Supple

Anyone who knows me personally has come to understand my passion for skin. In fact, I wish I were an African Goddess skin-fairy, gifted with the rare ability to exfoliate and moisturize the ashy and flaky masses as I see fit, with the wave of wand. Caring for my skin isn't merely a seasonal thing. I pamper my skin with fatty (read: thick) crèmes and butters and swear by raw, unfiltered African Shea butter (Raw shea butter is usually beige or yellow, with a nutty scent). I lubricate, exfoliate, and moisturize the hell out of my skin. People will painstakingly treat their favorite leather jackets and shoes... taking care to treat the cow hides with leather oils and treatments... but will adopt a certain laissez faire attitude with their own. Skin is similar to leather hide... If you don't lubricate it, it doesn't endure or retain its elasticity. It dries out and cracks over time, and and it starts looking aged and worn. It never ceases to amaze me, when people merely step out of the shower or bath without having moisturized or exfoliated in some way, shape, or form. Also like leather, when skin gets wet, it dries and develops cracks; especially if it remains unconditioned for an extended period of time. If I'm being frank, the reason why so many people of color tend to have unmarred, seemingly ageless skin that snaps back into place when poked, prodded, and pinched is because it has been steamed of impurities, exfoliated, and moisturized.

I've always been intrigued by age-old, Do-It-Yourself beauty methods; and so don't believe in spending a fortune just retain great skin. During my research, I've broken down primary ingredients in some purported "miracle creams" and have realized some of the elements that truly work. I've been asked numerous times, what exactly is it I use to retain my youthful glow, and have even been jokingly accused of having "work" done. Aside from not emoting often ... the secret of The Butters, kitchen remedies, slathering myself from neck-to-toe in oils as if I'm an Egyptian goddess, in addition to cheap tried-and-true pharmacy brands have helped sustain me in my quest to sustain relatively supple skin- especially during the cold and sometimes harsh winter months. I’ve decided to share a series of easy-peasy recipes and suggestions, to help protect skin during the fall and winter.

Here's a quick and recipe I whipped up in five minutes!

Ingredients:

Raw/unfiltered African Shea Butter

Coffee Butter (optional)

Cocoa Butter, Almond, and/or Olive Oil(s)

Scented perfume/Essential oil

Recycled/Plastic Container(s)

I scooped 4-5 heaping tablespoons of raw Shea Butter into a container I recycled and set it in hot water until it either melted or softened...

I added 2 teaspoons of Coffee Butter (or your favorite butter... Manoi, Mango, etc
Swiftly stirring the Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter oil with a spoon (the easiest method) or using a handheld whip, I stirred in a few drops of Cocoa Butter and Olive Oils respectively; whipping until smooth.
I then added a few blended drops of Black Coconut & Black Woman perfume oils to scent
Refrigerate for about fifteen minutes until crème solidifies.

I personally like to use Raw Shea and melted Cocoa Butter or Palmers Cocoa Butter Oil, due to their effective healing benefits for the skin. Also, Coffee Butter (because of its caffeine) aids in firming and tightening the skin and reducing cellulite. Coffee Butter also reduces wrinkles.

The skin crème I concocted, melts immediately upon contact with the skin and is so rich, that a little goes a long way and is perfect to use on damp skin, immediately after a shower or bath. I use just a little after washing my face at night, as well!

Here's another, extended version of my butter if you have a few extra minutes (I made mine in less than ten minutes and it's still as effective)...