Just a few years ago, I shared the stories of a few fellow travelistas who came across a $200 travel glitch to South Africa and Dubai. At the time, I remember thinking, I hope to one day get to travel to a foreign destination for a low price myself. I knew a handful of people who were able to snatch tickets at the below market value price, and each one came back with amazing stories to tell. So I followed the advice shared in my interviews, started following Twitter pages like The Flight Deal and Airfare Deal Alert, and prayed that one day, my moment would come.
And my day did come on New Year’s Day in 2023. I woke up to an email in my inbox about a “travel glitch” for a $400 round trip to Dakar, Senegal, from Scott's Cheap Flights (now Going), one of many sites that I subscribed to that sends out daily travel deals for destinations all around the globe. While I had heard of Dakar from friends who went, I admit it wasn’t initially high on my bucket list. I was determined to get to Cape Town, Ghana, or Egypt before venturing out to other countries in the Motherland.
But the thing about travel glitches is that you have little time to think. As I had learned from missing out on previous travel glitches, waiting more than a few hours could cost you a good deal. So after doing a quick Google search to see if Dakar would be a good solo travel destination (in case I couldn’t convince anyone else to come), I booked the trip and shared the news with friends and family to see if anyone else wanted to go.
At first, nobody seemed interested, so I mentally prepared myself to go on what I thought would be my first international solo trip. But a few days later, my best friend surprised me when she said, “I’m down to go with you, boo.” And those coveted words were the beginning of what would be one amazing trip with my ride-or-die bestie.
If Dakar wasn’t on your radar before, I hope that by the end of reading this, you get an idea of the magic of this gem nestled on the West Coast of Africa. From the rich and vibrant culture to fun day trips and beautiful beaches to take a dip, here are five reasons you need to book a flight to Senegal ASAP!
Gorée Island
Kiah McBride
1. The History is Rich
Writer Kiah at Gorée Island
Kiah McBride
Dakar is a place filled with history just as rich and colorful as its French colonial buildings. On a tour through the city of Dakar, we stopped by the Our Lady of Victories Cathedral, where we learned that 96% of Senegalese identify as Muslim, though the city is known for being extremely tolerant towards different religions. We wound our way through Marché Kermel, one of the most popular markets for food, spices, and souvenirs. As we made our way to Gorée Island, one of the largest slave-trading centers on the African coast from the 15th to 19th century, we felt the weight of our ancestors' pain as we walked through the eerily quiet streets of the island.
At each stop of the tour, we got a sense of where Dakar has been and where it’s going as the city continues to grow economically and modernize its infrastructure. For that reason, like any city, expect to see a mix of more humble and luxurious abodes as you ride through different areas.
African Renaissance Monument
Kiah McBride
2. The People are Kind and Offer Great Hospitality
Dakar Market
Kiah McBride
Whenever you travel to a new country, there’s always that question of whether or not you will feel accepted by the people there. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the people of Dakar are not only kind, but they actually pride themselves on their hospitality. In fact, they even have the word “terenga” in their local language, Wolof, to describe the warm welcome that they give visitors. Throughout my time there, I felt safe and even managed to stumble through my beginner French to connect and converse with some of the locals. If safety and hospitality are high on your list of travel needs, you will find yourself at home in Dakar.
Dakar Market
Kiah McBride
3. The Food is Phenomenal
Thieboudienne meal with bissap on Gorée Island
Kiah McBride
The amount of yassa fish (Filet de Lotte) and bissap (a sweet hibiscus drink similar to the Jamaican drink Sorrel) we consumed should be a sin. The food in Dakar was so fresh and flavorful that I found myself looking forward to every meal. Whether you indulge in more traditional cuisine such as thieboudienne—a seasoned fish simmered with vegetables in tomato paste and served over broken rice—or opt for more familiar dishes, Dakar has a restaurant to accommodate your taste buds. A bonus if you go to a place with a view just as beautiful as your plated dish!
Ngor Island
Kiah McBride
Kiah pictured at Ngor Island
Kiah McBride
4. There are Endless Activities and Attractions
Bandia Reserve
Kiah McBride
From the beautiful beaches of Plage de Yoff to the Bandia Reserve, where you can go on your own mini safari tour, there’s no shortage of things to do both in and outside of the city. We were in Dakar for nearly seven days and only managed to squeeze in enough time to tour the main sites and monuments, catch a small boat for an overnight stay on Ngor Island, and make our way to see the giraffes at the Bandia Reserve. That may sound like a full itinerary, but we probably would need at least a month in Senegal to really experience all that it has to offer. Be sure to do your research to best determine how to plan your itinerary, as some attractions like Lac Rose (a pink lake) and Lompoul Desert will require you to be gone for a full day or even overnight.
Kiah at Ngor Island
Kiah McBride
5. The Nightlife is a Vibe
Hitting the late-night streets may not be everyone’s preference, but if you do find yourself curious about the evening festivities of the city, then Dakar certainly will not disappoint. We were surprised to discover that Dakar has a vibrant nightlife and that many of the clubs and late-night eating spots don’t close until the sun comes up. While I normally wouldn’t emphasize the party life as being the reason to travel, there’s just something about listening to Afrobeats in Africa on a beautiful summer night that’s a magical experience. If nightclubs aren’t your thing, consider enjoying live music at a local spot or nearby hotel, such as Hotel Boma, for a more chill vibe.
