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Beauty

5 Movers and Shakers Changing the Way We Talk About Skincare

Authored by Christa Lee
Christa Lee
August 18, 2021

When it comes to diversity in the beauty world, it seems like we’ve finally seen positive shifts in the movement: Brands are addressing the needs of darker skin tones with a wider variety of product offerings, more people of color are being represented as spokespeople and more BIPOC-owned brands are being celebrated in the media. But is this push for diversity in skincare enough? According to these influential pros below, it’s really just the beginning. There’s still a lot of work to be done to see an equal playing field in so many areas, from what we consume on social media to what budding dermatologists learn in medical school when it comes to treating people of color. These five people are working hard to change the game — read on to support their journeys.

Malone Mukwende, author of the “Mind the Gap” handbook

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“But what will it look like on darker skin?”- A question I’ve often asked myself during my time at medical school This constant cerebration led me to curate a handbook that presents clinical features on darker skin. I hope this resource shifts the culture of medical education.

A post shared by Malone Mukwende🇿🇼👨🏾‍⚕️ (@malone_187) on Jun 18, 2020 at 11:39am PDT

A simple internet search of any skin condition and you’ll find that most of the images are of lighter skin tones. And Googling your skin conditions unfortunately isn’t that much better than what you’ll find in most medical textbooks. These textbooks still show an absence of imagery and a major lack of representation of how skin conditions look on people of color, according to Mukwende, a third-year medical student at the St. George’s University of London. This inspired him to write “Mind the Gap: A Handbook of Clinical Signs in Black and Brown Skin.” When he first started med school, he “noticed that there was a lack of teaching on how signs and symptoms present on darker skin” and it became apparent that this is how misdiagnosis for people of color is so common. “Misdiagnosis is avoidable if there were more information about how conditions present on darker skin. That’s why there’s a distrust between the Black community and healthcare. And [if things don’t change] it will continue to grow further as more people hear stories about negative experiences with healthcare. This reduces the confidence the patients have with healthcare and can lead to a reduction in compliance,” says Mukwende. “Mind the Gap” features skin conditions such as cyanosis, jaundice and meningococcal disease. “We are still looking to add conditions like diabetic foot ulcer to spider naevi,” he says, but sourcing imagery is challenging. To help solve this, he ultimately aims to make “Mind the Gap” an accessible document where people will be allowed to submit their own photos to help the handbook grow further.

Intisar Bashir, co-founder of Browndages

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Shoutout to @shhuga for the support! This shade blends perfectly with her skin tone! #supportblackbusiness #blackownedbusiness #blackentrepreneurs #blackeconomics #firstaid #bandage #bandagesforblackpeople #webuyblack #bandagesforbrownpeople #perfectbandageforbrownskin #healinsilence Reposted from @shhuga – Ouch I cut myself!!! Ok I didn't cut myself It was just a scratch Ok I didnt get scratched either I just wanted to put on a browndage! I actually cant wait until I really hurt myself so I can use one legitimately. This was a great idea and I love it. @browndages #fleshcolored #browndages #brownpeoplerock – #regrann

A post shared by Browndages (@browndages) on May 2, 2019 at 2:51am PDT

The intention of bandages is that their “nude” color blends in with the rest of your skin, but why do brands produce only one “flesh-matching” shade when there are many skin tones? That’s what inspired Bashir and her husband Rashid Mahdi to create their own bandage line to match brown skin. Entrepreneurship is in their blood: “My father is a long time business owner and that is what I saw my entire life. My husband and I have always tossed around business ideas. This is one we felt proud of and thought would give our children a sense of pride,” she says. Bashir’s kids were also a huge source of motivation — inspiring them to partner with a local Ohio artist to draw their children in different careers (a chef, veterinarian and astronaut). “We hope our children’s takeaway is that if you put forth the work to bring an idea to fruition and continue to work hard day in and day out, you can make a place for yourself in this world, no matter how saturated it is,” she says.

Quani Burnett, founder of @Beauty4BrownSkin

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Pushing the agenda of inclusivity one brand at a time ⁣⁣ I am the conduit for conversation⁣⁣ The link towards progression⁣⁣ The anchor for advancement ⁣⁣ Gentle in my approach⁣⁣ Strong with my voice ⁣⁣ Persuaded by my perspective ⁣⁣ Optimistic in my nature ⁣⁣ Confident in change ⁣⁣ Pushing the agenda of inclusivity one brand at a time ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ collage by: @rachel.lankford

A post shared by LA Content Creator | Quani (@beauty4brownskin) on Jun 12, 2020 at 1:04pm PDT

Scrolling through her social media feed, it was difficult for Burnett to find resources that focused on brands that worked for her skin. “It’s hard to feel that a skincare product is meant for me if I don’t see people who look like me in a brand’s content,” she says. So, Brunett created her own safe space via her Instagram feed @Beauty4BrownSkin and site of the same name. She typically focuses on reviews for her combination/acne-prone skin under weekly franchises like #TextureTuesday — making sure she includes brands that are affordable, yet effective. When the multihyphenate (she balances a full-time job in the healthcare industry) isn’t talking about beauty, you’ll find her push for inclusivity in everything from her poetry to promoting fellow BIPOC content creators.

