The new face of
Unique skincare for women of color BY ROSE M. WALSH URBAN CALL WRITER
The face of America is changing. By 2010,1 one of every three people in the United States will identify themselves as a racial/ethnic minority and they are looking for products, services, and information that cater to their unique racial, cultural, and ethnic needs. One of the most well-known skincare brands among African American women is also changing. For decades, the AMBI® Brand has been committed to providing skincare solutions for African-American women. AMBI® recognized that women of African, Latin, and South Asian heritage often face unique challenges in keeping their skin clear and even toned because of the melanin in their skin. “Women of color have special skincare needs,” notes Dr. Jeanine Downie, co-author of Beautiful Skin of Color. “This is because the melanin in their skin, which gives it a rich, beautiful tone, also makes the skin more vulnerable to marks and scars that can sometimes take months to disappear. It is for these reasons, among others, that women must pay special attention to their own individual and unique needs,” she said. In 2006, AMBI® broadened its approach and product line to develop products that meet the unique skincare needs of women of African, Latin, and South Asian descent. After completing a tremendous amount of consumer and product research, AMBI® introduced a new comprehensive facial
“With the evolving face of America and its many hues, the AMBI® Brand is keeping pace by offering products that better meet the specific needs of women with richer skin tones.” Sherry Thompson AMBI® Product Director Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Co.
care line called AMBI® EVEN & CLEAR™ that helps clear breakouts and visibly reduce the dark marks left behind. The line includes a foaming cleanser, exfoliating wash, moisturizer with sun protection, and an acne clearing treatment. AMBI® also improved their well-known fade cream formulations to help fade dark marks and skin discolorations in as little as two weeks. AMBI® has also changed its packaging to better appeal to multicultural consumers — it’s now fresh and more contemporary. The AMBI® Brand is committed to delivering scientifically proven solutions for a variety of skincare needs and celebrating the diversity of women. 1
CDC Reach 2010 Surveillance for Health Status in Minority Communities — U.S. 2001–2002. Atlanta: Division of Adult and Community Health National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC; 2004: 1-36. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5306al.htm.
Celebrate Your Beauty Every Day
INSIDE: ■ New AMBI® products and packaging
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For additional information and special promotions, visit www.ambiskincare.com.
■ Tips on how to get smooth, even-toned skin ■ Highlights of the AMBI® Celebrate the Beauty of You Tour
Get beautifully clear and even-toned ® skin with AMBI & NEW VED O R P IM
AMBI® FADE CREAMS
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AMBI® EVEN & CLEAR™
The new AMBI® EVEN & CLEAR™ facial care line helps clear breakouts and visibly reduces the dark marks left behind to leave skin more clear and even toned. The line features an exclusive complex called EVENBLEND,™ which combines soy extract and antioxidant Vitamins C & E to help even skin tone while refining and softening skin. The cleanser and treatment products are formulated with dermatologist-recommended salicylic acid, which helps to keep acne-prone skin clear. EVEN & CLEAR™ Foaming Cleanser: This self-foaming cleanser helps clear and prevent breakouts and visibly reduces the appearance of dark marks left behind. EVEN & CLEAR™ Exfoliating Wash: This gentle exfoliating cleanser with microbeads helps clear and prevent breakouts, while leaving skin more even and smooth. EVEN & CLEAR™ Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30: This advanced moisturizer goes beyond nourishing skin to help even out skin tone while providing advanced protection from the sun. EVEN & CLEAR™ Acne Clearing Treatment: This breakthrough acne treatment clears and helps prevent pimples. It has been clinically proven to visibly reduce dark marks caused by acne in as little as one week, and results improve with continued use.
Want smooth, even-toned skin? Get the facts from AMBI ® 1) It all starts with cleansing. Great skin begins with daily cleansing. A morning and evening routine is essential, and keeping skin clean reduces the incidence of pimples, blemishes, and blackheads. Use a gentle cleanser like AMBI® EVEN & CLEAR™ Foaming Cleanser to effectively cleanse your face and neck area. Also, on a weekly basis, use an exfoliating cleanser like AMBI® EVEN & CLEAR™ Exfoliating Wash to
help slough off dead skin cells and cleanse impurities from the skin.
2) Acne can affect women at any age.
