ETHNIC BEAUTY SECTOR FOCUS

when psychologist, Satoshi Kanazawa, wrote inPsychology Today that “black women are objectivelyless attractive than other women”, which caused alot of criticsim. At more or less the same time, YvesSaint Laurent launched its iconic Touche Eclatproduct in two new shades to suit black and Asianwomen which has gone on to be a big success withconsumers. So while Kanazawa was promptlyremoved as a contributor by the publication, thelatest addition to YSL’s range is further evidencethat things have changed and established brands nolonger ignore the potential of ethnic consumers.Reasons for this vary from the massive growth ofethnic minority populations in many countries – anestimated 23% growth between 2004 and 2009 inthe UK alone – to the increasingly positiverepresentation of women of colour in the mediaworldwide with role models such as MichelleObama, Beyoncé and Rihanna.

Culturally the election of President Obama andthe high visibility of the First Lady made theindustry realise the potential of the ethnic market

It would come as rather a shock if whiteconsumers had to seek out specialist cosmeticbrands in a limited number of stores, rather thansimply browse the shelves of drugstores andsupermarkets where they can choose from an arrayof mainstream brands. This has long been the casefor non-white consumers but today, asmultinationals finally extend their offer to include avariety of ethnic shades and treatments dedicated toblack and Asian skin types, the jury is still out onwhether the beauty industry is finally cateringadequately for non-Caucasian women.

Years ago there was only a limited number ofbrands for ethnic skin and these included FashionFair; Naomi Sims Beauty Products; Gazelle; EstéeLauder; and fellow Lauder brand Clinique. In2000, L’Oréal introduced the L’Oréal Institute forEthnic Hair and Skin Research, testimony to theindustry’s efforts to understand non-white

consumers. According to2009 research fromMintel, ethnic beautyproducts in the UKremained a very nichesector, representing just2% of the total marketfor women’s hair care,skin care and cosmetics.However, the ethnic skincare sector in the UK wasworth an estimated £7m

in 2009 and is set to achieve dynamic growth to2014, averaging gains of around 6% per year,according to Mintel. This is an area which hasalways courted controversy as was proved recently

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Ethnic beauty: Number of products as aproportion of total UK sales ofbeauty & personal care*

Total Ethnic Ethnic market products products

as %

2007 4,056 65 1.60

2008 4,247 68 1.60

2009 4,299 70 1.63 * Hair care, skin care, colour cosmetics. Source: Mintel

BEAUTY SHOWS ITSTRUE COLOURS

Ethnic consumers have increasingly become a target for the cosmetics industry as manufacturerstry to cash in on this growing and significant niche. But are these customers really getting whatthey need? Nadia Di Martino reports

In May, YSL’s iconicTouche Eclat range wasmade available for blackand Asian skin types

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SECTOR FOCUS ETHNIC BEAUTY

and non-white women have increasingly becomeone of the main target demographics of cosmeticscompanies. This has occurred at a time whentraditionally prosperous regions like the US andEurope are facing the challenge of resurrectingtheir economies in the post-recession era whileother areas emerge as drivers of development andinnovation globally. The list includes countries likeBrazil, India and China, obviously largely populatedby non-white consumers, but also Korea and theprosperous Middle East where women have becomefinancially independent and ready to purchasecosmetics. Perhaps unsurprisingly the BB Cream,deemed by some the biggest revolution of the pastfive years on the skin care front, came directly fromAsia targeting Asian skin.

Blame it on the catwalk?In 2008, singer Beyoncé’s advertisement for the newFeria hair colour line from L’Oréal stirred upcontroversy as the singer’s skin tone appeared tohave been lightened which caused people to askquestions as to why this had happened and whethershe had been aware of this.

The beauty industry is so linked with the fashionindustry some have blamed the latter for the delaywith which cosmetics companies have fullyrecognised the multicultural society we live in. USdocumentary The colour of beauty exposed the realityof a fashion world in which stylists and luxurybrands preferred white models or ‘models withCaucasian features who look as if they have been dipped in chocolate’, which wasfamously said to Somali supermodel Iman at thestart of her career.

