All sorts of information are now on the internet and to be honest, I was really skeptical about posting this article. When it comes to skin care, one has to be very careful because In our world of today technology is much advanced and what works for A might not necessarily work for B. There’s also a lot of confusion since different people are saying different things about it.
Before, I didn’t know anything like skin care routine existed until i had a break out. It was a very challenging moment for me. Luckily, I met this amazing lady, Massi Martha and she opened my eyes to see the realities of skin challenges and how they can be treated. She actually made me to understand that a girl can glow naturally without having to wear make up all the times. So I used the tips from her Youtube channel at Massi beauty pageant coupled with others and after a hard struggle, I came up with a routine that works for me.
I’ve noticed so many people, both male and female with skin challenges and in search of solutions but though there are so many controversies concerning this topic, nonetheless, I wish to share on how I had my breakthrough from my breakout because if it worked for me, it might as well work for someone else. I pray that this hopefully will work for you too.
1) jojoba oil
While I was looking for a very simple skin care
routine, I watched a video on Youtube in which a 60 year old Japanese woman
looked as young as her 40-year old daughter. Her routine was as basic as this;
At night,
Wash face with lukewarm water
Rub with soap (any soap will do)
Rinse with lukewarm water and then fresh water
Apply jojoba oil on face in a gentle circular motion from inside to outside
In the morning,
Wash and rinse face with lukewarm water and then fresh water without applying soap.
Apply jojoba oil.
Jojoba oil is anti-ageing natural oil. It helps in the synthesis of collagen (collagen levels decrease as age increases). Recently, I learnt that this oil is similar to the oil produced naturally by the body and so when applied on the skin prevents the body from producing more oils. This keeps the skin from looking oily and helps prevent acne caused by clogged pores.
My mum used it and after 2 days, the results were so evident. You don’t
have to use your body lotion on your face.
My only problem with jojoba oil is the fact that it’s scarce and found mostly in America. Nevertheless, it is sometimes imported and you can get a bottle for about 10 000 FCFA. It has a lot of benefits aside from skin benefits and in case you come in contact with it, I encourage you to get one for yourself and you won’t regret it.
2) lemon
After cleansing, sometimes instead of using jojoba oil, I used lemon. All I did was cut out a small piece of lemon, squeezed out the juice on my face and rubbed it in a gentle circular motion before sleeping and washed it off when I woke up in the morning. I did that at least 3 times a week.
Lemon has antibacterial and antifungal properties and so it helps treat acne and clear dark spots but keep in mind that it is acidic and so might irritate your face.
3) honey
Honey has good moisturizing effects and that I can testify. When I noticed my face was getting too dry (especially as the pimples was drying off), I would rub one teaspoon of honey in same gentle circular motion and allow for an hour then wash it off. The feeling I got afterwards was always so rewarding and my face always felt smooth immediately. I did that twice a week.
Honey hydrates the skin, leaving it smooth, soft and glowing. It also has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. You should try it! At least I’ve never heard of its side effects that’s if at all it has.
4) apple cider vinegar (ACV)
Apple cider is a good toner and protects the skin from bacteria and other impurities. Care should be taken when using it especially for very sensitive skin.
Usually I put a little quantity on a
cotton pad and apply to my face and allow for 30 minutes before washing it off
but if you have very sensitive skin, then you can dilute in water first before
applying to your face.
ACV is a wonder and it can turn your ‘skin care routine life’ around. The glow is undeniable. It makes your face to be as smooth as that of a baby and it makes your skin color shine brighter altering it, if you understand what I mean. ACV is sold in most supermarkets. You can get a bottle for at least 3000 FCFA.
5) honey, bicarbonate and apple cider vinegar
This
is kind of a whole package and a very effective one. To me, it’s like
moisturizing, exfoliating, and toning at same time instead of doing it one
after the other.
