What are your go-to products for the best-looking skin? Are there a plethora of different brands lined up in your bathroom, or a consistent 2-step process with one product you have grown to love? However, you choose to take care of your skin, it is not about the number of products you have. But the right kind of products with the right ingredients will bring you the best results.

With the continued rise of new skincare products and dozens of routines to try, contrary to belief, people are no longer subscribing to any product that is put on the shelf. The intentional beauty shift is upon us. Now, when it comes to skincare, quality matters, and the health of our skin in the long run trumps what we can temporarily cover up with potions and creams. Because when we start with healthy skin first, everything else that is luxurious about self-care will follow no matter the season.

The trend of Skinimalism leans into this a bit. A “less is more” skincare lifestyle that is more focused on health and rejuvenation. If we really ask ourselves, what is the real secret to good-looking skin? The answer is quality products with ingredients that focus on longevity and regenerative results in the least amount of time; especially for melanated skin. According to Dr. Elena Jones, MD, a woman of color who is the Chief Dermatologist of the Humanrace skincare brand founded by Pharrell Williams, says that the keys to a must-have skin routine include a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.

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“I think the simplest routine, we’re always gonna start with the cleanser. So we want a mild cleanser every single day. I tend to like soap-free cleansers. So that’s obviously why Humanrace is amazing. We’ve got two great options: The rice powder that’s gonna gently exfoliate and the gel cleanser that’s just the milder, gentler option. Then, you can add a serum, depending on your skin. So I’m not a fan of toners. We do not need toners. That is a common misconception.”

“Toners were originally designed to bring the pH of the skin back after using harsher soaps. But now we’re using a lot of non-soap cleansers. So you don’t really need it, you know? Lastly, you can use sunscreen with a moisturizer.”

Source: Kiara Byrd / Kiara Byrd

Dr. Jones and the team are constantly formulating new ways to bring sustainable skincare to people of all kinds. The Humanrace brand, founded in 2020, has a mission to revolutionize what being well looks like through daily rituals for the best skin and bodycare. Humanrace focuses on 100% vegan, toxin-free ingredients that leave your skin feeling smooth, refreshed, and give you the energy to take on the day. Some products Humanrace carries include the Three-Minute Facial kit, which contains a rice-powder cleanser, a lotus enzyme exfoliator, and a humidifying face cream. You can also find joy in their Take a Moment Body Bar kit, which is packed with shea butter and charcoal ingredients that will not strip your body of your natural oils while still treating it with the utmost care.

“Pharrell has always had an interest in living well, internally and externally, including his skin. I think the skincare community is kind of being shaken up by trends that focus on things like longevity, peptides, regeneration, collagen banking, and all these things. Because we’re always trying to get rid of something called inflammaging. Inflammaging is this chronic low-grade inflammation that kind of ages us, right? So with Humanrace, we’re expanding our roots into products with a purpose.”

“We’re trying to redefine our ‘take a moment’ mantra to include rituals of renewal, balance, and ongoing body support. Whether it’s performance, post-performance, post-movement, or post-daily living, really. It’s all about intentional daily living, daily skin care, and daily skin health.”

With performance and daily movement in mind, Humanrace has a new kit available that you definitely need in your routine. The Recovery Kit, including a smoothing body scrub and a recovery body lotion was created to support skin and muscle recovery for busy bodies, athletes, moms on-the-go, and anyone alike. The smoothing body scrub has mandelic acid that helps aid in cellular turnover and improves skin texture, and the body lotion contains magnesium that helps with relieving muscle tension and promotes relaxation.

​As someone who is usually on the go, I always need to reset at the end of the day. So trying this new Recovery Kit was exactly what I needed. Usually body scrubs feel very sugary to the touch. But I love how Humanrace body scrub felt soft, similar to a flan, and how gentle it felt on my skin. As a tall and thicker woman, I also did not need to use too much to get the right amount of coverage on my body. It even helped with my sunburn. I was able to see my skin back to its best self in a matter of days. The Recovery lotion has been a MUST in my daily routine. I needed something not too thick that wouldn’t make me sweat even more when out and about. The lotion has the right amount of consistency that left my skin feeling hydrated, rejuvenated, and confident. This kit will not only continue being used this summer, but in the fall as well.

What we do not talk about enough is how confidence is an effect of skincare. Dr. Jones agrees that part of her job is making sure her patients feel confident about their skin journey at all times. Because when we look good, we feel good, right? So rewarding and healthy skincare is a part of that. Whether it is a day at the spa or taking those intentional 5-10 minutes in your home bathroom, great skincare will make you feel as if you can take on the world, ready to watch your guilty pleasure show, or so relaxed for your wind-down for the rest of the evening. Those moments of being one with your skin and honoring it are indescribable. You start to feel proud of the body that you are in and more in tune with the kind of person you are. That kind of confidence is like no other, and it’s all because, with the right products, you are taking care of yourself your own way all year round.

So if you are looking for more confidence in a bottle, Humanrace can help. This brand can be found online through Amazon, Bluemercury, Healf, Mile, Nordstrom, to name a few. You can also visit their website directly.

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