4.5.6. Skin was founded in 2020 with a mission to revolutionize skincare for darker skin tones. The brand sells a variety of customized cleansing gels, lotions, serums, and kits for specific skin concerns that work with skin phototypes IV, V, and VI (hence the name), also known as melanin-rich skin.
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The skincare brand launched the world’s first-ever skin tone research lab through LVMH with one set goal: to create change through science for dark complexions.
4.5.6 Skin is based on facts about the skin health gap many people of color experience. According to their website, only 3% of board-certified dermatologists are black, leaving people with melanin-rich skin complexions overlooked in the beauty industry. Their founder, Noelly Michoux, has spent the last three years formulating solutions to these problems.
Michoux tells Dazed Beauty she used to think the dullness and dryness of her black skin was a problem unique to her. The entire beauty industry as a whole is centered around white skin tones, no matter if a product claims “for all skin types” on the label.
Due to a lack of education around POC skin tones, 4.5.6 aims to take their research and center the 40% of the population with darker skin to ensure they get the skin care they deserve.
“We think it’s time to move beyond performance inclusivity. Most brands in the market aimed at POC use the same formulas tested on lighter skin. They make small changes for darker skin, which isn’t right, and we want to change this.”
By taking a skin quiz and submitting selfies, the 4.5.6 team customizes its formulas to your skin needs. From their Green Bae Clearing Gel Cleanser to their Méla Skin Reset Biomimetic Essence, their formulas save darker complexions, and it’s just the beginning of their journey to decolonizing the beauty industry.
FastCompany recently honored 4.5.6 skin care as one of the world’s most innovative beauty companies. If you’re interested in discovering you’re phototypic or receiving a customized skin care plan, head to their site for more info. They include a ton of knowledge for people of color on what suits specific skin.
We can’t wait to see where 4.5.6 is headed in the future. What’s your favorite product from their line?
