Over the years, I have discovered beauty becomes an essential for several sistahs braving cancer – even me! For some, beauty practices lift their spirits because when they look better, they feel better. For others, a beauty routine may be needed to not make their battle so evident to family, peers and in work spaces.
My name is Patricia Fox and I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, when I was 26 years old. At the time, I was in the insurance industry and my beauty routine consisted of mascara and a cream lipstick in a blackcherry shade. I also maintained my own hair, doing various cuts and styles. However, once I began chemotherapy, I desired an elevated beauty routine as my physical appearance changed. Having previous artistry experience as a freelancer doing fashion shows and photoshoots while working my 9 to 5 corporate career, the specifics like how to shop for products became more of a priority than how to apply them.
Here are my top 3 recommendations when beautying while braving breast cancer:
1. Listen to your skin!
Almost every survivor I have met has shared changes in one form or another when it came to their skin. The most appropriate skincare routine for every beauty is as follows: cleanse, tone, serum, and moisturize. This is standard whether you are a natural beauty or makeup maven. Paying attention to any changes with your skin, will help you best with future product purchases. Products cater to either a skin type, skin concern or both. You also want to be sure to shop for products that are non-comedogenic, fragrance free and, if possible hypoallergenic. These factors will reduce the possibility of irritation no matter what your skin type or keep a skin concern from worsening.
2. Beauty all day!
The biggest concern many beauties face is their makeup disappearing throughout the day. Usually this happens because either the skin was not prepped and primed, or due to those dreadful hot-flashes. Almost every makeup product has a waterproof version. So your favorite foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, and even lipsticks will offer water resistance for a longer wear. As for prepping and priming, this in part ties back to a skin care routine followed by a primer most suitable for your skin type. Primers offer a better coverage payoff, longer wear and may even address skin texture concerns. Setting your look with setting sprays or powders also ensure your beauty look stays in place all day!
3. Head games!
And no sistahs, I am not talking about “Two Can Play That Game” type of head games, lol. I am talking about wigs, wraps and caps! For those of us who may have experienced hair loss, it is still important to keep a clean scalp and to use gentle products on our scalp. Sweat and oil still produce in the follicles causing a film or even irritation. Moisturizing the scalp with shea or even coconut oil is also good for scalp health. These steps also assist with how comfortable our wigs and head wraps feel on our heads. One of the least expensive ways to keep a headwrap secure is a wig cap! These babies usually retail two for one dollar and are great with securing headwraps to the head. They also offer as a barrier when wearing a wig, reducing irritation on the scalp. Other methods used to secure wigs are tapes, sprays and glues. There are a variety of brands that offer specific instructions on how to best install a wig unit and best removal practices.
These tips may serve as an introduction to some, or reminder to others. Either way, I truly hope you enjoyed these simple things to keep in mind while being your baddest self even in the face of cancer!
