John, IN’OYA Ambassador and blogger known on Instagram as @lhistoiredunjohn.
How does a man with mixed-race skin build his daily skincare routine? In this interview published in 2022, John, the Beauty Idealist content creator known as @lhistoiredunjohn, shares his experience of acne, dark marks, sun protection and caring for his Afro beard.
What are the 5 things everyone should know about you?
My name is Johnny and I’m 30. I see myself as a “beauty idealist”. It’s a subtle mix between a cosmetics addict and someone who shares messages about overall well-being. “Appreciating the simple things in life, taking care of yourself and investing in yourself are what drive me.”
Originally from the French Caribbean, I’m a Parisian at heart. Give me a striped top, a baguette and a beret and I’ll sing Piaf in front of the Eiffel Tower morning, noon and night.
I’m lucky enough to make a living from my two passions, digital and training. I’m a Learning/training project manager. At night and on some weekends, I put on my side-hustle hat and create web content and storytelling for brands and e-commerce sites.
Ah, my passions! I’m passionate about organic chemistry, I like to understand how things work, I’m a huge fan of formulation, I fell into the cosmetics cauldron very young and never climbed out. Beyond saying that something works, I like to get to the bottom of things: why? Which active ingredient or which synergy, and why does it act on the skin that way
My values? Proactivity, compassion, being proud of my achievements and, above all, accepting my flaws.
On your Instagram account, you share your daily life, your day-to-day feelings, and your skincare and haircare tips.
How did L’histoire d’un John come about?
Today, @lhistoiredunJohn is much more than a skincare and haircare page!
It’s a bit like my diary, open to everyone, where I talk about my daily life: what it’s like to turn 30 when you don’t want to! Between taxes, friends who only talk about property, and hints that your younger cousin is already a dad, and that’s not all!
I also talk about the pressure men face from “real man” stereotypes: you’re short at 1.70 m, you’re a shrimp, you’ll never be manly, you’ve put on weight, a big guy is muscular, not fat. Men also suffer from loneliness, depression and eating disorders, and nobody talks about it, so I decided to.
But originally, and this is still my reason for being, I wanted to express myself freely about my passion: “cosmetics”. When I was a student, I couldn’t afford complete, varied routines to treat my acne or look after my hair. So I started analysing the science of cosmetics and skin to manage it myself. Today I really enjoy sharing my knowledge and advising others.
L’histoire d’un John is just the story of a lost guy with a different, passionate outlook.
What do you think of men’s relationship with cosmetics?
It’s a battle, an everyday one: we have to break down fixed ideas, change mindsets and prove that it’s necessary! Many men would like to do much more when it comes to skincare, but stay discreet or don’t dare, because it would be seen as a sign of vanity.
Something reserved for women or associated with a lack of masculinity.
So they use an all-in-one cream, or one that doesn’t suit the face’s natural pH, to have that gentle, comforting gesture without being noticed.
Gentlemen, caring for your skin and your body isn’t optional, but it does go hand in hand with a sharp outline, a stylish haircut or a “square” jaw.
Men’s cosmetics are very often defined by minimalist products with 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 actions.
Do you think men don’t want a complete routine?
I don’t really know where I stand on that. I like a minimalist approach to skincare as much as a multi-layered routine (layering).
The advice I give every day to men who want to get started with cosmetics is to have the basics!
- A good cleansing gel
- A moisturising serum or a moisturising cream
- A very good sunscreen.
With this foundation, you build a habit, and then, if you want, you add one or two extra products.
Read more: how to care for your skin as a Black or mixed-race man.
My Purifying Cleansing Foam CLEAN’OYA®
The CLEAN’OYA® range brings together IN’OYA’s cleansers: a foam for oily-prone skin and a micellar water for sensitive skin.
Discover the foam → See the CLEAN’OYA® range →
You have acne-prone mixed-race skin.
What is your men’s beauty routine to enhance your skin and treat your blemishes?
