This blog post is a follow-up to part 1 which discussed how to deal with hyperpigmentation on the knuckles and scars on the hands.
This blog post continues with the theme but deals with the elbows and knees.
ELBOWS: A JAB TO THE GUT
Between being chubby, hairy and acne-laden, my elbows were (and still are) as dark as night. This fact was not missed by some of my high school classmates and I was sometimes made fun of for same.
The elbow remark that hurt me the most was the one two of my friends made when we were 18. We had gone out for New Year’s Eve and my friend took a picture of me dancing and my elbows happen to be up. The picture was dominated by my face between these two black dots.
These are my elbows in 2014 but this was the pose I had made for the camera when I let down my guard and was dancing the night away on New Year’s Eve.
To have my friends laugh at me and point out the elbows was humiliating. Years later I brought it up to one of the friends (I kicked the other one out of my life) and I told her how I felt. She immediately apologised and it helped me a lot.
ELBOW GREASE DOES NOT YIELD RESULTS
The quantity of remarks that I received about my dark elbows inspired me to use a pumice stone on them in an effort to slough off the dark skin. My elbows turned pink because I was over zealous, and managed to slough off the upper layer of skin. They quickly returned to their darkened state.
I got a prescription for an exfoliating cream which I diligently applied to my elbows. I noticed after a few weeks that dead skin was peeling off to reveal lighter brown elbows. I was thrilled but there was a still a significant contrast such that it was like comparing the brown shades of 85% and 77% dark chocolate. Given the weak results, peeling skin and excessive cost I dropped it.
I was advised by my cousin to apply lemon juice because it is supposed to act as a natural lightening agent. Every night I rubbed lemon juice on my elbows and said a prayer in the hope that the citric acid would break through my genetic code. That was as successful as a penguin taking flight.
FRIENDS JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND…
As the years wore on, I accumulated scars on my legs from shaving and injuries. Like my knees, they darkened, and never went away. I had learned to avoid dresses and skirts thanks to my mother’s conservative values which accepted her wearing a sari that exposed her midriff, back and décolletage but disallowed me from wearing an above-the-knee skirt. This avoidance was exacerbated by my discomfort regarding my dark elbows and knees.
Interestingly, when I cite my disdain for the colour of my joints as a reason to not wear dresses, and as the source of my discomfort for when I wear short sleeves, my friends’ reactions varies per their skin colour. My desi friends understand and have rolled up their clothes to compare joints and scars in a show of solidarity. Conversely, my Caucasian friends ask, “What is the fuss all about? No one notices.”
With the utmost respect I beg to differ.
Most of my Caucasian friends like my desi friends covet a flawless facial complexion and use concealers to cover under eye bags, scars and discolouration. If the former can appreciate the beauty of a flawless facial complexion then why not apply the same principles to the rest of the body? Dark elbows and knees break the visual lines of the arms and legs, making them appear shorter and distracting from the beauty of clothes. The laced hem of an A-line skirt is not enhanced by a pair of hyperpigmented knees.
BODY MAKE-UP: INITIAL INTRODUCTION
As a beauty counter saleswoman at a major department store in the early 2000’s I learned about Dermablend which is a line of products designed to cover port marks and heavy acne scarring. The make-up was heavy then, and clearly designed to be used in extreme cases of skin damage or discolouration.
I wished that I could use body make-up on my elbows and knees but felt that the available products were too heavy. Further, they were marketed to deal with extreme cases of damage or discolouration, so I dismissed body make up as a solution to address my hyperpigmented knees and elbows and scars.
BODY MAKE-UP: Spes aeternum oritur or SHOULD I SAY MAKE UP FOR EVER?
As the years passed, I yearned to express my femininity by wearing skirts and dresses, and to bend my elbows in public without the scintilla of embarrassment that plagued me when I knew someone saw my elbows.
One day I was exploring the Make Up For Ever counter at Sephora and chanced upon their body make up products which are designed to cover scars and discolouration. I was intrigued because it had been years since I touched body make-up and wanted to know if they were now thin enough to be used on a regular basis by a professional woman who would rather not leave tell-tale elbow marks on her desk or a stain on her skirt.
MAKE UP FOR EVER: GAME CHANGER
I clambered onto the chair to try their products, cursing myself for having worn skinny jeans but thanking the heavens that I had shaved my legs. The jeans were difficult to roll up but I managed to do so without cutting off the circulation to my thighs. The artist diligently matched my skin to Full Cover Extreme Camouflage Cream (Cream), Face & Body Liquid Make Up (Body Liquid) and Super Matte Loose Powder (Powder). As the artist layered the products (see below for details) I saw emerge the knees that I was meant to be born with. They were not a perfect match to the rest of my legs but the make-up withered away the starkness of the hyperpigmentation, think: 85% dark chocolate lightened to a cup of milk mixed with a half teaspoon of Nestlé Quik chocolate powder.