In a small bowl, add a teaspoon of each
Mix till it becomes homogenous
Rub the mixture on your face then wash it off after an
hour
Bicarbonate is a good exfoliator but despite its well-known advantages like removing dead skin cells, its alkaline nature tampers with the skin’s pH. Naturally the skin is acidic so that it can destroy harmful bacteria. Just a small quantity (not more than a teaspoon) should be used and it shouldn’t be allowed on the face for too long. Your face might feel dry after washing off and so, you might want to moisturize afterwards.
Like I said in a previous article, the key to consistency in a skin care routine is simplicity and determination. I wanted it simple so I went for natural products and I got amazing results. I’ve been slag on my routine for a few months for reasons beyond my control but with this harsh dry weather conditions, I’ve decided to be more serious about it and so I’m very open to suggestions. To all those who have ever complimented my skin color, now you know my secret (laughs) and i hope this helps.
Most women grew up knowing that feminine hygiene simply means bathing regularly and cleaning up well after using the loo! But there’s more to it than that because feminine hygiene involves everything related to womanhood with the aim of maintaining health and preventing diseases through cleanliness.
Read on if you will like to level up your feminine hygiene so as to not only be fresh down there but also clean and healthy every where.
Why is it important to maintain a good feminine hygiene?
Boost self confidence and self esteem
Better relationship with self and others: No one wants to hang around someone who is always dirty and smells bad.
Save money that would have been spent on treating diseases
Improve productivity
Gain self respect from maintaining a good feminine hygiene
Care of the environment to maintain good feminine hygiene
Tidy room:Make your bed everyday. Change bed sheets as often as possible to prevent skin rash and body odor.
Clean toilet: Ensure the toilet is always clean. Make sure to keep the toilet floor dry especially if you stoop to wash your vulva. Bathing in a dirty toilet increases risk of infection as dirty water can splash into your vulva.
Keep kitchen sink neat.
Personal Hygiene
Oral hygiene
There’s nothing as awful as speaking with someone who has a bad breathe. Imagine a pretty girl all dressed up, make up on fleek but the moment she says ” hello ” you feel like collapsing! So its important to brush up at least twice a day ensuring that your toothpaste contains fluoride. You can also use a mouth wash within the day just to have a fresh breathe especially if you’ve been silent for a long period of time. The tongue also harbors a lot of bacteria so you need to brush your tongue too. Some tooth brushes have a part designed for the tongue specially. Some people advice that the mouth shouldn’t be rinsed immediately after brushing so as to give time for the toothpaste to act.
Hair
Keep your hair clean! Remember, the glory of a woman is in her hair! Wash your hair regularly, not too often though so as to prevent dryness. Wash your hair nets regularly especially the black nets ladies! It doesn’t show dirt but it smells. You wouldn’t like to pass by someone and there’s a stench from your hair.
Nose and ears
Ensure your nostrils are always dry. It’s embarrassing talking to someone and you can see catarrh in the person’s nose. If you have a cold you can either stay at home and keep warm or if you must go out have something handy to clean your nose.
Interestingly, our ears clean themselves. The wax that comes out of the ear is actually the ear cleaning itself. So you can actually just use a towel to clean the wax that is sticking out, clean the ear lobe and also the back of the ear. Avoid putting sharp objects into your ear.
Toes and nails
Keep your nails short and clean. Long nails can easily harbor dirt so if you have artificial nails make sure to clean them regularly. Wash and dry toes properly. Wet toes in shoes smell. You don’t want to be all dressed up with a stench.
Armpit
This is one part of the body which can have odor. It’s important to wash the armpit every day. Keeping hair in the armpit is controversial as some people especially those in the fashion world say it is a sign of confidence. But hair in the armpit can easily trap dirt and so it’s safer to shave. You can either wax or use shaving cream or shaving bic whichever works best for you. For some people, shaving bic gives them bumps or dark spots. If you have body odor, you can use lime or lemon to wash armpit when bathing. Also, the use of roll-ons and deodorants is recommended.