The new and improved AMBI® Fade Creams were developed to effectively and safely fade unwanted dark marks and skin discolorations without changing your natural skin tone. When used as directed, you will begin to see results in as little as two weeks, and results improve with continued use. These targeted treatments contain unique, triple action formulas, which combine the following: ■ Hydroquinone, a dermatologistrecommended ingredient to safely fade dark spots
NEWK! LOO
AMBI® SPECIALTY BARS
AMBI® Skincare also includes specialty bars that go beyond traditional cleansing to provide skincare solutions for face and body. They gently cleanse to remove surface impurities and leave skin looking healthy and beautiful.
blemishes, spots, or skin discolorations. Various factors can lead to hyperpigmentation, such as acne, tweezing hairs, skin disease, or hormonal changes. New and improved AMBI® Fade Creams can be used to treat hyperpigmentation. They should be used only on the spots or areas where you experience skin discolorations.
4) Everyone needs sunscreen.
3) Dark marks and skin discolorations can be minimized.
Everyone needs sunscreen because one of the main effects of the sun on the skin is to increase melanin production — thus, making skin darker. While people with richer skin tones have natural skin protection properties, it is not enough to provide the complete protection needed from the sun’s damaging rays. Furthermore, if you are prone to developing dark marks, sun exposure can make them worse. Therefore, you should use a daily moisturizer that contains a sunscreen, like AMBI® EVEN & CLEAR™ Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30. And remember, the sun’s rays constantly reach the earth’s surface, so sunscreen should be worn throughout the year, rain or shine.
Women with richer skin tones tend to experience hyperpigmentation, also commonly known as dark marks,
For additional information and special promotions, visit www.ambiskincare.com.
While teenagers certainly have to be concerned about acne, adults are just as likely to be affected due to a variety of factors ranging from genetics, lifestyle and diet, poor skin regimens, and adult hormonal changes. Acne is also one of the biggest challenges faced by women with richer skin tones, and the dark marks left behind can be an even bigger concern. Gently cleansing and moisturizing with AMBI® EVEN & CLEAR™ products will help clear breakouts and visibly reduce the dark marks left behind.
■ Vitamin E to help soften and smooth skin ■ Alpha Hydroxy Acid to help enhance results. It is important to use sunscreen after treatment to prevent darkening from reoccuring. AMBI® Fade Creams are available for normal, oily, and dry skin types.
Tips for healthy, beautiful skin from Dr. Woolery-Lloyd Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd is Director of Ethnic Skin Care at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami and a member of the AMBI® dermatologist advisory board. Here are some of her tips for maintaining healthy, beautiful skin:
➤ Avoid squeezing pimples. This can lead to the development of dark marks.
➤ Use a cleanser designed to treat acne — one with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
➤ Use products to treat dark marks. Look for hydroquinone in the ingredients.
➤ Use a moisturizer that contains sunscreen. It should have an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 30.
Professional guidance is key The AMBI® Brand has been strongly endorsed by many well-known dermatologists. AMBI® is promoted and sampled in dermatologist offices in key metropolitan areas across the country. It was featured at the 2006 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) convention in San Francisco, Calif., and also at the 2007 convention in Washington, D.C. AMBI® is developing a strong partnership with a core group of leading dermatologists focused on skin of color through their AMBI® Advisory Board. Also, AMBI® is committed to advancing the science of skin of color through medical educational grants.
AMBI® Celebrate the Beauty of You Tour
Visitors to the AMBI® Beauty Bar sampled the new product line. Celebrating the new developments in the AMBI® Brand include the AMBI® marketing and marketing research team: Denna Singleton, assistant product director; Charysse Nunez, marketing research manager; Margo Weitekamp, vice president of skincare marketing new ventures & marketing research; Sherry Thompson, product director.
in the media
From New York to Atlanta, women of color were excited to hear the news about AMBI® and how to better achieve healthy, beautiful skin through the AMBI® Celebrate the Beauty of You Tour. This tour brought the best in beauty and skincare to Atlanta, New York City and Washington, D.C. AMBI® Skincare was part of the MegaFestTM Christian festival in Atlanta, Harlem Week in New York City, and the Black Family Reunion Celebration in Washington, D.C. In addition to unveiling the new AMBI® products, the AMBI® tour consisted of skincare education sessions, one-on-one skincare consultations, product sampling, and a unique sweepstakes contest. Those attending the tour were among the first to experience the new AMBI,® and they loved it! In addition, AMBI® brought the best in beauty and skincare to Atlanta again through the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show. A weekend of special events and workshops for beauty professionals and consumers featured skincare workshops by Dr. Heather WooleryLloyd, director of the Ethnic Skin Care Center at the University of Miami and a member of the AMBI® dermatology advisory board.
