Ethnic skin care: the way forward or outmoded concept?
By DSM Nutritional Products, Ltd 16-Jun-2016, CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com

Whilst the power of beautiful skin is undeniably universal, skin care needs vary widely from person to person. Men’s skin is not the same as women’s; younger skin has different needs than older skin. Skin may be dry or oily. And skin – the largest organ in the body – differs in another way: it comes in a beautiful range of tones which are visible links to our genetic and ethnic heritage.

So what are the broader influences behind consumer choices when it comes to skin care products?

Skin: an evolving story
In many regions of the world – China being a case in point – the population is still fairly homogeneous and people may have quite specific skin care needs based on cultural as well as biological factors. DSM Consumer Insight researchers who went to that country found that definitions of beauty in China often differ widely from those cited in many Western countries. They also found that Chinese women had different anti-aging skin care priorities, tending to be less worried about wrinkles than about loss of skin elasticity, enlarged pores and uneven tone.

For manufacturers of skin care products this presents both challenges and opportunities.
A DSM Insights team that conducted a field study in Los Angeles and New York among mothers, daughters, aunts and friends obtained a myriad of rich insights into their notions regarding ethnicity and skin care. Many interviewees declared their opposition to the idea of categorizing people by ethnic group, believing that this simply isn't consistent with people's views of the world today, or their view of themselves.

The take-away message from consumer insights is therefore that the need for multifunctional skin actives which work equally well for all skin tones and types is set to grow.
In their study DSM investigated the global applicability of a peptide ingredient amongst three different ethnicities (Caucasian, Asian and African), whereby they discovered new cosmetic properties.

• Multifunctional anti-ager for all skin tones
• Visible reduction of the signs of aging and shiny skin
• Improved skin smoothness and appearance resulting in younger-looking skin

The peptide therefore has applications as a global anti-aging cream and serum, and as a skin beauty maximizer mask. It is China-listed.

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