For me, the basics are: Cleanse, treat and protect
I cleanse my face morning and evening with a gentle cleanser suited to the skin’s physiology (pH 4.5 – 5.5). I very often use My Purifying Cleansing Foam. Once or twice a week, I do a gentle exfoliation with My Exfoliating Cleansing Gel, thanks to the salicylic acid it contains.
To treat my acne and the marks it leaves, in the evening I apply My Targeted Corrector “Local Blemishes” and My “Anti-Dark Spot” Serum.
I protect my skin from the sun with My Sun Fluid.
Good to know: acne-prone skin is often dehydrated too, so I use My Regenerating and Repairing Elixir to hydrate my skin and keep it hydrated, but also to plump it. It’s my night cream!
Also read: Black skin and hyperpigmentation.
My Sun Fluid SPF 50 SUN’OYA®
Broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection, applied in the morning to exposed areas and reapplied according to exposure.
Discover the sun fluid →What do you like about IN’OYA products?
I fell into the IN’OYA cauldron in 2018 and my life has never been the same since.
My first product was My “Anti-Dark Spot” Serum, and it’s still part of all my night routines today.
IN’OYA means effectiveness, sensorial textures and patented technologies drawn from African pharmacopoeia. Products that respect every skin tone but target our priorities. Dark spots and acne, in my case.
Despite our different skin tones, my mother, my father and I can all enjoy the benefits of IN’OYA. (We’ll leave my sister out of it, you already know the story of the big sister we found in the bin.)
My Dark Spot Correcting Serum MEL’OYA®
Apply in the evening, directly on dark spots on the face or body, without rinsing, on non-irritated skin. Follow the directions on the product page.
Discover the serum →We noticed you have a 2–3 day Afro beard.
How do you look after it every day?
It’s very complicated to have an afro and a beard. I would have liked a much fuller or longer beard, but the world isn’t ready yet. In everyday life or at work, you have to accept that there are still lines you can’t cross. So, day to day, I often wear a small goatee or a 3-day beard.
For the beard, less is more!
In the evening, when I apply My “Regenerating and Repairing” Elixir, I often focus on the areas where I have a beard so that it gets into the skin hidden under my hair.
Then I apply an oil or a blend of plant oils. I switch depending on how I feel between:
- Apricot oil against dark spots and to make the beard shine
- Olive and castor oil to strengthen it and make it shine
- Baobab oil for soft hair
Complementary guide: how to have a beautiful Afro beard. For shaving irritation: avoiding razor bumps on Black skin. Find out more: ingrown hairs on Black or brown skin.
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You also have a superb head of hair.
Have you always embraced your Afro hair?
I discovered I had curls at the age of 18. It was a real revelation for me! When I lived with my parents, having hair wasn’t allowed “because yes, it’s for girls”. So I spent almost my whole childhood with a shaved head. When I decided to let my hair grow, I discovered my afro and went wild! A new colour every week: I’ve been blond, chestnut, plum purple…
It took me a while to embrace my hair. I used to be quite shy and introverted, but having an afro forced me out of my comfort zone and helped me build a strong, confident personality, because I got a lot of “rather inappropriate comments” and insinuations…
I have to say that in 2011/2012, a man with an afro wasn’t as common as it is today, unless it was to get braids. So I was a bit of an alien in a world reserved for girls who were loudly championing the Nappy movement.
What do you use every day to care for your curls?
To care for my curls every day, there’s no secret!
Protect them with satin before going to sleep. For me, that’s a hair tie in a pineapple and a satin pillowcase (my nights are very manly).
During the day, I use a mist just to get a little water in and give my curls some pep, then I apply a hair milk to structure everything.
And depending on what I want, sometimes a balm to define them or a gel to hold them. I switch depending on how I feel.
What would be your best piece of advice for our OGUN?
Be consistent! Any treatment, whether for hair or skin, needs regularity and time.
Let’s not forget that a pigmentation spot can take up to 3 skin renewal cycles, with the help of effective products, to fade. So instead of waiting for a miracle product, let’s invest in ourselves for the long term.