General bathing tips
Use a sponge or face towel and scrub your body well. Use good soap when bathing while paying attention to folds especially for thick ladies as dirt can easily hide there like beneath breast. Also clean navel and in between buttocks. Dirt easily hides there. Don’t forget to scrub your back. Some people have acne there due to hormonal changes whereas others is due to the fact that they don’t clean their backs well.
Care of underwears
Wash your panties and bras regularly. Sadly, most of us women wash our black bras only when it starts smelling. Let’s repent please. You can wear twice then wash but make sure to air it outside even if you are not washing it.
Wash pants regularly. For us ladies, it’s even recommended to change our panties twice a day. Cotton pants are better because they are breathable. Ironing pants can also help kill germs. After washing, dry pants where they won’t easily fall and pick up germs. Avoid using harsh detergents to wash underwears like bleach. Bleach actually stains pants more and increases the elasticity. The safest way to wash pants is to wash in hot water.
Care of the vulva in maintaining good feminine hygiene
Let’s go deeper!
Yea, it’s actually care of the vulvar and not vagina. What most people call vagina is actually the vulva. The vagina is actually inside and can’t be seen while the vulva is the external part that contains the inner and outer vaginal lips and the clitoris. Click here to learn more about vulva.
The vagina is auto clean. So you don’t have to use soaps, fragrances or whatever to clean it. You don’t also have to send your hand inside to clean, so no douching. As this causes more harm than good.
To shave vulva hair, you can use a clean scizzors to trim. This is comfortable as it doesn’t leave bumps or irritations but ensure the scizzors is clean and sharp. Don’t trim too much because the hair there prevents bacteria from entering vulva.
Few tips for vulva vare
Wash twice daily
Sleep without pants ( allow your vulva to breathe. This is the only chance she has to take air!)
Wear free cotton pants
Avoid tight trousers as it easily traps sweat
Avoid using soaps and scented products to clean vulva
Clean after toilet from front to back to avoid transferring germs from anus to vagina opening.
Whether you pee or poo, you can wash up if you are home while making sure that your hands are clean.
If you are the type who discharges everyday, you can use panty liners to avoid smells and stains on your pants.
Vaginal discharges can be normal as well as abnormal. It is important that you take note of when you normally have discharges. Some women have them everyday while others have them at some particular points in their menstrual cycle like during ovulation or after period. Normal discharge is either white or creamy and non offensive. So if you if you notice a discharge out of the norm or associated with other symptoms like itches, please see a doctor.
Hall mark of feminine hygiene- menstrual hygiene!
There are different products we can use during our periods: tampons, sanitary towels, menstrual cups, reusable pads, disposable pads etc with the environmental friendly ones being sanitary towels, menstrual cups or reusable pads. Which ever you use, it is important to change them after 2 to 3 hours. When you see that the color of the blood becomes green or black that’s room for bacterial infection and when you sit down bacteria can easily ascend.
During your period you can use particular pants. Should be a little bit fitting to prevent pad from falling.
To calculate your cycle, count the number of days from the first day you see your menses this month to the first day you see your menses next month. You can do that for about 4 months so as to have an average. Also note that a regular cycle means a cycle of averagely 28 days and length of flow of 3 – 7 days. If your cycle isn’t regular, seek medical attention.
Oouuff! I know, too much information to digest. Let’s round up but before we do some last tips,
Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables for better vaginal health
December is here, the last month of the year! Wow, how time flies. Seriously, new year feels just like yesterday but here we are at the end of the year already. So to finish the year strong, I came up with this 30 Days Self-confidence challenge while setting the pace for 2022.
1) Smile at a stranger
I pray you smile from a place of understanding knowing fully well that smiling is powerful especially when the smiles are really genuine
2) List 5 things you love about yourself
No human being can love you better than you love yourself. Find out those things you love about yourself and build on them. This will boost your self confidence tremendously
3) Dance to your favorite song
If like me, you find it hard having favorites, pick any song you really like and just dance. Also, you don’t need to be a pro dancer. Recording yourself is a plus, so you can always rewatch and relive the moment.
