Various skin problems affect all different ethnicities in different degrees, however, some problems, such as shaving, can be no less than a pain in the butt for African-American men.
But, "Knowledge is Power", and there are a few holistic secrets, mixed in with a little modern science, to tackle some of these things in our grooming routine, as you will soon see.
Guys don't need a lot of stuff……
….but I do think we take our grooming seriously. We all wanna be "GQ Smooth Operators". Stop in at any Black Barber shop, and observe how seriously Brotha's take their haircuts…….
There are some simple DIY things you can do at home to have smoother skin and a better shave, some things you can buy if DIY (do it yourself) is not your thing, both of which I'll cover below.
A "Bio-Chemical" Reason to buy Traditional African Grooming Products.
That's a whole other "long winded", "egghead science", article I'm working on, but the short of it is, African Americans should, in my opinion, should start back taking in [to whatever degree is practical], the traditional foods, skincare, etc, that nature designed in Africa, for our melanated skin…..
…what I mean is, try to start using the African plants that Mother Nature designed for our unique bio-chemistry, speaking of the dominant melanin molecule in Black People, and start to wean off products [and foods] designed specifically for Caucasian, and other bio-chemistries.
30 years of trial and error, but finally, a smooth shave……
…..after torturing myself for decades, trying everything under the sun.
Remember that "Magic Shave"? The hair removal, depilatory cream that felt like you were setting your beard on fire? 🙁
My Pre-Shave, Facial Ritual (Part 1)
I confess, used to "SMH" at my ex-girlfriends with all their "facial rituals", and all their "lotions and potions" cluttering up the bathroom. I guess I'm being a hypocrite……
…though my ritual requires no clutter, and is straight forward, it seems to work wonders for skin, to "prep" the skin for the shave to come in a couple of hours.
When I first wake up…..
I do a quick facial wash with African Black Soap.(you can find it on Amazon) This is where the getting back to the "Bio-Chemical" compatibility between my melanated skin and the skincare products that I "feed it", comes into play. (not all my products are African, just as many as is practical)
…the day begins with this re-uniting of my African Bio-Chemistry with products that nature had originally designed for me, not commercial products designed for Caucasian, or other skin types.
After the quick wash wash, rub face with Black Seed Oil…..
Black Seed Oil is another African product, so revered in Ancient Egypt, that is was found in King Tut's Tomb. Taken internally or externally one of the healthiest superfoods on the planet.
I put a little in my hands and rub all over my face. Since I don't shower or shave for a couple of hours, it sits on my face a while, naturally softening and treating the skin. If you're in a rush, 30 minutes every morning should do. I wash it off in my morning shower…….
My Pre-Shave, Facial Ritual (Part 2)
….is when I'm in the shower, prepping for my shave (I shave in the shower), though this ritual is everyday, even on days I don't shave. (I shave about every other day, to help "rest" the skin)
Basically, this part of the ritual entails a facial exfoliation, using looflah sponges, and a combination of South African Rooibos Red Tea, and various oils, to gently remove dead skin cells, as well as scrub and prep the beard for the coming shave.
My Pre-Shave, Facial Exfoliation Recipe
[Half the Formula is] Rooibos South African Red Tea
….a VERY HEALTHY African Tea, when drinking or using or skin, many health benefits. Rooibos is [in my opinion] designed by nature, to be more compatible with the biochemistry of African peoples that other teas such as green tea. Rooibos has 50x the Antioxidant power of green tea. Though green tea is very healthy, I think African Peoples should drink Rooibos Tea.
[The other half of the formula is a combination of oils]
African Moroccan Argan Oil
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Jojoba Oil (sometimes)
Black Seed Oil
(I use a very strong Black Seed Oil called Blessed Seed Black Seed Oil for facial care, the other brand
I recommend is on Amazon, called Amazing Herbs Premium Black Seed Oil )
Directions: I brew the Rooibos tea very strong, let cool, then add to a watertight jar I can keep in the shower area. Add the other oils. I don't measure, but coconut oil and olive oil is the majority of the oils in the formula, Argan Oil and Black Seed Oil are perhaps 20-30 drops each (they're both expensive). Since the Rooibos separates from the oils when sitting, I shake jar to mix. In the shower, I wet my loofah sponge, dip in my jar and rub over skin. From here, I can prepare to shave…….
My Secret to a "Smooth Operator" Shave ….. OLIVE OIL !!!
First off, if you sit your razor in olive oil when not in use, the razor can star sharp for months!! Something about the oxidation of the metal or whatever, but it works!!!
Secondly, though I use my own home made shaving cream as a first pass over the face (recipe in my Smooth Operator Part 1 article). I try not to shave too close the first pass, because I can nick myself. Then, I have a final pass over the face with a razor and a light coat of olive oil, it really leaves the skin smooth!!
Finally, A Little Coconut Oil After Shave
Since I can still often nick myself, a little Coconut Oil after I step out of the shower heals me up really fast and helps soften the skin further. I have to wipe off the excess with a towel before I walk out of the house, cause coconut oil can be a little greasy.
Coconut Oil is an example of a not so much African, but universal product, for all skin types.
Coconut Oil has many benefits, everyone should be eating, and otherwise externally using it.
[below] Introducing Silicon Valley's "GQ Smooth Operator"
[photo source, and good article on Tristan Walker]
Name: Mr. Tristan Walker (age 32 in 2017) … photos above and below
Occupation: Founder and CEO Owner of Walker & Compamy
Main Product Line: Walker & Company's "Bevel" Grooming Products, targeted toward people of color to help reduce shaving razor bumps & skin irritation from shaving. Also, recently launched "Form" Beauty Products for Women.