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Featured image by Kiah McBride
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As I’ve been settling into a skincare regimen that works best for me, something that has been a total game-changer is certain acids. So far, I’ve written about hyaluronic acid (check out “Why Your Skin, Hair, And Nails Need Hyaluronic Acid Like...Yesterday”), mandelic acid and kojic acid soap (check out “These 12 Things Will Make Your Skin Glow All Of The Time”) and, in a minute, I’m gonna roll up on y’all when it comes to ferulic acid. Today, though, I want to touch on another acid that has some pretty impressive benefits: mevalonic acid.
You know, something else that tends to come with aging skin is dryness. If that’s something that you’re currently battling with, this is an acid that can help to get you the moisture that you need.
Are you ready to become a fan of mevalonic acid, sis? Here’s the breakdown.
What Is Mevalonic Acid All About?
GiphyAight, so, from a scientific standpoint, mevalonic acid is considered to be a “precursor to cholesterol.” In Layman's terms, this means it’s an acid that is a natural compound in your system; one that helps to maintain your skin’s barrier by supporting the production of cholesterol and vitamin D, along with some of your body’s hormones.
And while you may already be familiar with how vitamin D benefits your skin (by reducing inflammation and assisting with skin turnover), you might be surprised by how much “influence” cholesterol has on it too. In fact, in a Women’s Health article about this particular acid, a health expert shared that cholesterol is actually “about 25% of the skin’s lipid composition and it is an essential part of the cell membrane.”
When I cross-referenced this with another article on the topic, it stated that cholesterol is found in many cosmetics because it helps to keep skin well-hydrated for long periods of time (which is hella beneficial as you will see in just a moment) without leaving behind an oily residue that could result in breakouts.
Although studies are still ongoing about mevalonic acid as it directly relates to skincare, there are some benefits that make it well worth at least trying on your skin to see if it will give you the results that you have been looking for.
Mevalonic Acid Keeps Your Skin Well-Hydrated
GiphyWater helps to protect your skin from environmental damage. Water helps your skin to maintain a soft and smooth texture. Water helps to nourish your skin’s cells.Water helps to detox your skin. Water helps to improve your skin’s elasticity. Water helps to prevent breakouts. Water helps your skin look young and glowing for longer periods of time.
So, anything that helps to keep your skin hydrated is something that you should consider applying to it — and mevalonic acid has a great reputation for doing just that.
Mevalonic Acid Protects Your Skin’s Barrier
GiphyThe outermost layer of your skin is calledyour skin’s barrier; its main purpose is to protect your skin from the free radicals, ones that could ultimately lead to skin damage and aging. Interestingly enough, these layers are made up of cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides, and since mevalonic acid helps with the production of cholesterol in your skin, by default, it helps to protectyour skin’s barrier too.
Mevalonic Acid Boosts Collagen Production
GiphyYour skin needs collagen for a myriad of reasons — it helps your skin to produce new cells; it helps to get rid of old, dead skin cells; it helps to bring elasticity to your skin; it helps to slow down the signs of aging, and it aids in skin hydration.
Aside from the fact that mevalonic acid is able to boost collagen production within your skin, something else that’s really cool about it is that, since its molecular size is so small, it is able to penetrate the layers of your skin better than retinol and even hyaluronic acid can.
Mevalonic Acid Is Great for Acne-Prone Skin
GiphyWith all of this talk about cholesterol, it would be pretty natural to wonder if mevalonic acid would clog up your pores. Interestingly enough, because it’s so lightweight, it actually has a pretty good reputation for working well on both acne-prone as well as sensitive skin. In fact, there is a skincare brand called Personal Day that incorporates mevalonic acid into its acne-fighting products.
You can watch a dermatologist share her thoughts on the product and why mevalonic acid is so beneficial when it comes to fighting breakouts here.
Mevalonic Acid Is a Solid Exfoliant Alternative
GiphyIf you want to unclog your pores, reduce hyperpigmentation, brighten your complexion, improve circulation to your skin, and reduce the signs of aging, you need to exfoliate your skin on a consistent basis. And although mevalonic acid doesn’t exfoliate in the way that AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) or BHAs (beta-hydroxy acids) do, what makes it exceptional in its own right is that it encourages your system’s natural exfoliation process to transpire. That makes it an awesome alternative if you’re looking for a gentler type of exfoliant.
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Okay, so what if, after reading all of this, you are sold on giving mevalonic acid a shot, yet you’re not sure where to find beauty products that contain it? The key is to look for serums or moisturizers that list the ingredient on their label. To get you started, do some reading up onAMEVA Mevalonic Acid Multipotent Serum (which is plant-based and vegan) and thePersonal Day line that I mentioned earlier. Remember, mevalonic acid is just (semi) recently becoming all the rage…I am sure that you’ll see more cosmetic lines catch on soon.
In the meantime, you’ve been put on alert, which makes you ahead of the curve. Something tells me that your skin will adore you for that. Report back and let me know.
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