I was in my early 20s when I learned that it was better for me to love my morena skin. There’s a certain peace you find when your skincare routine is based on enhancing what you naturally have, rather than changing it to fit arbitrary standards.

Regardless of skin tone, it pays to keep skin moisturized. That’s how you’ll keep it effortlessly soft and glowing. After a night’s shower, I love to slather on some lotion. L’Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Lotion combines shea butter, calendula, honey and sweet almond extracts to keep your skin hydrated.

I once read that it’s best to apply lotion while you’re still in the bathroom right after your shower so you can lock in the maximum amount of moisture your skin needs.

Don’t forget your SPF

But if you’re a little lazy, as we all can be at times, at least don’t forget your SPF. After putting on your clothes in the morning, the least you can do is spray your exposed skin with Beach Hut Max SPF100 Clear Spray. This is important no matter how long you stay in the sun: The damage which UV rays cause can be irreversible and can sometimes render your other body products useless.

For your face, a former co-worker told me about the Herbivore Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask. Using fruit enzymes, white willow bark, aloe, and blue tansy essential oil, it serves as exfoliator to reveal better-looking skin. You get rid of the blemishes and the redness, so your true skin tone can shine through.

Recently, I’ve been using Innisfree’s Green Tea Cleansing Gel-To-Foam. I find it gentle to the face. It cleans my face without leaving it dry. It has a very faint fragrance that reminds me of the spa, so it’s relaxing to use.

I follow it up with the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum. What I like about this is how it doesn’t feel greasy or thick. Its Jeju green tea extract and green tea seed oil are easily absorbed by my skin, which feels supple right after I use it. Plus, it seems to keep the blemishes away.

These are just a few essentials one must always have to keep your skin looking its natural best. From here, you can build a specific routine to address unique concerns. It’s all up to you, as when it comes to loving what you have, you’re the boss. —CONTRIBUTED