BLK Skin Bot

Problem Statement  

How can we make the process of building the right skincare routine for Black men & women less mentally cumbersome, more timely and time efficient, and less costly?

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Problem Background  

The Black community faces a significant gap in accessible, dermatology-written skincare resources tailored to their needs. Unlike other groups, they lack research articles for common skincare issues. According to a One Skin article, “...the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and the Journal of Investigative Dermatology contained less than 5% of articles relevant for darker skin.” Despite the Black communities increasing spending power in the beauty industry, there is a shortage of accessible dermatological information written for Black skin, particularly in facial skincare and hand & body lotions. Let’s look at the Black communities' spending power and the market opportunity in addressing their needs:

• According to NIQ, “In 2023, Black consumer spending on Beauty products amounted to $9.4 billion, with dollar, unit, and household growth outpacing growth for the US. This growing cohort currently accounts for an estimated 14.4% of the US population, a 32% increase since 2000.”
• A McKinsey study states, “Addressing racial inequity in the beauty industry is a $2.6 billion opportunity. Better serving Black consumers and supporting Black beauty brands could lead to greater equity across the entire beauty industry.”

Skincare needs can vary greatly based on skin tone and conditions prevalent in specific communities. As a result, Black individuals often prefer to seek guidance and recommendations from Black dermatologists who understand their unique skin care needs. However, fewer Black dermatologists can resolve all these issues as they arise, which forces the Black community to rely heavily on their own research to address skincare concerns. According to the National Library of Medicine, “Currently, only three percent of dermatologists identify as Black, far less than the population proportion of Black individuals (13%).”

Current resources and dermatology articles specific to Black skin are scarce and difficult to find, making it challenging for individuals to resolve their skincare issues effectively and efficiently. Addressing this problem is crucial for improving skin care outcomes and equity for Black consumers in the beauty industry.

Research Insights

A survey conducted by OnePoll for Aveeno of 2,000 Black Americans explored their confidence levels and found that “37% feel insecure about their skin issues on a daily basis, and six in 10 said it negatively affects their confidence when their skin is not at its best. Gen Z (64%) and millennials’ (61%) confidence take the biggest hit when their skin isn’t at its best.”

I conducted a survey to obtain firsthand feedback from a sample group of 25 respondents in the Black community to assess their skincare issues and opportunities and here is what I found:

• 84% of respondents stated that finding the right skincare regimen is highly important.
• 40% of respondents said that they decide on a new skincare routine or product when their skin presents a new issue, and 52% said whenever they learn about a new beneficial ingredient or skincare process.
• 48% of respondents said they trust dermatologists to educate and advise them on their skincare needs.
• 56% of respondents said it is extremely important that their skincare products are clean. 
• 72% of respondents suffer from at least one or more of the following skincare conditions: eczema, psoriasis, acne, and Seborrheic dermatitis

My preliminary research confirmed a clear desire to improve skincare issues, primarily through dermatologist-recommended products and routines. This research also highlighted that the Black community finds interest in not only resolving current skincare issues but also trying new products based on the newest research recommendations. It also brought awareness to an additional key feature: clean alternatives.

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Landing on the Solution

Based on the target users’ pain points, I knew I wanted to work on the following features:

• Personalized Recommendations: Provide users with tailored skincare routines and product suggestions based on their skin concerns and conditions.
• Latest Findings: Keep users updated with the latest research and developments in Black skin care to help them explore new and effective solutions.
• Safety Information: Educate users on safe and unsafe products and practices for Black skin to avoid adverse reactions.
• Self-Resolution: Enable users to resolve common skincare issues independently, reducing the need for immediate dermatologist consultations.
• Clean Alternatives: Highlight clean and safer skincare products and routines to promote healthier skincare choices.

The solution to this problem is a digital AI tool for dermatologically backed Black Skin Care solutions. This tool assists the Black community in resolving their skincare issues in a less mentally cumbersome, more timely, more time-efficient, and less costly manner by providing the latest research resources on safe and clean products and routines for Black skin, as well as personalized skin care recommendations from Black dermatologists.

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Future Steps

I plan to conduct another research survey this year to gather more data and delve deeper into this problem space. Following this, I plan to update my PRD and build a Product team to collaborate on building a product to help meet the Black community's skincare needs. 

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