live in a world in which looking younger for longer is one of the main reasons for taking care of yourself and your skin. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll flip through a magazine or watch a television show without coming across an advert for an anti-ageing product. Not only this, but 9 times out of 10 it’ll be a Caucasian woman singing praises about the product and about how fine lines and wrinkles can be eliminated by using these products.

Now, as a black woman you may be left wondering – if black don’t crack, do I need to use anti-ageing products? They say, “prevention is better than cure” and with Caucasian skin, the recommended age to begin using anti-ageing products is from 30 years of age. Black women seem not to need to worry about anti-ageing creams until they are in their 40s… or is this true?

Let’s understand a few facts about black skin first. It is important to note that African skin contains more melanin and so has up to 4 times more protection from the ageing effects of the sun. However, Black skin can be very dry and is therefore vulnerable to looking older and unhealthy.

Despite black not ‘’cracking’’ it does give into gravity and begin to sag because of a reduction in collagen production. This is why you need to keep your skin moisturised and protected from the sun from an early age. This will help to delay the ageing process. Also, a good anti-ageing cream will help you keep your skin looking firmer and smoother for longer.

So now we can see that African skin is just as vulnerable to ageing as white skin, but in a different way…

• Protect your skin from the sun (even though you are less vulnerable to its damaging effect).
• Take advantage of skin care products that provide sun protection such as a day cream, foundation or BB cream with an SPF of 15 and more.
• Make sure that your skin care products have moisturising properties. This will help keep your skin looking plump and with a healthy glow.
• Remember to follow the tried and tested advice about drinking a lot of water, eating healthy and exercising, because it really does work.

However, it’s obviously up to you to decide when and if you‘ll be using anti-ageing products and when to start. Each person’s skin is different and having beautiful skin can boost your self-confidence. If you feel your skin could use a bit of help from an anti-ageing eye serum or an age-defying foundation, then go for it.

Browse anti-ageing cream product reviews here.

Artcile by Sharon Kariwo