Conscious ageing and Black skin: What happens when Black does crack?

“I’m going to age faster than you”, blurted out my friend a few months ago as we stood in front of a mirror, eyeshadow palettes in hand, full ‘getting ready’ mode activated. “It’s just a fact isn’t it," she continued, "there’s going to come a day where, because I’m white and you’re black, I’m going to have all these new wrinkles and your skin is going to look pretty much the same." The statement hung there as we continued to rifle through a sink filled with overflowing makeup bags.

Although I, like many people with a darker skin tone, am more than familiar with the myths, jokes and the perception of how our skin ages, or doesn't, it feels silly to admit that until recently I had never deeply considered what ageing would actually look like for me. Should I scour my face for crow’s feet? Wrinkles? Can black crack? If so, what causes that?

Perhaps my naivety around ageing could be traced to my own scepticism about the language we’ve been taught to use around beauty and youth preservation. Or maybe it’s because for so long the anti-ageing products and rituals that have been sold to women have been marketed to an already mature audience and very much chime to the concerns of lighter skin tones.

However, as I am not one to sit with unanswered questions, especially when it comes to beauty, a few scrolls and a research rabbit hole later led me to the discovery of a bubbling new movement - conscious ageing. Although the term started as a way to help mature adults shift their attitudes away from self limitation, it’s now birthed a whole new way of looking at skin and physical ageing. It’s got to a point where you’d be hard pressed to find any videos online positioned as “What I wish I knew when I was younger” that don't discuss how vital it is to look at ageing from a preparation standpoint (SPF, skincare, healthier choices) instead from a place of fear (panic, wrinkles, reverse the signs of ageing).

So, now for a black, late-twenty-something who's over the negative narratives around ageing and the perception that black skin just doesn’t age (wrong), what does growing older actually look like for someone like me? I spoke to a few experts to find out.

OK, firstly, what is conscious ageing?

According to Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme Medical Consultant and Founder of Award-winning Adonia Medical Clinic, conscious ageing can be defined quite simply. “Conscious ageing is really just a practice that encourages individuals to not only look at the physical aspect of growing older, instead it allows them to embrace ageing."

"This is primarily through better skin awareness and intentionality as well as focus on holistic well-being - think using positive language and reframing the way you talk about ageing - rather than merely attempting to combat physical signs of ageing.” For people with darker skin tones, Dr Ejikeme notes that this can open up the gateway to a mindful approach towards caring for skin. “Consciously ageing can include looking out for hyperpigmentation, including age spots and melasma and following a rich vitamin dense diet.”

Noelly Michoux, who co-founded brand 4.5.6 Skin in order to create skincare products based on the functional and physiological differences of phototypes 4-6 (darker skin tones), also adds that “it forces you to address your body’s biggest organ with a more mindful view.” Rather than panicking about what it looks like, “conscious ageing addresses the bigger questions around skin - What am I feeding it from the inside out? How am I protecting it? Which is especially important for anyone with darker skin, because of how differently ageing and skin conditions present on our skin,” explains the founder.

Does skin ageing differ in Fitzpatrick Scale Type 1-3 vs 4-6?

“Across the beauty industry and beyond, we've always looked at ageing, from the point of view of wrinkles and a quest to counteract the loss of collagen that happens as skin matures” explains Michoux. “That effectively, has created a real focus on ageing as it occurs in people who fall under the Fitzpatrick Scale Type 1-3 (lighter skin), leaving us at a place where our entire scientific ecosystem has been studying ageing as it manifests on white skin.”

For people with darker skin tones, or Fitzpatrick Scale Type 4-6, there are significant differences in how the skin ages due to a few factors. “Firstly, melanin and bigger melanocytes which help to protect us against UV damage. Secondly, difference in the skin structure which means more collagen, more elastin and the ability to protect itself when aided by proper hydration and nutrients.”

So, hats off to you, melanin, because thanks to this added protection for people with darker skin, we can expect traditional markers of skin ageing to take hold at a much slower rate. In fact, Michoux tells me; “For people with darker skin, especially when living in colder climates, a lot of skin ageing triggers can be traced to the loss of natural antioxidant capabilities and dehydration, which rarely presents as wrinkles.” So, without a proactive skincare routine that works to replenish deeply, the founder says you’ll find “our skin is kind of attacked from inside and outside which often manifest as stubborn hyperpigmentation rather than wrinkles, as well as excessive dryness and premature fine lines.”

What ingredients should we be looking for as we age?

We're all different, so there is no one size fit all answer,” says Michoux. “However, it’s not a coincidence that ingredients like shea butter have become popular with people with skin that falls under Fitzpatrick Scale Type 4-6, because scientifically our skin responds better to ingredients that have been grown in Vitamin D rich and humid environments”. It’s an approach that can be seen in 4.5.6 Skin’s own formulations.

Shopping for my skin type, using SPF and looking after my overall wellbeing in order to ‘consciously age’ are a far cry from the regimental rituals, potent ingredients and wrinkle-heavy marketing that dominated the anti-ageing beauty space as we've known it.

Although it's impossible to fully block out the noise that comes with growing older - especially as a woman - becoming more mindful of the significant differences in my skin in comparison to people Fitzpatrick Scale Type 1-3, has given me a sense of hope, or dare I say peace, about the process. So, no quest to turn back the clock for me or worrying if Black will crack (or not) - I'm hopeful that it’s a mindset that in time will become the default. 

Story by Ata-Owaji Victor: Cosmopolitan