4) Give someone a compliment
That feeling of making someone else smile, simply priceless. A random text or call from you just complimenting a friend, colleague or neighbor about how good they are will be amazing. You can boost your self confidence by boosting that of someone else.
5) Prepare your favorite meal
Be it a salad, cocktail, fries, etc it doesn’t have to be complicated. However if you have enough time and resources whatever your favorite meal is, go for it. You might also want to try a new recipe.
6) Don’t talk negatively aboutotherpeoplefor the whole day
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45
You only speak what your heart and mind have harbored for a while. When next a negative thought about someone comes to your mind, replace it immediately with a positive one.
7) Get at least 8 hours of sleep
8) Do something you loved doing as a child
Think about that game you loved so much during childhood…
9) Do a little self care
Try having some ‘you time’ just taking care of yourself. You could do an exercise, get a massage, journal, meditate or just spend time alone with God.
10) Do a social media detox
Taking some time off social media will help you focus on yourself and reconnect with the things that really make you happy.
11) list 3 things you have accomplished
As the year draws to an end, it’s very easy to think about the things you failed to do, but how about you take out time to list the things you’ve accomplished so far? This will definitely boost your self confidence and encourage you not to give up.
12) Say No to something
The strength of your will power is determined by your ability to say NO. You don’t always have to say yes to everything especially if it doesn’t allign with your values, goals and beliefs.
13) Implement a new healthy habit
It has been proven that to develop a new habit, the same thing has to be done consistently for 21 days. So if you start today, by the time the new year begins, it will be part of your lifestyle.
14) Treat yourself out
You don’t always have to wait for someone else to do it and it doesn’t have to be too expensive or extravagant. You could visit a nice garden or your favorite restaurant
15) Practice a power pose
In order to boost and maintain self confidence, you need to have the right posture. There are many power poses, salutation pose, Victory pose and just recently I found out smiling is among too.
16) Do something you’ve never done before
Try a new dish, visit a new place, try a new activity or sport. To begin, start by trying to name one thing you’ve never done then work from there. PS: it should be something good and positive that will make you see life from a new perspective.
17) Put on your favoriteoutfit
There’s always that one dress that once you put on, you feel different and your self confidence is just on another level. How about you wear it today, and of course take a good picture while at it.
18) Say this affirmation 3 times
« I am beautiful, confident and deserving of the best »
Say it first thing in morning before stepping out, say it at random periods of your day, declare it boldly before going to bed.
19) Try something new with your hair
It doesn’t matter if you already have a particular hairstyle right now. Just try to style it in a new way.
20) Describe somethingrandomor weird that brings you joy.
Most at times we have a memory that when we think about, we burst out in laugh. Today, don’t wait for anyone to make you laugh, think about anything weird or random that brings you joy.
21) Buy yourself a gift.
When was the last time you got yourself a gift? Some people will put in so much thought and resources when gifting others but when it comes to themselves, anything goes! It’s December, the last month of the year, try rewarding yourself for the years effort and achievements. It could be anything small but should be meaningful.
22) Stretch
23) Talk to a stranger
I know you probably meet and talk with strangers every day, but today be really intentional about it.
24) Write down 5 things you are gratefulfor
It doesn’t matter how many times things went wrong throughout the year, there are still many things to be grateful for. Think deeply about the things you are grateful for and write them down. An attitude of gratitude is a great recipe for self confidence.
25) Reach out to an old friend
It’s Christmas Day and many people will be expecting wishes and gifts from family and loved ones. How about you surprise an old friend or someone you haven’t talked to in a long while ?
26) List 3 of your strengths
Maximise your strengths…
27) List 3 weaknesses you will work on next year
Minimise your weaknesses! Don’t be that person who always say ‘ that’s just the way I am’ If you can work on it, please do. In order for you to become the best version of yourself, you need to minimise your weaknesses.