It also revealed that at New York Fashion Week2008, the dominant skin colour on the catwalk waswhite, with 87% of models being Caucasian, 6%black, 6% Asian and just 1% Latino.

That year, to challenge these preconceptions,Vogue Italia launched The Black Issue where allfeatured models were non-white. The magazinewas so popular that it sold out and even needed tobe reprinted to keep up with the demand.

Perhaps as a result of the inadequacy of thefashion world, innovation in the beauty industry hasbeen brought about directly by non-white models,Iman being one of the first. In 1998, she launchedIman Cosmetics, claimed to be ‘the first cosmeticsand skin care collection designed for all womenwith skin of colour’. In 2004, Iman Cosmetics,which is owned by Impala Inc, announced itsalliance with Procter & Gamble and under thelicensing and distribution agreement the brand isnow available at mass retailers including Walmart.

At the same time, make-up artists have started tolend their knowledge to the cause. French brandBlack|Up was created by Fabrice Mahabo, a make-up artist from the Ivory Coast in 1999. Whenhe realised that make-up products were not tailoredto black skin, he started to mix textures, formulasand pigments to create a range specifically designedfor black and mixed race skin. Audrey N’gadi, PRmanager for Black|Up, says: “Retail sales aregrowing and in 2010 we were the number onebrand in France in the cosmetics market with33.3% growth. Products that care for the

complexion are our most successful categoryprobably because this is the first concern of blackand mixed race women.” The brand identified threemain skin issues: oily skin, dark spots andhyperpigmentation and a lack of radiance, whichare all taken into account in the development offoundation products. “Black|Up offers up to 13foundation shades whereas other brands are addingjust three to six ethnic shades to their regularassortment,” claims N’gadi. “Because our consumeris ethnic she benefits 100% from our make-upwhile this is not the case with other brands.”

Meanwhile professional make-up artist, Aliesh DPierce, whose clients includes the Obamas, says: “Inthe US ethnic specific, colour matching shades areexpected to become a $1.4 trillion industry by 2014.So when direct seller Jafra Cosmetics approachedme about expanding its colour range for AfricanAmericans I jumped at the chance. Manufacturershave figured out that catering to women of colour isa lucrative market. In the past, even within theAfrican American community, I have heard manysay that black women don’t need to wear make-upas their skin is so rich. But my clients with ethnicskin always complained that they couldn’t find theright colour, or even if they found it and used it fora few years the shade was then discontinued with noexplanation.”

Other direct sellers like Avon and Mary Kaycontinue to grow in popularity with this segment,especially in Latin America where Mary Kaydistributed its first Spanish catalogue more than 20years ago.

Pigment problemIn the late 1980s US company Clear Essencerealised that most of the skin care products on the

Ethnic beauty: Main BB Cream launches in the UK, 2011! Clinique Age Defense BB Cream (Estée Lauder)

! Estée Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells ExtraIntensive BB

! Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One BB Cream (L’Oréal)

! Germaine de Capuccini BB Cream Perfectionist

! Mac Prep + Prime BB Cream Dior Snow WhiteReveal UV Protection BB Cream (Estée Lauder)

! Une Intuitive Touch BB-Cream Foundation*(Chanel)* Available October 2011

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Ethnic beauty: Skin care innovators in the UK C&T market,2004-2009

