He did not grow up with skincare.
What he knew of skin was shaped by routine—dust washed off with water, dryness soothed with whatever lotion was available, often borrowed from his sister or left behind by an aunt. Skincare, in the way it is spoken of now, was a language he was never taught.
And yet, Black skin remembers.
It remembers the sun and wind and the weight of expectation. It remembers the way the world assumes your strength and ignores your softness. It holds the memory of days spent under unkind suns and nights where care was an afterthought.
But something shifts as he grows older.
He begins to notice how his skin feels tight after washing. How a breakout lingers longer than it should. How the uneven patches around his jaw are no longer subtle. And with this noticing comes a quiet kind of reckoning: perhaps his skin, too, deserves to be cared for—not out of vanity, but out of respect. Perhaps care, in its truest form, begins with the self.
So here is a ritual.
Not a routine. Not a regimen. But a ritual. For the Black man who chooses himself. For the one who understands that to be seen is not enough—one must also glow.
1. The Cleanser: Begin Again with CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
There is a kind of relief in simplicity. This cleanser does not make promises it cannot keep. It cleans gently, without drama. It respects what is natural. And in a world where so much is taken from Black men without asking, that small respect matters.
Editor’s Note: I use CeraVe too. ( Ekow Barnes)
It’s one of the few products I’ve returned to again and again, not because of branding, but because it actually works. It doesn’t sting, it doesn’t dry me out, and it doesn’t try to “fix” what isn’t broken. My skin feels calm after using it—less reactive, more even.
And there’s something grounding about that. About knowing that when everything else feels like a performance, this one small act of care is real. It’s not a luxury—it’s a quiet kind of maintenance that tells me I deserve to feel good in my skin. Especially as a Black person, where skin has always held history, tension, pride, and pressure, finding something that just works—without drama—feels like a win.
2. The Exfoliator: Unburden with Fenty Skin Pre-Show Glow
There are things the skin carries that should not stay. Old cells. Pollution. The residue of long days. Exfoliating becomes more than skincare—it becomes release. This one tingles slightly, like truth. It does not hurt, but it reminds me. It lifts what no longer serves.
3. The Toner: Quiet Balance with Bolden Skin Brightening Toner
He didn’t always see the point of toner. But this one is different. Black-owned, made with melanin in mind. It soothes without stripping. It balances oil. It fades the stories his scars try to tell. It is not loud, but it is effective. A quiet kind of power.
4. The Moisturizer with Purpose: Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20
Moisture and protection. Two things every man needs more of. This bottle offers both. Lightweight, straightforward, and kind. It disappears into the skin like something that was always meant to be there. Like peace.
5. The Shield: Because Melanin Burns Too – Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30
He was once told that Black skin didn’t need sunscreen. He believed it—until the evidence, dark patches and uneven tone, proved otherwise. This sunscreen doesn’t argue with his complexion. It understands it. No white cast. No fuss. Just defense.
Even if the label says “girl,” he uses it proudly. Because protection has no gender.
6. The Night Oil: Rest with Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate
He learned late that sleep is not just rest—it is restoration. And skin, too, needs its night ritual. This oil is rich but not heavy, fragrant but not overpowering. It makes his face feel like something sacred. And in the morning, he wakes up looking like someone who was well cared for.
7. The Eye Ritual: Golden Clarity – 24K Gold Under Eye Patches (60 pairs)
He never used to think about his under-eyes. Puffiness was just tiredness. Dark circles were just life. But now, he knows better. Knows that rest can be supported. Those eyes, too, carry the weight of the world. These gold patches don’t promise to erase—but they soothe, they cool, they brighten.
Infused with collagen, hyaluronic acid, and 24K gold, they sit gently beneath the eyes like armor—luxury not for vanity’s sake, but for healing. Ten minutes in the morning. Or at night. Or before he steps into a room where he must shine.
Not a mask. A statement. Even kings need rest.
A Final Word to the Melanin Kings
There is nothing unmanly about wanting to be your best self.
Taking care of your skin is not about appearances alone. It is about choosing softness in a world that demands your hardness. It is about choosing ritual over neglect. About choosing self-regard over survival alone.
Your skin is more than surface.
It is a legacy.
It is language.
Let it speak of care. Let it speak of pride. Let it speak of you.
Items in this article were independently chosen by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