28) Do a complete skin care routine and record.
Do you have a skin care routine? What are the components of your skin care routine?
29) List 3 people in your life you are gratefulfor
Earlier on, you listed the things you were grateful for but now, list the 3 people in your life right now that you are grateful for. Once you identify them, why not let them know how much you are grateful for them. Remember, your network is your net worth.
30) Name one thing you like about your body or appearance
Here at Beiblackbeauty our vision is that you be comfortable and confident in your own skin. You are beautiful just the way you are.
Congratulations, if you made it to the end of the challenge. I hope you feel good about yourself and your self confidence has increased.
I remember I used to hate makeup while in secondary school. The best I could do was put lip balm and it always made my face to shine so much so that people will ask if I oiled my face with groundnut oil. Well I’m sure I didn’t do makeup because it wasn’t allowed and I was a good student (as they called me). But when I got to university, things became much different and I got to love it more and more. One thing I realized is once you get so used to it, it becomes difficult to go out a day without wearing it and when you do, you feel less beautiful or unattractive. Having in mind that inner beauty is much more important than outer beauty, your outer appearance still matters a lot. Now you won’t always have the time to wear makeup especially when you’re running late for a class, appointment, interview or even to church. You wouldn’t want to appear shabby or people identifying you as beautiful because of makeup. First and foremost, it’s very important for you to know that you’re beautiful, it’s a fact and you don’t have to prove it to anyone not even yourself. Let it sink right deep into your heart and not your head (LOL) else pride might take over you. Seriously girl, though that long fitting gown looks fabulous on you and those ‘pokello’ shoes that match the dressing not forgetting the long human hair you just got, don’t let these define your beauty because we both know they’re just temporal. Among us girls we know though we fancy them now sooner or later they’ll get old and we won’t be able to wear them. Peter puts it this way, ‘your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:3-4). One question I always ask myself is, do I feel as beautiful with makeup as without? If the answer is no, then I know something is wrong somewhere, maybe I’m no longer taking care of my skin and I’m hiding under the umbrella of makeup. If I were married, I’ll try to find out if my husband finds me attractive whether or not I wear makeup. If not I’ll know that I’m neglecting my skin in certain ways. It’s true makeup is so magical and its effects cannot be over emphasized. If you’re on Instagram you’ll understand what I mean. Makeup enhances your beauty, so should you wear it if you don’t believe you’re beautiful? The thing is, most people use makeup to hide their blemishes and imperfections which doesn’t change the fact that they are there. Rather than trying to hide that acne or rash or pimple, why not try treating it instead. Your skin doesn’t glow? Have you tried a skin care routine or perhaps it’s your body lotion you need to change or even your diet. You can try to hide it but you can’t run away from it. The best thing to do is to fix it. I had my first breakout few months ago and it was so devastating. I literally saw my self-esteem drop to zero level. It was more traumatizing because everyone knew me as the smooth face type so they kept asking questions like, ’what happened?’ which only made me hurt the more. Whenever I got a compliment, I doubted it. Yea, I started doubting my beauty. Seriously the person I saw in the mirror with pimples all over her face wasn’t beautiful. But through prayer and reading the Word, I got my confidence back. It’s then that I learnt about skin care routine, which I had no idea of before. To me, skin care was all about using the right body lotion (the one that won’t change my skin color). Since then, I haven’t had any breakouts because skin care isn’t just a solution to your skin problems but it also helps to prevent them. By skin care I’m talking about cleansing, moisturizing, toning, exfoliating etc. Some of you might be familiar with these already which is great and I just wish to encourage you to keep being consistent and save yourself from future skin issues. If you are serious and have been doing it for a while, the results should be evident already. The key to being consistent is to make it simple and flexible
All the same I still love makeup and wear it occasionally but I always try to keep it simple, don’t get me wrong!