Denna Singleton
Beauty editors in major magazines like Ebony, In Style, Latina and Vibe Vixen have been covering the advances made by AMBI® in skincare for women of color. Newspapers like The New York Times, The New York Amsterdam News and Houston Style Magazine also examined the advances in knowledge about skin of color being made by brands like AMBI.® TV and print advertising in magazines like Sophisticate’s Black Hair Styles and Care Guide added to the excitement surrounding the launch.
Margo Weitekamp Charysse Nunez
Sherry Thompson
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We need your help
1. Prior to today, had you ever heard of AMBI®? ❏ Yes (Continue to question No. 2) ❏ No (Skip to question No. 5)
❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Daily Moisturizer w/SPF 30 ❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Acne Clearing Treatment
In order to better serve you, the Health & Beauty — Every Day! edition would appreciate your help. Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey. Your feedback is important to us. Complete and return survey by mail or fax:
2. Where did you hear about AMBI®? ❏ Television ❏ Magazine ❏ Online ❏ In-store promotion ❏ Friend/family member ❏ This special publication (Urban Call Health & Beauty Every Day! edition) ❏ Other _________________________ 3. Do you currently use any AMBI® products? ❏ Yes (Continue to question No. 4) ❏ No (Skip to question No. 5)
5. How likely would you be to purchase any AMBI® product in the next 3 months? ❏ Definitely would buy (Continue to question No. 6) ❏ Probably would buy (Continue to question No. 6) ❏ Might or might not buy (Continue to question No. 6) ❏ Probably would not buy (Skip to question No. 7) ❏ Definitely would not buy (Skip to question No. 7)
4. Which AMBI® product or products do you currently use? (Check all that apply) ❏ Fade Cream ❏ Soap ❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Foaming Cleanser ❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Exfoliating Wash
6. Which AMBI® product or products would you be most likely to buy in the next 3 months? ❏ Fade Cream ❏ Soap ❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Foaming Cleanser ❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Exfoliating Wash
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Mail to: Health & Beauty—Every Day! AMBI® Survey Segmented Marketing Services Inc. (SMSi) 4265 Brownsboro Road, Suite 225 Winston-Salem, N.C. 27106-3425 Or Fax to: (336) 759-7212 To fill the survey out on the Internet, visit http://ambisurvey.smsi-net.com. SMSi respects your privacy; this information will not be sold or traded.
Lafayette Jones, Sandra Miller Jones Co-publishers Joseph Rodney Lawrence Executive Vice President 4265 Brownsboro Road, Suite 225 ❍ Winston-Salem, NC 27106-3425 www.segmentedmarketing.com FAX: (336) 759-7212 ❍ PHONE: (336) 759-7477 Urban Call Health & Beauty — Every Day!TM is published by Segmented Marketing Services Inc. (SMSi)© as part of a strategic alliance with Media General Inc. Urban CallTM and SMSiTM are registered trademarks of Segmented Marketing Services Inc.
❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Daily Moisturizer w/SPF 30 ❏ EVEN & CLEAR™ Acne Clearing Treatment 7. Are you a beauty professional? ❏ Yes (Continue to question No. 8) ❏ No (Stop here) 8. Which of the following best describes your occupation? ❏ Cosmetologist ❏ Hair Stylist ❏ Makeup Artist ❏ Esthetician ❏ Nail Technician ❏ Other (please specify) _______________
❏ Definitely would recommend ❏ Probably would recommend ❏ Might or might not recommend ❏ Probably would not recommend ❏ Definitely would not recommend NAME (Please print clearly) _____________________________________ BUSINESS ADDRESS (Please use street address, no P.O. Box) _____________________________________ CITY ________________________________
9. How often, if ever, do your clients or customers ask you for skincare advice? ❏ All of the time ❏ Most of the time ❏ Some of the time ❏ Rarely ❏ Never
STATE ______________ ZIP _____________ PHONE (include area code) _____________________________________
10. How likely would you be to recommend any AMBI® product to your clients or customers in the future?
E-MAIL ______________________________ www.segmentedmarketing.com
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Sandra Miller Jones SMSi Founding Chair
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