Brand Manufacturer

PhytoSpecific Dermocosmetic Care Ales Groupe

Daggett & Ramsdell Daggett & Ramsdell

Estée Lauder CyberWhite EX Estée Lauder

First Lady Organics First Lady

Great Elin Physick Garden Great Elin Physick Garden

Paris Fair & White Exclusive Laboratoires Derma

Eternal Beauty Academy Natural Academy Source: Mintel

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ETHNIC BEAUTY SECTOR FOCUS

market were specifically formulated for Caucasianskin. It also learned that because of higher melanin,the dark skin pigment, people of colour sufferedfrom a set of unique skin care problems which werenot addressed by the products formulated forCaucasian skin. “We then set out to create skincare products that would address the specific skincare concerns unique to the ethnic population,”says Nnenna Obioha, marketing manger at ClearEssence. “These included skin discolouration, oilyskin, blemishes, dry skin and razor bumps. Ourdistribution points grew from less than 1,000 doorsin the mid 1990s to more than 5,000 by mid 2000.Overall our business growth from the verybeginning to the present day has far exceeded ourexpectations.” Clear Essence’s best selling range isthe Platinum Collection which features ClearEssence Medicated Cleansing Bar, a face and bodyacne and blemish treatment for all skin types.Natural ingredients like sulphur and wheatgermare used to heal problematic skin and reducebreakouts. The line also features the Clear EssenceMedicated Fade Crème. According to ClearEssence, the dark pigment melanin is produced incells called melanocytes in response to irritants.This pigment is transported to cells in the toplayers of the skin, a process that is activated whenthe skin is exposed to sunlight for example. The

type and amount of melanin synthesized by themelanocyte and its distribution pattern in thesurrounding skin cells determines the actual colourof the skin. Dark spots and other discolourations onthe skin are due to a build-up of melanin when anirritating stimulation induces an over production ofmelanin. Melanin forms through a series ofoxidative reactions involving the amino acidtyrosine in the presence of the enzyme tyrosinase.Medicated Fade Cream is claimed to inhibit thetyrosinase enzyme and hinder the melaninoverproduction and, as a result, dark spots fade andthe complexion looks smoother.

The BB revolutionEthnic skin care can be more extreme than justlightening some dark spots however. Skinwhitening, or using chemicals to lighten the skintone by lessening the concentration of melanin, hascome under fire because of its potentially negativehealth effects and racial connotations. In India, Fairand Lovely by Unilever is still a popular branddespite the company being forced to withdrawadvertisements for the product in 2007 afteraccusations of racism. Some types of skin whiteningproducts use ingredients such as mercurouschloride and hydroquinone, which can be harmful.Hydroquinone has now been banned in Europeand in many other countries it can only beprescribed by a doctor for certain skin conditions.Kimberley Carter, campaign PR officer for theBritish Association of Dermatologists (BAD),warns: “Numerous beauty products are beingmarketed to Asian, African and Caribbeancommunities that promise to lighten the skin toneand make complexions fairer. Unfortunately, someof these creams contain illegal compounds that candamage health including high dose steroids, andoften hydroquinone. Unmonitored use of high dose steroids can lead to permanent skinbleaching, thinning of the skin and thedevelopment of visible blood vessels.”

As the side effects of certain chemicals becomeknown, a growing market for skin lighteningproducts that are definitely non-toxic isdeveloping. The BB Cream, which stands forBlemish Balm, is probably the most popular newwhitening and brightening product.Dermatologists often prescribe it for patients afterskin laser treatment to help reduce redness. Somenewer versions incorporate functions of a primer,foundation, moisturiser, sun block, pore minimiserand skin refiner all in one. Missha (Able C&C) isone of the most successful South Korean BBCream brands and it has sold a million units of itsM Signature Real Complete BB Cream since itsFebruary 2010 launch. International companies arefollowing suit with L’Oréal brands Lancôme,Maybelline and Vichy all launching their ownversions of a blemish balm.

Beatrice Van de Glücklichsein, ceo of makeup-cosmetics-wholesale.com comments: “I think theideal of beauty for Asian women has always beenhealthy white skin, like porcelain, and even iffashion comes and goes the ideal of Asian beautynever changes. Just like Europeans want to betanned in winter, in Asia it’s hard for women to

Supermarket 57%

Specialist shop 20%

Department store 17%

Sent over from abroad 8%

Where do UK ethnic consumers shop?August 2009, base: 532 non-white adults aged 15+Source: Ipsos Mori / Mintel

Clear Essence usesnatural ingredientsincluding sulphur andwheatgerm in its rangefor ethnic skin types

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Consultant dermatologist, Naila Usmani, whocreated the gel, comments: “It is a myth thatdarker skins do not need sun protection. Asian andAfro Caribbean skin helps to absorb UVB, whichreduces the risk of burning and subsequent skincancers, but ultraviolet radiation does cause cancereven in darker skin types.” As understanding ofnon-white skin increases, another issue that mustbe taken into account is product distribution.Currently most ethnic brands are available throughthe internet, in beauty salons, in some retailers andvia direct sales. The time is ripe for ethniccosmetics to be accessible to all women and theyshould be positioned in mainstream outlets.

