Let’s talk about the softness of women’s skin. Skin softness is a common preoccupation for dark-skinned women. I swear there must be (and should be!) a documentary about lotions and the dark-skinned woman. I have dark brown skin, and no fancy department store moisturizer seems to be moisturizing enough to keep my legs from goin’ gray midday. I have to use the CVS special Eucerin or Lubriderm “calming cream” or “heavy-duty” moisturizer that is sold to either women with comparably dark skin or medically parched burn victims. I don’t care though; I save a ton of money not buying fancy lotion this way. (Tangential observation for dark-skinned women: Isn’t it annoying when you go to a hotel and they have body lotion and it’s so thin and non-moisturizing you’re like: this could basically be water?).
In this economy it is great that I can keep my skin smooth and soft with various low-cost methods. One is my no-frills CVS skin cream regimen, as I’ve mentioned. The other is my Body Shop Cactus body brush.
My lovely mom has been telling me to scrub and moisturize my skin since I was a tiny kid watching her put on Oil of Olay on her face. Maybe it’s an Indian thing, but where others simply pumice their feet, my mom would advise me to gently pumice my elbows, knee and upper arm skin. Then, post-shower, a deep and nourishing lotion application. I still do this and not to sound all braggy but, I have been complimented many times for my soft skin (but never for my greasy-and-yet-still-dry hair! You win some you lose some.)
There are two things I’m proud to say I introduced to my mom. The first is Crème de la Mer (When I got my first staff writers check for The Office, I bought my mom some Crème de la Mer. This insanely great and hideously expensive face cream was my “Look, Ma! I made it!” present to her that I make sure to keep her supplied with).
The other is the Body Shop Cactus Brush. It’s scratchy and great and gets gunk off your back/legs/feet while exfoliating. You can’t get soft skin from loofahs. Loofahs are for the freaking birds. Literally. I’d like to see some birds flying around with loofahs in their mouths and maybe building nests with them. They do nothing.
Loofahs, I am so on to you.
The Cactus Body Crush is $15 and I replace mine twice a year (oh fine, once a year. I’m lazy). I use it every day in the shower.
Good for: People into softness, or need an inexpensive gift for a friend or lover with
scaly skin.
Mindy Kaling, thank you for exposing the very serious plight of the dark-skinned woman and the daily challenges in the battle against being ashy. Every post you write is golden, and since I will probably never get to meet you in real life, I at least wanted to leave a note of thanks for being the funniest online person that I know!
Kara | October 31, 2011 |
Mindy, you’ll be pleased to know that none other than BEYONCE uses Eucerin’s products too. She likes their Aquaporin face one. So there you go.
Rayanne Graff | November 1, 2011 |
LOL goin’ gray midday
Whitney Soup | November 1, 2011 |
Thank you for the scrubber recommendation! I’m an olive-skinned Greek girl and my skin is rooooouuugggghhh and dry, especially now that it’s cold. I’m going to try this. I want rich girl smooth skin, you know?
April | November 1, 2011 |
I have that same exact exfoliating brush and I love it. It’s so awesomely rough, I feel that I’m taking off years of dead skin when I use it. Another product from the Body Shop that I love, the clay mud mask. You should try it!
Marisa | November 1, 2011 |
My trick: Baby oil in the gel form. I slather myself with it after showering but before I get out. It not only helps pull the water drops away from my skin so I can dry faster, but it keeps my skin incredibly supple.
Crystal | November 1, 2011 |
I’ll try that for my legs! Also, tip for oily hair: http://www.lush.com/shop/products/hair/solid-shampoos/jumping-juniper
I think it’s great, though some of my friends give it more mixed reviews. But we all agree it smells lovely!
KD | November 2, 2011 |
you are SO right about lotions! they’re like white goopy water and don’t do their job! as a not white/not black/kinda brown skin-bearer, I also have super dry skin and usually I use St. Ives, but i’ll have to try Eucerin stuff. And unfortunately I can identify with you about the greasy-yet-still-dry hair. ugh, will my body ever figure out where to put the moisture?!
thanks for this post-enjoyed reading.
