the B. spot

Hey B. Spotters,

So my New Year celebration came to a screeching halt after coming down with a monster migraine that lasted Friday and Saturday.  Remnants of it still remain but I am up and functional!  Now on to business, I am completely serious about my concealer free challenge so much so that I am going to share with you my program and progress.

For my B. Spotters of Color (African American, Latina, Asian), hyperpigmentation is most likely your  concern.  Sure you may get a few fine lines but primarily uneven skin tone is your nemesis.  Did you know that many dark spots are located too deep in the skin for any topical treatment to reach?  Hyperpigmentation can be a result of trauma (picking at your skin), hormones (that dark pregnancy mask) and sun exposure (UV rays cause melanocytes to go into overdrive).  For my Fair skin B. Spotters these thing effect you too but result more in skin reddening and tanning.

Trauma causes your skin to react in many different ways and inflammation is one such reaction.  The melonacytes produce more melanin and another unsightly dark mark is created.  This darkening can happen in the epidermis layer of the skin that close enough to the surface where AHA’s/skin brightening treatments can be effective or in the dermis layer.  Dermis pigmentation cannot be treated with any topical product so, according to Dr. Zoe Draelos, you should take an inside-out approach and take oral anti-inflammatories to reduce the inflammation deeper in your skin causing the dermal pigmentation.  That could be why you have been trying different skin brighteners to no avail!

So my program will consists of:

• A glycolic acid cleanser (I am starting off with Bright & Even Exfoliaing Cleanser from Rx for Brown Skin…FYI just because the name of the company is RX for Brown Skin- it’s a great cleanser for all skin types)
• Exuviance Vespera Bionic Serum
• H Serum from 3LAB
• Because my skin is acne prone I still have to incorporate my blemish free products (doesn’t that sound much nicer than anti-acne **sigh**)
• Pycogenol supplements??? i have looked through the data and decided to ask my derm friends about this ingredient.  I am not one just to swallow pills for the sake of swallowing but I am a firm believer in the “great skin begins on the inside” theory.  Pycogenol is an extract from pine bark that has data improving lightening dark spots, increasing skin elasticity (better bounce to skin), enhances blood micro-circulation (brighter and healthier complexion) and is an antioxidant.

So that’s it!  I’ll let you know how it goes and I will most likely switch up products through out the process.  Wish me luck!