Certainly the beauty industry is on the right pathto cater adequately for non-white consumers, but alot more needs to be done, both in terms ofdistribution and product development. To succeedbrands should aim at being both multicultural andethical, conveying an inclusive image in order tolure ethnic consumers in and, more importantly, tokeep them coming back.

236 ECM July 2011

have pale white skin and they really want it. One ofthe most popular products on our website is theKorean range Skin Food, a well known cosmeticand skin care brand which also enjoys good sales incountries outside of South Korea such as Taiwan,Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. This clearlyshows that white skin will always be desirable toAsian women.”

Mainstream and beyond Today beauty has become more and more bespoke,but not only that, it’s all about being different inorder to survive in a competitive market.Manufacturers are being increasingly compelled tobe specific about their products’ functionalitieswhile also excelling in originality. The way forwardhere may once again come from Asia where thisshift is already happening. For instance in 2010Mentholanum introduced the first combined skincare/anti-acne BB cream onto the Taiwanesemarket.

According to Obioha: “The future will seenatural and organic inspired products fortified withvitamins that address specific ethnic skin careproblems such as hyperpigmentation, oily skin anddry skin. Future trends also point to skin careproducts that can prolong a youthful appearance orreverse the signs of ageing, such as fine lines andwrinkles, in a natural way.”

Ethnic products need to embrace multifunctionalbenefits and therefore, continues Obioha, they needto offer protection from harmful elements becausefighting the effects of the environment willcontinue to be important to consumers. Skin careproducts with high SPFs will also come todominate the ethnic skin care market becauseconsumers will always want to protect their skinfrom harmful rays.

Multifunctional products like Uzuri Anti-tanGel, claimed to be the first specifically developedanti-tan gel for Asian, Afro Caribbean and otherdarker skin types, are on the increase. The gelfeatures SPF30 and vitamin E, said to have anti-ageing and skin repairing properties.

Ethnic surgery – taking the next stepToday cosmetic surgery is so advanced that evendouble eyelid surgery, said to create a crease inthe upper eyelid of Asian consumers, has beendevised, although this procedure is still in itsinfancy. Dr Paul S Nassif, an ethnic surgeon basedin Beverly Hills, California, tells ECM what hisethnic patients want to change the most

“Being of Lebanese descent, my direction towardsethnic cosmetic surgery was a very natural one.This patient segment presents a very unique set ofchallenges due to the different patientexpectations, technical demands and theaesthetics involved. Mastering these aspects hasbeen a tremendously rewarding part of my career.The most sought after aesthetic treatments by myethnic patients are rhinoplasty and blepharoplastysurgery – the surgical modification of the eyelid.

“Ethnic patients typically desire a moderatelythinner bridge, an augmented nasal dorsum, a

refined nasal tip with increased projection androtation and the appearance of vertical-obliquenostrils and a triangular nasal base. Ethnicpatients tend to have thicker nasal skin and as aresult, swelling may last longer and a patient withthick skin may not always achieve the definitionthey desire.

“The beauty industry is now providing somewonderful products for patients of all ethnicitiesthat can be used pre and post surgery. Culturalbiases and taboos have probably impeded thegrowth of cosmetic surgery in this segment. Assurgeons in the US have shifted to a more natural,balanced aesthetic, and as they continue toincrease their understanding of the specific needsof this patient segment, it should continue toexpand. With the internet, plastic surgery hasbecome a far more globalised market and savvypatients have realised that some of the bestethnic cosmetic surgeons are in the US.”

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