JEssica | November 3, 2011 |
100% shea butter is like no other for Indian skin! Its the only thing I use in the winter; kind of insane to put on but once its on its like a dream.
mostlyaboutmusic | November 3, 2011 |
amen to the trials of ineffective hotel soap and how about the hotel shampoo’s that are the moisturizing equivalent of hand soap.
Danielle | November 3, 2011 |
On the highend, Kielhs Creme de Corps body lotion works wonder. I use it during winter months.
chic noir | November 5, 2011 |
Mindy, you should try the “Korean washcloth.” It’s like plastic sandpaper! http://www.amazon.com/pcs-Asian-Exfoliating-Bath-Washcloth/dp/B004C8DR1U
Ann | November 5, 2011 |
i’m as white as white comes, and i have to moisturize like crazy so you can’t see through my skin to the other side. i also get rough patches that turn red in my elbow pit. nice, huh? oh, and it happens on my face sometimes…one more reason to hate winter. i’ve finally got my face to a healthy place thanks to beauti control face wash and lotion. i have to use the beauti control line they have for 60 year olds. 60 year olds! but at least i’m smooth! for the rest of my body, i use gold bond– ain’t no shame! it works great for rough patches on my arms and feet. so give that a try! carmex has also come out with a lotion, but i haven’t tried it yet…i’ve got my fingers crossed that it lives up to their lip balm. lips! that’s another dry spot that i’m continuously moisturizing. burt’s bees honey balm and burt’s bees tinted balm have been the best i’ve found so far. okay i’m done with the ashy cures!
marla | November 9, 2011 |
Totally just bought one of these today after my BFF mentioned she saw it on your blog, since I had totally slept on checking out it out in a while — I used to read the previous incarnation all the time! Anyway, I am all about scrubs. Have you ever heard of “akasuri”? It’s the Japanese name for a Korean body scrub, involving (in my experience) burly grandmas in black underwear scraping you with scouring pads head to toe to get all the dead skin off. Afterwards, a massage of olive oil and special salt (that tasted weirdly sweet?) plus getting washed with milk makes your skin feel like you’re twenty minutes old. If you can find a place to get it done, I HIGHLY recommend it!!
Sarah | November 12, 2011 |
Not that I’m stalking you (totally am), but bought this brush and have been scrubbing my lily-white flesh into perfection daily since. Um. Where has this been all my life? I’m so sad I didn’t find it before. I’m so smooth and silky now…
Would it be weird if I started a sister blog called “Things Mindy Kaling Bought That I Also Bought And Love Just as Much if Not More”?
saram23 | November 25, 2011 |
Important question: do you just straight brush yourself or are you supposed to use soap or body goop or whatever?
Nicole | December 1, 2011 |
Mindy, I love your blog and your book was awesome! It’s like you’re in my brain. “Things I bought that I loved” is freaking genius. I’m a competitive shopper, so I tend to shop alone, but reading these awesome picks is like People Style Watch and shopping w/ a fashionable best friend all at once. Thank you! Anyways, a few things..a paragraph into your book I thought, you MUST be on Polyvore? …right? Before Pinterest.com exploded, it was where I frittered away 7 out of my 8 work hours selecting wardrobes off Net-a-porter for various lifestyles I imagined living. You need to be on both if you aren’t already. My style has exponentially improved since stalking the fashionable on this site. Pinterest is like Polyvore, only not limited to just fashion. See my account: “fancy details” to experience new levels of girly hedonism (hmm. Maybe my new blog title?)
Next, I just blogged a motherload about dry skin. You should try Am-Lactin for your body at CVS/Walgreen/Target if you can find it. The lactic acid is super exfoliating and and moisturizing and Mary Kay’s intense hydrating cream is amazing for your face if you find you’re dry there. It gives you that amazing, model-y dewy look.
Finally, going to the Body Shop to buy this brush asap. Hope you get a kick-back for recommending all this stuff because I love your taste!!
Wendy | December 6, 2011 |