Venture Capital Acquired thus far: $34,000,000 Dollars
Notable Investors: Magic Johnson, John Legend
Tristan Walker, CEO of Walker & Company……
….the straight "A" Stanford Grad, walked away from his job on Wall Street to address a "certain" issue that all Black Men [and Black Women] have had at some point when shopping for grooming products.
[below] Great news story on how an why Tristan Walker started Walker & Co
Tristan Walker, Abolishing "The Black Aisle" at Retail Stores
The issue Black People have (we all know what it is, but I'll write it for the record), is that commercial stores such as Walgreens, and companies such as Proctor and Gamble, give Black People so few quality skin, body, and hair care options to purchase……
…..and even with that, we have to, at retail stores, go through the "funny but subtly humilating", and sometimes even hard to find, "Ethnic Aisle" (I've worked in retail, and they actually call it "The Black Aisle", but they don't think we know). As the kids say on Twitter, "SMH".
Tristan Walker creates the "Bevel" line of Shaving/Grooming Products……
….with a target market of African American Men, and anyone else who may have shaving troubles due to coarse and curly hairs.
He has also launched the "Form" line of Hair Care Products for Women. Looking at his ingredient info on their website and website info, I'm glad to see he is going the "Holistic Route", by not using toxic ingredients such as Talc, Aluminum, Parabens, nor other toxic bodycare ingredients.
99% of mostly White Male investors turned down his business proposal……
But his "dogged" persistence has paid off, with an estimated $34,000,000 in venture capital from investors for his Silicon Valley based company, Walker & Company…..
…….investors such as Magic Johnson, singer John Legend & Bolden State Warriors Andre Iguodala.
[below] The Walker & Co signature "Bevel" line of Shaving products, designed to eliminate the issues of razor bumps and skin irritation from shaving, for people with coarse and/or curly hair. Click here or photo below for more info.
Update 7-27-2017: I just purchased and tried the Bevel Razor and shave cream, and it gave me a VERY nice shave, I do think Bevel is onto something and is not a "gimic"!!! I'll do a follow up review in a couple of months.
Update 9-13-2017: ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PRODUCT!!! Highly recommnded!!! I used to average 3-4 nicks every shave, but with this razor, most shaves are ZERO nicks. No more razor bumps, my skin is now very smooth. All I suggest is to follow instructions, such as holding the razor at a 30 degree angle. This product is the real deal!!!
The "Bevel Trimmer" …..
….is the latest product from Walker & Co. The Bevel Trimmer is getting rave reviews, and developing somewhat of a "Cult Following", from dudes in the music industry, and professional athletes, as the Trimmer of choice.
And, if nothing else, since I'm a "Style Guy", I just ordered one, because if nothing else, it is the coolest looking hair trimmer I have ever seen 🙂
A Final message to my African American Brothers…..
Normally, I leave the subtle innuendos of my fiercely "Pro-Black" [though never “anti-anybody else”, still believing in “Cultural Diversity”] expressionism to the positive imagery in my photography and visuals on this site. I rant only every blue moon, as in my Colin Kaepernick article, but most times, I keep it low key……
………but this time, I have to blatantly express the deeper, underlying theme of this article, just so it is not missed.
Black Men [and Black People] have so much power and potential…..
But, so much of it is "untapped" and "under-utilized". Nonetheless, the deeper point I try to emphasize when I speak of taking getting back to taking in African food and bodycare products "when possible" [foods/bodycare such as African native Baobab fruit, as a good example]……
……is that, we have to learn to reconnect with the sources of power that nature has designed for us, that originated in Africa, reconnect with our true African Roots [not “Chicken George” and “Fiddler”], so we can get back to being the Kings [and Queens for the Sistas'] that we are!!!
Black Men, let's re-claim our "Righteous Minds"…….
So far as the Tristan Walker of Walker & Co story, I put in his amazing and inspiring story in this article to remind us that we have to learn to take control of our own livelyhoods and destiny, and stop being only consumers, learn to work together and get our finances and money supporting each other's enterprises [as every other culture seems to do but us 🙁 ] …..
…..and stop being prisoners to the "forces" that control our finances, control our health, control our physiological states of mind, stop being prisoners to the Media that is not designed to promote us in a positive light, especially the TV/Movie and Hip-Hop Music Industries [not saying there is not some positive Hip-Hop, but “n-word” in music will NEVER represent positive energy], the "n-word" is just poison, negative energy that the music industry set up for us to pass back and forth to each other. And it's a shame so many black beople can't see "the game". Beware of those controlling Media forces that intentionally manufacturer false images of us, stop letting them define who we are. Stop letting others define for us whether Black Skin is Beautiful or Ugly. With my website, my main passion is to promote health, but also, to present Blacks as WE see OURSELVES, not as others see US, and I'm gonna, best I can, use this forum to manufacture my own positive reality!!!
Sorry, I got on an emotional roll, but I'm subtly trying to do more here on this site than just post "cool pictures", in case it is not obovious…..just some "Soul Food" for Thought 🙂
SADE: "Smooth Operator"
Yawl know how I sling it in my blog by now, any excuse to post one of my favorite songs…..
Hey Sade, you been "killing me softly" for 30 years now 🙂
~stay healthy~
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