Black skincare: the beauty industry has work to do
Shocking new research shows four in 10 black female consumers find it hard to source cosmetics to suit their skin. So what can be done? Adenike Adenitire reports
Walk into any high street department store and you’ll be confronted with a seemingly endless array of beauty products.
But while there might appear to be a serum or lotion for every possible need, many black and Asian people have trouble finding beauty products to suit their skin.
In fact, four in 10 black female shoppers in the
UK say they still find it hard to find the right cosmetics and skincare.
And the beauty industry is missing out on serious spending power.
Stats show these consumers spend 30 per cent more on products than any other group.
Yet with limited options on the high street, many have to go to specialist stores.
“We spend a lot of time talking about diversity and inclusion, but true inclusion is something we still need to work on,” says Dija Ayodele, author of Black Skin: The Definitive Skincare Guide.
So what is the issue?
The main problem is key ingredients used in many products can cause irritation and permanent damage to skin of colour.
Dr Vanita Rattan is a cosmetic formulator for skin of colour. Author of Skin Revolution: The Ultimate Guide to Beautiful and Healthy Skin of Colour, she has a following of more than 1.5 million on social media.
“You’re not going to die from using certain products, but it is important to minimise the risk of irritation and inflammation which can lead to hyperpigmentation,” she says.
“Unlike with caucasian skin, this is not a short-term problem for darker skin tones. You could get a mosquito bite and 20 years later still have a pigmented mark, so we have to be more educated about skincare to avoid this.”
Swerving certain ingredients minimises the risk.
“Try not to use drying alcohols,” says Dr Rattan. “Some alcohols are good for skin, like cetearyl alcohol (used in products to bind oil and liquid). But denatured alcohol (helps a product better penetrate the skin), is volatile and evaporates quickly. When skin loses water, dry skin left behind doesn’t function optimally. It looks dull and wrinkles faster.”
The smell of a product can be a big draw for customers. But people with darker skin tones should stay away from fragranced skincare.
“This can lead to contact dermatitis, an itchy rash caused by direct contact. It can also cause painful broken skin in extreme cases,” says Dr Rattan. Essential oils can be troublesome as well.
“I wouldn’t put lavender oil directly on the skin, because it is volatile and leads to sensitivity.”
Finding the right products for ethnic skin can be time consuming.
“It’s not that the products don’t exist. They do, and more have become available over the last five years,” says Dija.
“However, brands often fail to communicate with a diverse consumer base. So the products exist, but the marketing lets them down. Some brands don’t quite understand cultural significance or references that a smaller store catering to that particular ethnic demographic understands.”
But Dr Rattan believes things have started to change.
“Previously skincare companies weren’t certain there was enough know-how out there to sell products,” she says. “But I believe this is changing, especially in the last 18 months, as the appetite for purchasing the best skincare for your skin has increased.
“Those with skin of colour have enormous spending power and whoever caters to this market first will dominate,” she adds.