What Beauty Editors Get Wrong About Black Skin Every Time
Kareemah ElAminShare
Beauty Editors: You’ve had decades to get it right.
And you’re still fumbling Black skin.
Melanin isn’t a trend. It’s biology. It’s brilliance. And it requires more than a one-line footnote in your “inclusive beauty” roundup.Yet somehow, major beauty media still treats Black skin like it’s complex, exotic, or worse a challenge to formulate for. That mindset? It’s why the advice we see in glossies is still dangerously out of touch.
Beauty Editors: We see your “inclusive” issues. We see your curated skincare lists. And we see how, time and time again, you still don’t get it.
Melanin isn’t new.
Black skin doesn’t need to be “translated.”
And no, we’re not asking to be included we’re demanding accuracy, respect, and science that starts with us, not works around us.
So here it is:
Exactly what you keep getting wrong and why it matters.
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🚩 1. You Still Treat Black Skin Like a Niche
Let’s be clear: Black skin isn’t a skin “type.”
It’s a spectrum, a biology, a global norm.
But the beauty industry and its editors continue to treat us like we’re a side category. A special subsection. A once-a-year feature.
Meanwhile, melanin-rich skin is underserved every single day.
We make up the fastest-growing beauty consumer base, yet we still get a tiny sidebar in a 900-word piece about “inclusive skincare.”
We’re not the sidebar. We’re the story.
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💀 2. You Still Recommend Products That Strip Our Skin
“Oil control for darker skin.”
“Combat shine on melanin-rich tones.”
“Best acids for Black skin.”
Let’s talk about how dangerous this is.
Because of the false assumption that all Black skin is oily, editors love recommending:
• Alcohol-heavy toners
• Salicylic acid overload
• Harsh physical scrubs
What’s the result?
Barrier damage.
Hyperpigmentation flare-ups.
Increased inflammation.
Melanin reacts differently to trauma. What’s “purging” on white skin can be permanent discoloration on ours. So no your favorite $100 exfoliating serum isn’t safe for everyone. And it’s time you knew that.
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🧪 3. You Still Don’t Understand Melanin Science
Melanin isn’t a filter.
It’s a powerful biological defense system and it responds to irritation by producing more pigment.
That’s why so many melanin-rich people deal with PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) after breakouts, burns, or irritation.
And yet? Beauty articles still suggest:
• High-percentage retinoids
• Essential oils
• Fragrance-packed formulas
• Daily chemical peels
With no disclaimer. No context. No barrier-first approach.
Melanin-rich skin requires intention. Not assumption.
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😒 4. You Act Like Hyperpigmentation Is Just a “Concern”
No, it’s a daily, lifelong skincare reality for many Black women.
While most beauty editors treat it like a problem that pops up “occasionally,” we know better.
Hyperpigmentation is the reason many Black women even start skincare routines in the first place.
So why are your product roundups filled with:
• Hydroquinone-first treatments
• Harsh spot correctors
• Whitening language (yes, we see it)
Where are the options that support slow, gentle, long-term melanin-safe brightening?
Where’s the acknowledgment that fading hyperpigmentation shouldn’t require barrier damage?
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🧴 5. You Push Products That Would Never Survive a Melanin-First Test
Let’s be honest. If most of the “bestselling” beauty products were tested on a Black-led panel with diverse melanin ranges they’d fail.
Here’s why:
• Heavy fragrance = inflammation
• Harsh actives = tone shifts & dark patches
• Poor pH balance = broken barrier
• Occlusive textures = clogged, textured skin
If beauty editors actually led with melanin-first clinical thinking, they’d be recommending a whole different lineup.
But they’re not.
Because the industry wasn’t built with us in mind it was built to sell to us after the fact.
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👑 6. At Prosperity, We Built What They Keep Ignoring
While editors keep writing half-informed articles, we’re doing the work.
Prosperity Self Care Essentials is:
• Rooted in clean, clinical formulas
• Built specifically for melanin-rich skin
• Focused on hyperpigmentation, inflammation, and barrier repair
• Fully transparent no bs, no trendy toxicity
✨ Our Vitamin C Serum targets dark spots without irritation.
✨ Our Niacinamide Moisturizer supports congestion without stripping.
✨ Our Natural Retinol Alternative made with Bakuchoil gently smooths texture without retinol trauma.
This is how skincare should’ve always been done—for us, by us, with science that sees us.
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🖤 Final Word: Editors, Learn Before You Lead
If you want to speak to us, start by studying us.
That means:
• Stop guessing.
• Stop generalizing.
• Stop writing about Black skin without real experts on deck.
Because until you stop handing out the same tired recommendations, we’ll keep writing the truth louder.
And we’ll keep winning with skin that’s unbothered, unbroken, and unapologetically bold.
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🔗 Ready to see what barrier-safe, melanin-centered skincare actually looks like?