Mzansi, take a moment to think about how many different products and brands you use on your skin daily. Many of us are guilty of using all sorts of wonder creams and serums hoping they’ll come to our rescue. The impact these products have on our skin is, however, the least of our worries. We want skincare solutions, and we want them now.
Instead of browsing the endless and often confusing aisles of beauty stores and supermarkets, Thabang Legoabe founded Paledi Skincare Solutions to address his struggles with combination skin. Combination skin is a mix of oily and dry skin types.
You would think taking care of this skin type would be a straightforward process. But when you have both, things get complicated, says Legoabe. “I have got very complicated skin. It’s when it comes to my face but when it comes to the rest of my body, it tends to dry out quickly, even after applying lotion, my skin dries out quickly.”
Legoabe’s business prides itself in using moringa and CBD oil as its main ingredients. This combination of essential oils started in his Mamelodi where he first explored his passion for skincare.
“Moringa contains over 30 antioxidants that works great for your skin, while CBD helps with retaining moisture in the skin as well as encouraging skin to repair any damage caused by scarring from pimples.”
Legoabe offers body butters, lotions, shower melts, bath bombs, skin serum and liquid soap. His products are Cosmos approved.
‘Self-care is serious business’
Women know without hesitation that great skin can unlock doors to self-confidence, better relationships, and general well-being. The same can’t really be said for men, says Legoabe.
In 2022, skincare to men is still considered a “feminine topic” lumped together with beauty and makeup.
“Men are seen as masculine. If they do take the time to take care of their skin, they are seen as feminine,” says Legoabe. “Men are perceived to be seen as people who are strong, even if your skin doesn’t look good, you are manly, so it’s okay.”
Bad skin, however, is not a vibe, and it is cool to take pride, Legoabe adds.
“You need to take good care of yourself. When you look good, you feel good. I am in my mid-40s and I sometimes look at my peers and their skin. It is like they are old people, and they are still young.”
‘Stay away from kotas and hydrate’
Legoabe firmly believes that what we eat affects our skin. Before he embarked on his own skin journey, he is first to admit that he enjoyed all of the kasi cuisine treasures that Mamelodi had to offer.
“I am one of those people who still eat kota, because I am used to it, I love things like bo maotwana [chicken feet], and mogodu [tripe]. Now I have decided that I need to start eating what is going to benefit my body.”
For you to look good on the outside, you need to start from the inside, he adds.
“Drink lots of water, eat a healthy diet. Stop this thing of eating junk food. Junk food doesn’t have life bafethu, that is why our lifespan is shortened. It is because we are what we eat.”
Need skincare tips, gents?
Legoabe emphasises that there’s no reason for men to have ashy, bad-looking skin. Skincare isn’t all that intimidating or just for women. A good face wash, serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen are all it takes to repair, protect, and pamper.
“When we talk about skin, we are not only talking about your face. You also still have a whole body you have got to look after.”
There are at least four basic principles you should live by, says specialist dermatologist Prof Carol Hlela.
- Wash: Clean it with soap and water at least once daily.
- Hydrate: A good moisturiser goes a long way to hydrate the skin.
- Protect: Make sure that you protect your skin from the sun (especially in summer) with sunscreen.
- Seek assistance: Get medical (dermatological) help whenever you have complications with your skin.
ALSO READ: Men’s cancer: It is okay to be vulnerable
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