Brandon Neblett on ELC’s Approach to Inclusive Skin Care Science

At The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), Brandon Neblett, Executive Director, Global Research & Development (R&D), leads key initiatives that drive skin care product formulation for the Estée Lauder brand. Since joining ELC in 2004, he has held roles of increasing responsibility within the Global Research, Product & Innovation function including most recently, leading the R&D integration of the DECIEM family of brands following its acquisition.

Read on to learn more about how Brandon and ELC’s R&D teams are formulating products with claims and benefits that meet the needs of the company’s Black consumers:

• The factors that are considered when formulating skin care products that cater to the diverse needs of skin of color audiences: Brandon shares that ingredient selection plays a critical role in the product formulation process. When selecting ingredients, he asks himself questions like, “How comedogenic is this ingredient? Does it lend a lot of color? Will it reflect a lot of sunlight?”
  
  
  • Blemishes and dark spots: While blemishes generally affect a large part of the population, the focus during formulation is less on the lesion itself and more on the visible hyperpigmentation that follows. “The key here is to be proactive both in trying to avoid the blemish and also addressing any post-blemish marks. A blemish may start to subside in a couple of days, but hyperpigmentation marks from those blemishes may last up to 12 weeks,” Brandon explains. During formulation, he tries to avoid or limit the use of comedogenic ingredients, or ingredients that could potentially clog skin pores and cause blemishes.
    
    
  • Color selection and light reflection: Brandon explains that formulators typically use green to help combat and neutralize skin redness since it’s the opposite color of red on the color wheel. However, the shade of green selected matters just as much to properly neutralize redness on darker skin tones. While fairer skins will see a neutralization of redness almost immediately, he says, “You would need a darker tone of green to see the same color correction in deeper skin tones.” Brandon also notes that certain oil and ester ingredients have the potential to leave unwanted shine on darker skin tones. When he formulates, light reflection is also an important consideration, especially in moisturizers. 
    
    
  • Sun Protection Factor (SPF): Sun protection is critical in helping to prevent damage to the skin. However, some consumers with skin of color may be concerned about the white cast that some SPF products can leave on skin. As a Black formulator, Brandon explains that he’ll often offer to try new SPF formulations to help ensure the product gives a sheer appearance instead of a white cast and meets the needs of all consumers, including those with deeper skin tones.

• Why representation matters at the start of the product development process: To explain this, Brandon uses an analogy of buying a home as a second or third owner. “In order to make a house feel like your own, you can paint the walls, rip out the carpets, and sand the floors," he says. "But if you want to have a home that is truly personal to you, you’d need the home to undergo a full renovation. If we invite the skin of color audience in after a product is created, it’s akin to buying a house that’s already standing. Sure, we can make some tweaks, but if we really want to impact the formula, its application, and its benefits, then we really need to be involved at the start of the groundwork. Representation is extremely important, and we need to have those voices in the product creation stage.”
  
  
• Examples of ELC skin care products that address concerns for consumers with skin of color: Across ELC’s brands there are countless, transformative products that deliver meaningful benefits to the company’s consumers worldwide. Here are three of Brandon's favorites:
  
  
  • Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum: Dating back to his first opportunity to formulate for the Estée Lauder Skin Care Formulation Lab in 2009, Brandon has always been a big fan of Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair. “This lightweight yet hydrating serum applies easily and absorbs into skin effortlessly. What I love about it, in particular for skin of color, is that it does not clog pores, or cause breakouts, and it works to optimize the skin’s natural rhythm of renewal and protection while you sleep. It’s been tested on all skin tones, and I think of it as a fountain of youth for skin that I recommend as a staple to anyone looking to elevate their skincare regimen.”
    
    
  • Clinique Even Better Clinical™ Radical Dark Spot Corrector + Interrupter (EBCI): Before Brandon’s leadership role in the Estée Lauder Skin Care Formulation Lab, he was a part of the company’s Advanced Technology Pioneering team where he worked on the hyperpigmentation upstream technology platform. He views EBCI as our gold standard. “It’s one of our most powerful brightening serums. It really helps visibly correct discoloration such as post-blemish marks, while also ‘interrupting’ the appearance of future dark spots. It also applies well for warmer skin tones, and it’s good for light to melanin-rich skin tones,” he says.
    
    
  • Origins GinZing™ Vitamin C & Niacinamide Eye Cream: As Brandon explains, color plays an important role in formulation, and this product offers a cool tone for fair to medium skin tones as well a warm tone for consumers of color. He points to vitamin C as a strong antioxidant and great for visible hyperpigmentation, and noting that vitamin C in combination with niacinamide helps to brighten the look of the eye area. “It’s a really lightweight texture, and it provides satisfying hydration while reducing the look of puffiness,” he says.
    
    
• Skin care ingredients (and their uses) that Brandon recommends for skin of color:
  
  
  • Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect and brighten skin, giving it an overall brighter, more even glow.
    
    
  • Niacinamide: Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is a multi-tasker. It works to strengthen the skin's barrier, while also helping to brighten skin.
    
    
  • Salicylic acid: Salicylic acid is an oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid (BHA) and exfoliant ingredient that helps skin to shed dead cells from its top layer and helps improve the overall appearance of skin.
    
    
  • Mandelic acid: Mandelic acid is a water-soluble alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that works to remove excess oil, renew the skin’s surface layers, and visibly brighten skin.

While skin care routines will vary by consumer, Brandon ultimately advises that routines should include three steps: cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting. “Cleanse your skin regularly with products that soothe, moisturize and hydrate your skin, and be sure to protect your skin with SPF,” he says.