This article is brought to you by the AVEENO® Skin Health Start Up Accelerator. Filled with helpful resources, this entrepreneurial hub is part of AVEENO’s commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive industry to impact the health and beauty of all skin.
Let’s face it, consumers today are just as interested in what goes inside your products as they are in your brand. There are many skin care and haircare products to choose from, so to make yours truly stand out, effective natural ingredients are a must-have, especially if your target audience are women with beautiful Black skin.
To make their decision, buyers will be looking at your ingredient label to see what is really inside each bottle and how it will help them avoid problems like dark spots, dryness, hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. For many with ethnic skin tones, these problems can be overcome by using the right natural ingredients.
While simple, natural options can be as effective as scientifically engineered solutions, natural ingredients are often combined with skin care and hair care formulas to create the best, safest and most efficient products possible.
Here is our list of the top 5 natural ingredients to include in your next product line that your Black consumers are looking for.
Coconut Oil. With big hydration and anti-inflammatory benefits, there is growing science supporting the use of this plant fat as a topical skin soother. It can suppress some of the body’s natural inflammatory agents while making the skin a better barrier, which is ideal for products that help fight, dry, itchy skin and scalp.
Green Tea. Yes, drinking green tea can improve your health from the inside but it can also be used as an anti-aging agent and as sun protection on your skin—just don’t skip your daily sunscreen to get the full protection you need. The polyphenols have antioxidant properties and smoothing abilities to help treat the signs of sun damage, while protecting against future exposure, making it perfect for your skin care or hair care products
Oats. It’s rumored that Cleopatra took oat baths so keep her skin looking great—and she was definitely onto something. Today oatmeal baths are still used to combat conditions like eczema and rashes and are known for their nurturing properties. With naturally occurring anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant chemicals, oats help replenish skin’s natural barrier and support its natural ecosystem, for healthy, balanced and vibrant skin.
Soy. You can find a variety of plant-based chemicals that impact the skin in just one little soybean, from antioxidants to fatty acids to isoflavones. Dating back to traditional Chinese medicine, people have been buzzing about this bean for hundreds of years. Soy’s proteins, lipids and vitamins have super moisturizing powers to help even skin tone, improve texture and boost radiance.
Shea Butter. You probably already know how amazing Shea Butter is! Loaded with fatty acids, it has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and is one of the most useful ingredients for treating and soothing the itchiness of eczema. Plus, it doesn’t seem to cause skin allergies, which make this natural moisturizer a great fit for even the most sensitive skin types.
While developing your products with skin and hair-healthy ingredients, visit the AVEENO® SKIN HEALTH STARTUP ACCELERATOR hub to learn more about how to make an impact in the skin health industry with your brand. You’ll hear from AVEENO® business leaders, industry experts, and much more. Click here to explore now.