Darrell Johnson

Posted on September 01 2017

Did you know we all have different skin types? Do you know your skin type? There are five common skin types, each with different characteristics. Understanding the differences and knowing your skin type is key in determining the right beauty routines for cultivating the healthiest and most natural skin care. Keep reading as we delve deeper into each type and hopefully help you discover your skin type or learn more about your type and how shea butter and african black soap can do wonders for you!

Skin type 1: Normal skin

This is the cadillac of all skin types....(sking given to the chosen few...hehe (I wish)), and this because it is usually s well hydrated, elastic and supple. Normal skin looks pretty clean and smooth like a peach and has a good circulation and a shiny complexion. All in all, this is the skin with minimal care (a gift from God!)

This skin needs little treatment, but that means a minimum of : cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen.

Shea Butter for Normal Skin

As normal skin is the most problem-free skin, shea butter is one of the best moisturizers for maintaining normal skin and keeping it healthy.

African Black Soap for Normal Skin

Similar to shea butter, african black soap is problem free with african black soap. Use with a moisturizer such as shea butter and it will only help you maintain that beautiful tone and feel.

Skin type 2 : Dry skin

Does your skin ever feel as dry as the desert? No matter how much oil, cream, or lotion applied, it never seems to keep your skin soft or smooth? This may be your skin type. This skin type can look flaky with dry patches. It often feels tight and uncomfortable after washing. Unfortunately dry skin can develop a shallow tone, as it does absorb or reflect light. But wait, there's more....... it is more prone to aging and irritating.. (take a deep breath, we will stop here with all the bad stuff) The light at the end of the tunnel is ...your lovely pores. This is great because pores are invisible. Practicing proper skin care (masks and good moisturizers) can help you fight this dryness and get better hydrated and vibrant skin.

Shea Butter for Dry Skin

Shea butter is a great moisturizer for dry skin, and should be used as needed.

African Black Soap for Dry Skin

Start by using black soap once a week to see how it affects your skin. It is recommended to use a moisturizer such as shea butter afterward. Increase usage to twice a week and onward if your skin reacts favorably.

Skin type 3 : Oily skin

Oily skin is the shiniest skin of all. And there is much debate around whether or not this is a good or bad thing. On the worst end of the spectrum, the skin usually looks greasy, thick and coarse. Pores are usually pretty enlarged and do tend to break into acne. However, on the positive side of the spectrum oily skin is not as prone to premature aging and wrinkling as the other types. That means, your thirties-forties should be much more fun than your teenage years. Oily skin needs to be gently cleaned everyday with a good cleanser. You don't want to use harsh products that strip your skin of oil, because it will simply make matters worse, which is what you definitely want to avoid.

Shea Butter for Oily Skin

Many people think that because they have oily skin, they need to avoid other oils at all costs. The popular yet outdated mode of thinking is that more oil will make your already oily skin break out. And while this is true of some oils, it is not true of all of them. At the end of the day, what will determine whether or not someone breaks out from putting a carrier oil on their face is the comedogenic tendencies of the oil. If an oil is comedogenic, it means that it clogs the pores. Different oils have different comedogenic ratings. If you are worried about your pores getting clogged from applying plant oils to your face, look to carrier oils and butters that have a comedogenic rating of 0, like raw African Shea butter. Shea butter is unique in that it is one of the very few plant oils with a comedogenic rating of 0.

African Black Soap for Oily Skin

African black soap is great for oily and acne prone skin. It’s efficient for deep pore cleansing because of its natural exfoliating qualities. For some oily skin types it seems to keep the skin hydrated without increasing oil.

Even if you have oily skin you should moisturize afterwards with a moisturizer like shea butter or lotion.

Skin type 4 : Combination skin

Combination skin is a mix of two worlds, kind of. Having both is a combination of oily and dry at the same time. Unfortunately, this is probably the trickiest skin. It's like having patches of dry skin (usually the cheeks) and patches of oily skin (the famous T-Zone forehead / nose / chin ). Which typically means, having to use specific types of care for these specific facial areas. Dry zones (near the cheeks and eyes) are usually treated with rich creams while oily areas will require a lighter textured treatment. A healthy balance is the key to managing this skin type.

Shea Butter for Combination Skin

Shea butter is great for combination skin and can help create that much needed balance in combination skin care.

African Black Soap for Combination Skin

Since combination skin has characteristics of dry and oily skin, you may notice dry patches after use outside of the T-zone (i'm in this boat). Use shea butter or another moisturizer on dry parts, or all over to keep skin moisturized.

Skin type 5 : Sensitive skin

We can't really say it is a true skin type, solely. Over the last decade, the sensitive skin type has been researched and talked about in greater detail. Studies reveal that sensitive skin can be due to our modern way of life: such as, poor diet and nutrition, pollutants in the air and toxic irritants from certain perfumes,cosmetics, etc. These factors often trigger sensitivity.

Sensitive skin is thin or can be finely textured, with dry patches. In fact, dry and sensitive are often found in the same category to describe the same skin.

This is typically what we call a delicate skin that flushes easily from temperature changes, that burns easily (sun exposure) and is prone to irritation and allergic reactions.

As you can imagine, this sensitivity means you should avoid products with perfumes, dyes, or most chemicals.

Shea Butter for Sensitive Skin

Test how the shea butter reacts to your skin by using a little on a small part of the skin. If your skin reacts favorably, increase as needed.

African Black Soap for Sensitive Skin

Similar to shea butter, start by using once a week on a small part of the skin to test how your skin reacts. If it reacts favorably, increase the area of usage, and gradually increase to twice a week and more as needed.

Reactions to African Black Soap or Shea Butter

If you break out in a rash or contact dermatitis discontinue use and consult your dermatologist.

If you are latex-allergic you could have latex fruit syndrome and could have a reaction the plantain ash in black soap, as well as palm and coconut oil.

If you have a chocolate allergy or are sensitive to caffeine, also be aware that there could be a high concentration of cocoa pods (which make the ash) used in the soap.

We hope you learned something new and found this our content interesting. The most important take away is that if you are interested in healthy, natural hair and skin care you can achieve it. In addition to informing you about the benefits of knowing your skin type, we also offer products that can help you have the soft, smooth skin you've always wanted.