Full Cover Extreme Camouflage Cream: This product is a thick concealer product. A little goes a long way!
Face & Body Liquid Make Up: This product is a lightweight liquid foundation that mixes the Full Cover with the surrounding skin.
Super Matte Loose Powder: This is like a face powder and it is applied as a final layer to set the make-up.
I was elated because these products would imbue me with the confidence that I needed to wear skirts and short-sleeved shirts. Reading these words on the written page, it sounds ridiculous but it truly is not. I accept that I cannot change my hyperpigmented joints and scars but who says that I can’t hide them. I work hard on my arms and legs and want their strength and shape to be admired, and darkened spots distract from their overall beauty.
THE SOLUTION IN ACTION
Applying make-up to the body is not that different from applying make-up to the face, except that the canvass is larger. To hide the hyperpigmentation on either set of joints, follow the steps bellow. For the purposes of this blog post I photographed my elbows to demonstrate the solution:
- Remove dead skin with an exfoliator because dead skin covered in body make-up is as ugly as dead skin covered in face make-up. I like Bio Beauté by Nuxe Toning Exfoliant with Redcurrant Pulp because its jelly-like texture is easily massaged into dry skin with circular motions, its fruity scent smells nice, and it rinses off easily;
- The skin on the joints is tougher to hydrate because it is thicker and dryer. I like to literally oil my joints with a product like L’Occitane Firming and Beautifying Supple Skin Oil because one spritz emits the perfect amount and the oil is rapidly absorbed by the skin.
- The first step is to apply a little dot of the Cream on the elbow because this product is richly pigmented and very little is needed to achieve the desired effect. The Cream, like under eye concealer, should be applied in thin layers until the desired coverage is achieved. It is easier to add than to subtract.
- The joints are full of nooks and crannies and it is difficult to blend in the Cream using fingers. I rely on the Bobbi Brown Foundation brush which is flat and duck-billed to stroke in the Cream and I use the edges to reach the nooks and crannies, and to spread the Cream into the surrounding area so that make-up will look diffused and natural ;
The darkness has been cut down after the Cream has been applied and blended.
- The Cream covers the darkness and shadow of the hyperpigmented joints but as with under eye concealer it must work with the surrounding area. The Body Liquid matches the colour of the rest of the body and I dab it on using a sponge (I bought mine at the dollar store), applying one tiny blob at a time. As with the Cream, I applied thin layers until I achieved the desired coverage;
The elbows look lighter and are blended in the rest of the arms.
- To set the make-up, I pat on the Powder with quick dabs. I apply just a bit because as with face make-up, powder can dust off and stain clothes. A judicious amount stays put and looks good. I always finish by swiping off any excess particles using a fan brush such as Make Up For Ever 134;
These are the elbows that I should have been born with!
I like these Make up For Ever products because they do not budge. As with face make-up, I do not touch my joints ever two seconds. Further, since the make-up is a combination of textures, i.e. cream, liquid and powder, they lock each other in rather than melt into a mess. I wore this make-up on my knees when I went to a singles mixer back in May. The place was so hot that I thought it should have been called schwitzer mixer. After two hours of meeting very gross guys my spirits were salvaged when I looked at my legs and my knees hadn’t rubbed off on my calves – they looked perfect.
CONCLUSIONS
Hyperpigmentation is not a death sentence it is just part of the reality of having more melanin in the skin. I have learned:
- Hyperpigmentation cannot be removed from the body, so accept it, save your money, and apply the principle that if you cannot go through a mountain, go around it;
- Hyperpigmentation appears to not be well-understood by those who do not have it, and therefore they cannot truly understand what it is like to be embarrassed or frustrated by this issue. Ignore them and remember that you likely won’t understand what it is like to suffer from rosacea. Each skin type and colour has its own beauty and challenges. As a desi woman you might hate having hyperpigmented joints, so…
- You can hide hyperpigmentation or at the very least downplay it with a mixture of products that match your skin tone and are of different textures which enables them to “lock-in” on the skin; and
- When applying body make-up apply the principles of face make-up, such as ensuring that the surface is smooth, build up the intensity rather than piling it on and blend in carefully.
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Addendum: In case you are wondering what make-up I am wearing for this blog post:
Foundation: Estee Lauder Invis
ible Fluid Make-up 3WN1
Concealer:Laura Mercier SC-5
Eyebrows: Kevyn Aucoin in Brunette
Eyelids: Chanel Professional Eyeshadow Base in Beige
Eye Liner: MAC Deep Blue Sea Fluidline Eye Pencil
Mascara: Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Waterproof
Blush:Benefit Dandelion
Lipstick: MAC Yield to Love
Lipliner: Dior Universal Lipliner Pencil
Manicure: CND Vinylux Rose Brocade
Beauty Tips for Desi Ladies in North America and Europe 