Chocolate or dark skin is a human skin color that is rich in melanin pigments, especially eumelanin. People with very dark skin are often referred to as “black people”, although this usage can be ambiguous in some countries where it is also used to specifically refer to different ethnic groups or populations. People with chocolate skin pigmentation have skin naturally rich in melanin (especially eumelanin), and have more melanosomes which provide superior protection against the deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation. This helps the body to retain its folate reserves and protects against damage to DNA.
The evolution of dark skin is believed to have begun around 1.2 million years ago, in light-skinned early hominid species after they moved from the equatorial rainforest to the sunny savannas. In the heat of the savannas, better cooling mechanisms were required, which were achieved through the loss of body hair and development of more efficient perspiration. The loss of body hair led to the development of dark skin pigmentation, which acted as a mechanism of natural selection against folate depletion, and to a lesser extent, DNA damage. The primary factor contributing to the evolution of Chocolate skin pigmentation was the breakdown of folate in reaction to ultraviolet radiation; the relationship between folate breakdown induced by ultraviolet radiation and reduced fitness.
Types of Chocolate Skin
Each individual is distinct and there are 3 different types of dark or chocolate skin, they are;
Oily Chocolate Skin
The skin secretes natural oils to keep itself moisturized, but for people with oily skin, this process can go into overdrive, especially if they have larger pores. The bigger the pore, the more active the oil glands, and the more active the oil glands, the more they’ll secrete. This can translate to an oily film on your face throughout the day, as well as frequent breakouts. You’re prone to oily skin if you notice that when you apply moisturizer, and almost anything you apply, you break out. People with oily skin may also “have trouble finding a sunscreen that does not feel sticky and heavy.
Dry Chocolate Skin
The number one sign that you have dry skin is if it appears dull and lifeless. Dry skin looks dull because it’s often covered in a layer of dead skin cells. Light reflects off these rough skin cells in all different directions, whereas if your skin is hydrated, it has a smooth surface that reflects light evenly, and so appears more radiant. Many factors can lead to dry skin, including sun exposure, hot showers and over-exfoliating with products like salicylic or glycolic acid.
Combination Chocolate Skin
There’s not a universal definition for combination skin and some dermatologists think it’s not a true skin type like oily or dry. Combination means you are dry in winter (cold season) and oily in summer. Some people incorrectly use it to mean oily in the T-zone but this is classified as an oily skin type. Other dermatologists argue that combination skin is a distinct skin type characterized by varying amounts of oil production on the face. Combination skin tends to be oilier in the forehead and nose where you have more oil glands and drier on the cheeks. Sometimes around the mouth can be both dry and oily and more sensitive in general.
What Type of Cream is Good For Chocolate Skin?
When it comes to choosing cream for a chocolate skin, there is no one size fits all because the nature of a chocolate skin will determine the type of cream an individual will use. If you have an oily skin, go with a light, oil-free moisturizer. If you have dry skin, get something richer. And if you have combination skin, go with a lighter moisturizer for your whole face and dot drier areas with a heavier cream.
Best Cream For Chocolate Skin
Nivea Cocoa Butter Body Lotion
Nivea Cocoa Butter Body Lotion, a one stop shop for beautiful skin. Infused with our Deep Moisture Serum, Cocoa Butter, and Vitamin E, the creamy formula delivers intense hydration into a dark skin, deeply moisturizing skin for up to 48 hours. It leaves skin with a healthy glow and a lovely Cocoa Butter scent. Smooth away dullness and see radiant skin with just one application.
Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Cream
When our skin is healthy, light reflects off the rich color below the surface, enabling it to literally glow. But when skin is dry, its surface becomes uneven and rough, leaving it looking dull. Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Cream penetrates deeply to smooth away roughness and the appearance of dark spots, so your skin can glow from within. It contains key ingredients such as rich cocoa butter, which helps even out skin tone and conditioning moisturizers that leave skin smooth and supple.
Dove Nourishing Body Care Essential Body Lotion
When you’re suffering from a bout of dry dark skin, you need nourishment that lasts. Something that works deep below the surface, leaving you with cared for, beautiful skin – day in, and day out. Dove Nourishing Body Care Essential Body Lotion works in two ways, locking in moisture and deeply* nourishing your skin for long-lasting, touchable softness. Caring for dry skin means getting the care it really needs: the kind that goes further than most. Formulated with NutriDUO, a blend of natural skin nutrients and essential oil goodness, Dove Nourishing Body Care Body Essential Lotion locks in moisture to the surface of skin for 24 hours. Nourishing deeper* layers too, for long-term skin improvement, you get softer, smoother and radiant skin that lasts. Essential care, just for you.
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Aveeno® Daily Moisturizing Lotion is clinically proven to improve the health of dry skin in 1 day with significant improvement in 2 weeks. Formulated with Colloidal Oatmeal and rich emollients, it helps prevent and protect dry skin for a full 24 hours. This lotion leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and naturally healthy looking and is gentle enough for everyday use. It’s also fragrance free, non-greasy and noncomedogenic. READ: Are Mexican Skin Care Products Safe
