Top 3 Natural African Products for Brighter, Younger, Glowing Even Toned Skin

Achieving younger looking, brighter, even toned and clearer skin is a goal that so many yearn for across the globe. This wishful thinking has contributed to the trillion dollar cosmetic industry. People spend money on all sorts of expensive products to look and feel better. What many don't know, is that you don't have to spend so much money for better looking skin and can simply rely on natural products to achieve your desired results.

If you have a problem with your skin, first check your diet as eating high amounts of sugars, fats, and processed foods can lead to bad skin. Second check your water intake, dehydration can lead to dry skin and dry skin is one cause of early aging and wrinkly skin. Third check your sleep and exercise, getting proper sleep and exercise can help to bring down your stress levels and increased stress in your life is a known contributor to bad skin.

Research shows that topical antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and retinoids alpha and beta hydroxy acids, are effective in reducing hyperpigmentation, wrinkles and improving skin texture to diminish the look of aged skin. Likewise products that inhibit tyrosinase are know to treat skin hyperpigmentation helping to achieve brighter more even toned skin. 

Vitamin B3 and B5 have also been found to have skin lightening properties to help with hyperpigmentation issues. These vitamins have antioxidants interfere in melanosome transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes leading to skin lightening. There are several naturally growing plants and products that include these antioxidants and properties to help you achieve younger brighter, even toned skin. The top three that can be found easily on the African continent include black soap, shea butter, and turmeric. However if you have skin problems please consult with a dermatologist before trying any home remedies.

1. Black Soap

 Black soap which originated in west africa has become a popular skin care product throughout the world due to its benefits for oily and acne prone skin. It is made from the ash of local african plants and dried peels, which gives the soap its distinctive black color.  Plants that may be used include plantain skins, palm tree leaves, cocoa pods and shea tree bark. After the ash is produced water and fats are added like coconut oil, palm oil, and shea butter. Dudu Osun black soap one of Africa's most popular black soap brands list all natural ingredients which include honey, shea butter, aloe vera, lime juice, palm kernel oil,water, and ash from camwood, palm bunches, and cocoa pods. 

Research has found African Black Soap to exhibited antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Africans have longed used black soap to treat skin infections, due to its antiseptic properties, which may be why it is effective in treating acne. Some find it also helps even out the skin tone.

2. Shea Butter

Shea Butter is well known for its moisturizing properties. But it not only moisturizes, research has shown it to have anti-aging properties due to its stearic acid, triterpene alcohols, and lupeol which allows it to protect the skin from UV radiation and enhance collagen formation improving the skin's elasticity. This protects the skin from developing wrinkles. 

It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is often recommended to use on dry inflamed skin to treat eczema and dermatitis. It has been shown that shea butter can help regenerate, smooth, and soften the skin. Research also suggest it has anti-microbial and antiprotozoal activity.

3. Turmeric 

The use of Turmeric dates back more than 4000 years to India. It reached east africa around 800AD where it then spread throughout Africa. Nigeria now is the world's 4th largest producer of Turmeric. Tumeric has several well researched properties including being anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and acting as a strong antioxidant as it scavages the body for free radicals. Oxidation by free radicals is linked with accelerated aging and virtually every major chronic disease including atherosclerosis, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, and rheumatoid arthritis. Turmeric's anti-aging properties is also no secret, as it has been used for centuries as a skin brighter and to fade dark spots.

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Glow Vitamin C & Turmeric Face Oil, 0.5 fl. oz.

To brighten skin, turmeric is typically used as a face mask mixed with honey, lemon juice and/or simply water. You can check youtube for real life experiences of turmeric used to clear and brighten skin. To make your own face mask I suggest buying turmeric powder. Making your own powder from fresh turmeric may take too long and be too messy. And If you don't want to make your own mask there are now several turmeric based natural face mask products on the market that you can buy on amazon or your nearest cosmetic store to achieve the same results.

In Conclusion: If you want brighter, younger skin use

• Turmeric for brighter more even toned skin
• Shea butter for smoother, moisturized younger looking skin
• Black soap for acne prone oily skin
• All these products have antiseptic properties so all may be effective in helping to treat acne, depending on the cause of your acne.