Since we travel so much now, have multi-cultural relationships and off-spring, and find ourselves ever increasingly affected by stress and lifestyle choices, how can brands formulate more inclusive skincare options to address these needs?

Lets take a look at commonalities of different skin types, and then consider how these can be addressed in more inclusive skincare formulas for those travelling constantly to different climate zones and/or those of varying descent. You can also watch this video which outlines different ethnic skin types and the formulation needs of each.

The Fitzpatrick Skin types

The Fitzpatrick skin type scale was created in 1975 to categorise how different types of skin react to the sun. When talking about inclusivity, this is one of the first items we need to consider, because it helps categorise the melanin content of different skin types and how much it may be impacted by sun exposure. The Fitzpatrick skin type scale rates from I – very pale white skin that burns easily to VI – very dark pigmented skin that never burns.

Nothing damages or ages the skin as badly as UV exposure – when formulating for inclusivity it is important to recommend sun protection to minimise this damage. It is difficult to formulate an inclusive sunscreen that will suit multiple skin types because of how much that melanin content can vary, along with varying sebum levels that will impact how the product needs to spread and feel.

Generally speaking, the lower the Fitzpatrick skin type rating (those with a rating of I, II or III) the more lipids, hydration and anti-ageing factors that will be needed by the individual as they age, particularly if they have had a lot of sun exposure during their lifetime, as their skin is very susceptible to UV damage.

Differences in ceramide content

Ceramides are a part of the ‘cement’ that holds skin cells together and protect against trans-epidermal water loss. Asian skin has the highest ceramide content, which means their skin tends to have the best trans-epidermal water loss protection. Ceramide content decreases in this order:

Asian skin > Hispanic skin > Caucasian skin >> African/Caribbean

While African/Caribbean skin has the lowest content of ceramides, they have a generally high content of sebum which helps counter against excess dryness.

When creating an inclusive skincare formula, use a relatively high content of humectants as this will provide suppleness and counter drying regardless of ethnic heritage. Humectants are also great to hydrate the skin without having any sort of greasy or oily residue.

Differences in oil content

The sebum content of skin is important to provide a moisture protective barrier to dehydration also. Having a higher content of sebum in the skin is not necessarily linked to increased acne, but instead, a reduction in the appearance of ageing, since wrinkles and sagging skin are exacerbated by dry skin. African/Caribbean skin has a significantly higher natural content of oils and sebum than other skin types. The order is:

African/Caribbean skin >> Asian skin > Caucasian skin > Hispanic skin

When creating inclusive skincare formulas it is hard to cater to all skin types in lipid content because Caucasian and Hispanic skin types, for example, will want a longer lasting and richer feeling emollience from their skin care than African/Caribbean or Asian skin types of the same age. In this case, using terminology that describes the skin feel of the product based on both oil input and type of oils used will help your consumer better select the product for their skin type. For example, describe your product as ‘rich’ for those wanting more oil with a longer lasting emolliency, or ‘light’ for those wanting product for use in humid regions, or for skin types where only a low input of light skin feel esters or silicones is desired.

Pore size and stratum corneum differences

It is interesting to note that all skin types, regardless of ethnic heritage, show an increase in pore size as they age. This means inclusive skin care formulas should include actives to reduce pore size in products marketed to those aged 40+. Watch how to create a pore-reducing toner in this video with some great actives.

It is also interesting to note that Asian skin types have the thinnest stratum corneum, but the high ceramide and sebum content helps protect them from early aging. Asian skin types do have the highest reaction to pollution, however, which is interesting as many people with Asian heritage live in more populated (and therefore generally more polluted) environments. Inclusive skincare would benefit from pollution protecting film formers or anti-pollution actives, especially where it will be targeted to those living in cities versus those seeking a more wholistic or countryside lifestyle.

Which skin ages first?

It should be no surprise, that with a lower ceramide and sebum concentration, Caucasian and Hispanic skin types show signs of ageing first, and from as low as 30 years of age particularly when there has been significant sun exposure. Those with Asian skin heritage will tend to show signs of ageing last, as long as they have protected their skin from UV damage, and may not need anti-ageing products until they reach 50 years of age or older. The order is:

Caucasian skin (30 years old+) > Hispanic skin > African/Caribbean skin > Asian skin (50 years old+)

It is however, interesting to note, that Asian skin types and African/Caribbean skin types will often experience uneven skin tone, dark eye bags and/or hyperpigmentation spots earlier than other skin types, even if they remain wrinkle free.

When creating inclusive skin care, it is best not to put an age on the product but instead make claims about the activity of the product. That way those with varied heritage (and therefore various stages of skin-ageing, regardless of their biological age) can select products to suit their skin concerns, rather than based on a date of birth.

Hormones, diet, stress and lifestyle

Hormones, diet, stress and lifestyle can all impact the skin in ways that contradict the typical skin types. Being of mixed cultural heritage, moving to a climate different to where you were born, pollution and UV exposure can also dramatically impact generalised skin characteristics.

When formulating for inclusive skincare, it can be a good idea to appeal to the wellbeing aspect of lifestyle, particularly if your target market fits into a stressed or lifestyle impacted category.

General tips to formulate inclusive skin care

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when it comes to formulating inclusive skin care. Some general tips to help you accommodate as many people as possible with your skincare formulas include:

• Recommendations to use daily UV protection – rather than try to have a one-size-fits-all approach to a sunscreen product, recommend they find a product that suits their skin and use it daily.
• Include actives to address UV damage, as we are all exposed to it!
• Include plenty of humectants in your formula – this will boost suppleness and hydration to all skin types without greasy residue.
• Incorporate the expected skin feel of emolliency into the name of the product so consumers can select ‘rich’, ‘light’ or medium skin feel according to their dryness and skin needs.
• Include actives to address specific skin concerns such as whitening, lightening eye bags or hyperpigmentation, or anti-wrinkle; and use this in the marketing rather than use age ranges or try to be age specific.
• Consider the humidity and pollution of the area where the products will be sold and include actives if necessary.
• Consider including a wellbeing active and message to counter the impact of diet, lifestyle and stress.

And of course, trial the inclusive formulas on as diverse a population as possible to get their feedback on the skin feel and efficacy of the formulation. It is always consumer opinion that matters and will ultimately drive the formulation development of your skincare range.

Happy formulating!