Podcast 198: Inclusive beauty: revolutionizing the science of skincare for everyone

In last week’s enlightening Green Beauty Conversations podcast, we delved into a pivotal conversation with Noelly Michoux from 4.5.6 Skin, exploring the importance of content in skincare science and formulation. Building on this critical topic in this opinion piece, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier also reflects on her episode with guest Dija Ayodele – author, esthetician and beauty industry advocate for women of color – which discussed why black skin care matters.

However, if the giant cosmetic labs creating next-generation skin care and hair care products don’t think about including all skin tones and hair types in their R&D, there will never be true inclusion and choice. Here, Lorraine gives her brief opinion on this crucial aspect of the beauty industry – scientific integration. Join us as Lorraine unravels the levels of scientific integration and its impact on the science of personal care.

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Inspirational Quote:

“As Noelly pointed out, inclusivity is evolving in marketing and PR, but there is work to be done in the scientific field of cosmetics. Today, we shine a spotlight on scientific integration, exploring its meaning, origins, and profound implications for the science of personal care.” – Lorraine Dahlmeier

Key Takeaways From This Opinion on Integration in Skin Care Science:

• Diversity in STEM Careers: Science inclusion begins with the diversification of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. A report by the UK’s Royal Society reveals stark disparities, with only 19.2% of STEM academic staff aged 34 and under being Asian and just 1.8% black.
• Inclusion in sample studies: Noelly’s insights shed light on the challenge of finding research on darker skin tones, highlighting the need for comprehensive sample studies. The use of predominantly white samples in Western research, Nature reports, hinders the development of treatments suitable for different populations.
• Sample participation in hair care: Highlighting the limitations of sample inclusion, Lorraine shares her experiences researching the School’s Organic Haircare Formulation Diploma. Existing studies focus mainly on straight hair types, leading to inadequate categorization of hair texture and the use of the problematic term ‘ethnic hair’.
• Benefits of scientific integration: Science mainstreaming ensures that research benefits a wider range of people, aligning with the UN’s definition of science as a common good. The call for better participation is not just a finger-pointing exercise, but a collective effort needed across the beauty industry.
• Our challenge: Lorraine challenges us to make the case for scientific integration. Beyond superficial diversity in marketing, it prompts us to engage in conversations that penetrate to the core of product research, formulation and design. Let’s collectively drive positive change in the beauty industry.

Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode on iTunes, Spotify the Youtube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Lorraine Dallmeier is a biologist, certified environmentalist, and CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetics school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica team.