If there’s one thing you should remember after reading this long writing is
You are beautiful and you don’t have to prove that to anyone not even yourself.
Your beauty is irrespective of whether you wear makeup or not.
Do not let your beauty be defined by clothes, makeup, or jewellery, true beauty is within.
You don’t need to look shabby just because you aren’t wearing makeup.
You can look flawless and attractive without makeup too.
Your outer appearance matters too and your natural beauty needs to be maintained.
To do that you need to start a daily skin care routine.
This involves cleansing, moisturizing, toning and exfoliating.
To have results you need to be consistent.
The key to consistency is to make your routine simple and flexible.
To conclude, taking care of your body is a way of honoring and glorifying God because you are His temple. So when next you want to leave your house remember that the king of Glory lives in you.
Thanks for reading through and I hope you found worth in it.
I remember I used to hate makeup while in secondary school. The best I could do was put lip balm and it always made my face to shine so much so that people will ask if I oiled my face with groundnut oil. Well I’m sure I didn’t do makeup because it wasn’t allowed and I was a good student (as they called me). But when I got to university, things became much different and I got to love it more and more. One thing I realized is once you get so used to it, it becomes difficult to go out a day without wearing it and when you do, you feel less beautiful or unattractive. Having in mind that inner beauty is much more important than outer beauty, your outer appearance still matters a lot. Now you won’t always have the time to wear makeup especially when you’re running late for a class, appointment, interview or even to church. You wouldn’t want to appear shabby or people identifying you as beautiful because of makeup. First and foremost, it’s very important for you to know that you’re beautiful, it’s a fact and you don’t have to prove it to anyone not even yourself. Let it sink right deep into your heart and not your head (LOL) else pride might take over you. Seriously girl, though that long fitting gown looks fabulous on you and those ‘pokello’ shoes that match the dressing not forgetting the long human hair you just got, don’t let these define your beauty because we both know they’re just temporal. Among us girls we know though we fancy them now sooner or later they’ll get old and we won’t be able to wear them. Peter puts it this way, ‘your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:3-4). One question I always ask myself is, do I feel as beautiful with makeup as without? If the answer is no, then I know something is wrong somewhere, maybe I’m no longer taking care of my skin and I’m hiding under the umbrella of makeup. If I were married, I’ll try to find out if my husband finds me attractive whether or not I wear makeup. If not I’ll know that I’m neglecting my skin in certain ways. It’s true makeup is so magical and its effects cannot be over emphasized. If you’re on Instagram you’ll understand what I mean. Makeup enhances your beauty, so should you wear it if you don’t believe you’re beautiful? The thing is, most people use makeup to hide their blemishes and imperfections which doesn’t change the fact that they are there. Rather than trying to hide that acne or rash or pimple, why not try treating it instead. Your skin doesn’t glow? Have you tried a skin care routine or perhaps it’s your body lotion you need to change or even your diet. You can try to hide it but you can’t run away from it. The best thing to do is to fix it. I had my first breakout few months ago and it was so devastating. I literally saw my self-esteem drop to zero level. It was more traumatizing because everyone knew me as the smooth face type so they kept asking questions like, ’what happened?’ which only made me hurt the more. Whenever I got a compliment, I doubted it. Yea, I started doubting my beauty. Seriously the person I saw in the mirror with pimples all over her face wasn’t beautiful. But through prayer and reading the Word, I got my confidence back. It’s then that I learnt about skin care routine, which I had no idea of before. To me, skin care was all about using the right body lotion (the one that won’t change my skin color). Since then, I haven’t had any breakouts because skin care isn’t just a solution to your skin problems but it also helps to prevent them. By skin care I’m talking about cleansing, moisturizing, toning, exfoliating etc. Some of you might be familiar with these already which is great and I just wish to encourage you to keep being consistent and save yourself from future skin issues. If you are serious and have been doing it for a while, the results should be evident already. The key to being consistent is to make it simple and flexible
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