Neutrogena Announces New "Heroes of Skin Health Equity" Initiative
The brand will publicly recognize the work of individuals who are striving to make the world of skincare more equitable, partnering with each to help further their efforts and effectively close the “skin health equity gap” faced by many in the BIPOC community.
Neutrogena is launching its new Heroes of Skin Health Equity initiative, the brand’s latest effort aimed at closing the gap to skin health equity for those with Black and brown skin.
The brand will publicly recognize the work of individuals who are striving to make the world of skincare more equitable, partnering with each to help further their efforts and effectively close the “skin health equity gap” faced by many in the BIPOC community.
“More than 68 million BIPOC Americans face disparities in skin health education, access to expertise and product for all skin types and tones[, which we at Neutrogena find simply unacceptable,” shares Roberto Khoury, General Manager, Neutrogena, in a news release. “As a brand that is committed to advancing skin health for all, Neutrogena is focused on making a difference. But it goes far beyond just our company; we believe the only way to make skin health equity real is if we all come together to do so. That’s why we are so proud to recognize our inaugural Heroes of Skin Health Equity, celebrating those who are already doing such important work and making big strides in closing this gap.”
Neutrogena will broadcast the first-ever social ceremony celebrating all Heroes of Skin Health Equity via the @Neutrogena_us TikTok channel on January 31, 8pm EST. The social event will be co-hosted by Neutrogena brand ambassadors, Kerry Washington and Jennifer Garner.
“Skin health equity is something that means a great deal to me, personally,” says Washington, a longtime Neutrogena partner. “I am so proud to work with Neutrogena to turn the spotlight on these inspiring individuals and celebrate the very important work they are doing to close the skin health gap faced by so many of us with Black and brown skin.”
The inaugural Neutrogena Heroes of Skin Health Equity embody the four core pillars of the brand’s “For People With Skin” promise: Advocacy, Education, Expertise, and Transparency. In recognition of all Heroes’ accomplishments, Neutrogena will partner with each to help further their work, in a collective effort to make the world of skin health more equitable.
Meet the 2022 Neutrogena Heroes of Skin Health Equity
Garnering recognition in the Advocacy category is Malone Mukwende, founder and creator of Hutano, the social platform created to empower, educate and provide a voice to Black and brown communities to help improve their health outcomes. Neutrogena has signed on as the first official sponsor of Hutano, making its expertise on matters related to skin health for those with Black and brown skin directly accessible to those in the BIPOC community who are in search of such information and guidance specific to their skin type and tone.
Together with Mukwende and Hutano, the brand will launch the SkinU by Neutrogena community page within the Hutano platform, promoting discussion and education on the skin health issues most commonly faced by those with Black and brown skin, including hyperpigmentation, acne and skin cancer/sun protection. Content will specifically focus on how these issues present on Black and brown skin and how they can best be addressed. As well, in an effort to grow the Hutano community, Neutrogena and its network of influencer partners and brand ambassadors are teaming up to bring greater awareness to the Hutano platform, encouraging people to sign up and visit the SkinU by Neutrogena hub for skincare stories, education and resources.
“We are so thrilled to have Neutrogena bring its SkinU platform to the Hutano community,” says Mukwende. “By helping to grow this community and providing resources tailored to its needs, Neutrogena is putting skin health knowledge directly in the hands of Black and brown communities – a critical step in closing the gap to skin health equity.”
Championed as Heroes of Skin Health Equity for Education are Sarah Jean Williams and Kyra Peters, up-and-coming filmmakers using their platforms and talent to create skin health-related educational content for those in the BIPOC community. In an effort to make Williams’ and Peters’ cutting-edge video content more accessible to more people with Black and brown skin, particularly the next generation of BIPOC skincare enthusiasts, both of their films – created in partnership with Neutrogena Studios – will be premiered to the world, distributed to over 500 schools with a companion discussion guide, and feature in additional media partnerships to amplify the filmmakers’ voices and expand their reach, with the support of Neutrogena.
Recognized for Expertise is Dr. Adeline Kikam, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of @BrownSkinDerm, through which she lends her expertise to helping those with Black and brown skin better understand and care for their skin. Neutrogena will enroll Dr. Kikam as a long-term brand partner, announcing plans to launch a dedicated content series featuring Dr. Kikam as an expert voice on all matters pertaining to Black and brown skin. Neutrogena will also engage Dr. Kikam to help shape future product innovation and marketing efforts through ongoing consulting work in partnership with the brand, through the lens of optimizing product and communications for the BIPOC community.
Named the first-ever Hero of Skin Health Equity for Transparency is Sabrina Noorani, Founder & CEO of ClearForMe, a digital resource that makes the world of skincare more understandable and accessible via greater ingredient transparency – a particularly critical service in helping those Black and brown skin better find the right products for their specific skin needs. Furthering the work that Noorani has done, Neutrogena will work with Noorani and team to roll out the ClearForMe technology on brand platforms, bringing greater ingredient transparency to its consumers.
To learn more about Neutrogena’s commitment to advancing skin health for all, tune in live to Neutrogena’s TikTok channel on Monday, January 31 at 8 PM EST to watch the Heroes of Skin Health Equity Broadcast, and visit Neutrogena.com.