My skin has always been prone to show the stress I am feeling internally. When I started medical school, I decided to rebuke stress PERIOD and use skincare as a form of self care. When I tell you, my skin got so nice and toned, my hyperpigmentation was under control…I was so proud of myself and my fight to lay my burdens down at Jesus’ feet to fight stress and to make time for skin time! From face masks to peels to toners and exfoliants, I had it all down!

BUT THEN COVID CAME. And this mask acne y’all. It is rude and disrespectful! So I am rededicating myself to being intentional about taking care of my skin (my skin is so sensitive so every little thing causes scars).

I wanted to share three products that have truly, truly been skin-saving during quarantine!! And they are all BLACK-OWNED! I am trying to help y’all support Black businesses! So take the plug! Everything is linked below with some feedback on the product and how I use them!!

Comment below if you have another company I should look into! I am trying to save my coin and invest in communities of color so help a sistah out!

And yes. I took all of the photos..the true reason behind this post.

Shea Butter + Eucalyptus Oil from Desalu Naturals

• This butter will give you the moisture and glow your skin has been crying out for! Particularly your hands because I know you have been washing them excessively to stay safe…right?!

• I feel like they packed every ounce of shea butter they could into the jar. It is not whipped like other brands which also allows the product to stretch farther.

• I typically use this after washing my face in the morning and at night, but I also keep it handy in the hospital to moisturize my hands after washing so much! Hopefully, they come out with some pocket friendly sizes! I have only tried the Shea Butter + Eucalyptus oil, so I am excited to check out their other scents!

• One dope thing about this brand that I think you all should know about: All the natural oils & body butter they use are sourced from all over Africa from Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Uganda, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria. The owner, Sam Desalu, is a humanitarian and philanthropist, who uses his businesses to give back to communities within these countries and others. I have been following him for a few years on Instagram and have seen the amazing work he has been doing across the continent.

The Black + Brown Scrub from Hana Hana Beauty.

• This baby right here!!!!! This scrub is created by this dope Ghanaian brand founded by Abena Boamah-Acheampong. This brand is another one that is worth supporting, from their mission to uplift women of color to creating high quality products in a sustainable way! I actually met the founder when I went to Ghana December 2019 for the year of return. I’m sure I had seen their content previously but never explored it enough to make a purchase. Thank God I did the moment I got home! This scrub has been the best exfoliant I have found since getting a Hammam experience in Morocco in 2017!

• The graininess of the scrub is perfect for taking off that dead outer layer of skin (our skin is constantly shedding) and for helping to unclog your pores after a day behind the mask. I love the way the scrub starts to melt as I rub it in because of the simple and natural ingredients it is composed of:

  • black soap, brown sugar, rose water, honey, vitamin e, jojoba oil, and lavender essential oil

• I try to exfoliate at least 3 times a week or every other day and follow it up with a sheet mask to moisturize the new layer of skin. Seriously, my skin feels so smooth afterwards. I 10 out of 10 recommend!

Gold Gel Eyemask from Sweet Curly.

• This product is the newest addition to my skin-care tool box. I have had some extremely late nights and week-long night shifts in the hospital since sheltering at home started. I pride myself on getting adequate rest and drinking enough water to keep the under-eye bags away, but YALL I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING. My friend launched this line, and it has been such a God-send.

• Eye masks are pretty simple. Just place them in the fridge, and use them as needed! You ideally want to use them when you have like 15-20 minutes to just lay and relax. I started using them to force myself to just sit still and take a mental break. I keep them in my refrigerator so that they are always ready for use. Stay ready so you never have to get ready!

• And the gold color against my brown skin is also a plus. Don’t worry, I’ll take a self-portrait with them on soon enough. Use my code Osose20 at check out to save some money on your purchase!

I hope this will help you not only support Black-Owned businesses, but also, be more intentional about taking time for yourself. You deserve it. Sending love your way today!

Much love,

Osose