New company ups research into ethnic cosmetics

Patrick Obukowho, president and principal consulting chemist, said that the company would be committed to the specific science and art of formulating and designing ingredients for ethnic products.

Increasingly cosmetic and personal care companies are waking up to the fact that there are many individual requirements according to an individual's ethnicity and that there is a plethora of products that can be developed according to these requirements.

In recent years there has been a significant growth in the number of make-up lines developed according to the specific requirements of darker skin tones. Both MAC and Avon have developed make-up lines for Latinas and blacks, but there is also the potential to further develop products that also meet specific hair and skin care requirements.

Advantage Research Lab says it will offer consulting services that include designing formulas or ingredients for the ethnic market, providing technical ideas to help market and position products, together with visits to production facilities to train and troubleshoot formulation and manufacturing problems.

Obukowho has 18 years of experience in ethnic product formulation and raw material evaluation. He has previously worked in research for Croda, firstly as a research manager of personal care products, and then as an executive program manager for ethnic product development.

Obukowho also lectures on ethnic product formulation and chemistry for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) and is due to give a presentation about skin care formulation for the society at the end of September.

Having also been published at a professional level on a number of occasions, Obukowho is currently working on new concepts to improve products for chemically damaged hair.

With many cosmetic and personal care categories showing increasing signs of slower growth rates, many manufacturers are finding that the more their products are specialized or niche, the greater the potential for growth.

This has also proved true of products that are targeting ethnic groups. A recent study by Packaged Facts for the hair care market in the US found that growth in this market is sluggish over all, but that products dedicated to specific ethnic needs are becoming increasingly popular.

The report said that more and more companies are launching products aimed specifically ethnic hair requirements such as anti-frizz products are helping to contribute to a US market for ethnic and personal haircare products that is now valued at $1.5 billion.