Dr. Susan Taylor, founder of the Skin of Color Society

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Continuing the conversation around skin lightening in our South Asian Skin Series by @drspaulderm… A growing number of women (& men) are going beyond skin bleaching creams & turning to systemic skin lightening procedures. The most popular procedure by far is intravenous glutathione. This trend is particularly popular in parts of Asia where lighter skin is considered more desirable, however it is now also gaining popularity in other countries including the USA. Glutathione causes skin whitening via 3 mechanisms. It is a strong antioxidant & its antioxidant activity prevents reactive oxygen species-induced melanogenesis. It shifts melanin production from eumelanin (black/brown) to the lighter pheomelanin (yellow/red). Finally, glutathione inhibits tyrosinase. It is available in topical & oral forms, but the most popular route of administration is intravenously, in order to trigger a “systemic” skin whitening effect. Proponents of the procedure cite individual case reports or anecdotal experiences. Unfortunately, aggressive marketing campaigns have been very successful in reaching their intended target population, despite the high price point. Currently there is no scientific evidence supporting the efficacy or safety of IV glutathione use for skin lightening. The relatively few studies on IV, topical, & oral glutathione have several limitations including small sample size, short duration, and no post study follow up. Glutathione is not FDA approved for skin lightening. In fact, many federal agencies have issued a statutory ban/advisory against the use of IV glutathione due to the possible adverse effects. The lack of evidence & unwanted adverse events raise legitimate concerns about the use of glutathione for skin lightening. In addition, glutathione is typically administered by non-medical professionals in unlicensed clinics & spas. Neural, renal & hepatic toxicity have been reported and there are even reports of death after IV glutathione administration in the Philippines. As dermatologists, it is our responsibility to raise awareness on this growing issue & educate our patients on the dangers of IV glutathione as a skin lightening procedure.

A post shared by The Skin of Color Society (@skinofcolorsociety) on Sep 4, 2020 at 10:07am PDT

Recent statistics show that in the U.S. only six percent of medical professionals are Black — a fraction of those being dermatologists because of the field’s notoriously challenging requirements. Taylor started the Skin of Color Society (SOCS) a non-profit that aims to not only help educate people in the medical field about how to treat patients of color but also as a way to connect patients with the 773 Skin of Color Society members around the world. There’s data that indicates that patients are more satisfied with physicians that are the same race as they are, says Taylor. “They’re more likely to follow the physician’s directions and feel much more confident with the visit when their doctor understands their culture,” she says. Taylor’s determined to encourage medical students and future scientists to help create a more inclusive approach to dermatology: “I serve on the SOCS Grant Awards Committee, which advances the scientific study and promotes investigative research of Skin of Color by evaluating and funding research projects. We provide up to two awards yearly for young investigators. In 2021, we will be able to provide even more (and larger!) grants.”

Tacola Buyarski, founder “PoC Skincare: The Group”

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Its a Christmas shelfie miracle! I rearranged my medicine cabinet and I now have ZERO skincare products on my sink vanity. #skincare #pocskincare #deciem #kiehls #cosrx #boscia #sundayriley #evelom #biologiquerecherche #peterthomasroth #belif #skinfood #tatcha #tonymoly #larocheposay #fresh

A post shared by PoC Skincare (@pocskincare) on Dec 22, 2018 at 12:04pm PST

Buyarski is the founding member of “PoC Skincare: The Group,” which is a gender-inclusive Facebook community of over 28,000 individuals of skincare enthusiasts. “I was in another skincare group on Facebook that was run by white women. I noticed a lot of times when people of color posted, there wasn’t good advice or the administrators would generalize that all skincare is the same for all people of color,” says Buyarski on why she started this community. Members of the group share honest product reviews, before/after skin transformations, articles and tips. For many, the most helpful part of the group is the solidarity that you’re not alone in your skin issues: “The most commonly discussed topic is definitely hyperpigmentation. We have threads about it with thousands of comments,” she says.

Beauty

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