Face Specific
LAB21 caters to ethnicity
By Ji Hyun Lim
AsianWeek Staff Writer
An idea spawned from former executives at the Estée Lauder companies, LAB21 was designed to literally fit the needs of each consumer. The founders designed a custom skin-care line that can be carefully matched to the skin-care needs of individuals in 40 ethnic groups.
A LAB21 consultant accesses a customer’s needs by conducting a computer-generated questionnaire. The questionaire includes inqueries regarding age, ethnicity, skin texture, exposure to sun and dermatological allergies. After calculating the answers, a print-out evaluation guides individuals on their way to a personalized skin-care line. Once all the products are chosen, the order is placed to special labs at SUNY Stony Brook, which develops and manufactures the skin care. The custom-made product is shipped to the customer next-day air.
LAB21 attests that all its products are fresh and different from other lines that sit on the shelf for months. LAB21 also claims that it is a surfactant-free product — surfactants are chemicals that damage the skin’s natural, protective barriers and break down active ingredients. In addition, LAB21 highlights the fact that it specializes the product for a number of ethnic groups, including many Asian skin types, offering specialized features for Chinese, Korean, Hmong and Thai, among others.
The idea of a truly specialized skin-care product is quite novel. True, most women do not fall strictly under one of the three skin categories — oily, dry or combination — so it is refreshing to know that a beauty company is finally considering environmental factors and ethnicity when designing a skin-care line.
My friend and I recently visited Saks Fifth Avenue in San Francisco to get customized products. Jennie, who is Chinese American, tried the 24-hour moisture cream and felt like the product’s texture caressed her face. After having reactions from other ovür-the-counter products like Clinque, Jennie was surprised her face did not break out, and she found her skin was moisturized, including the dry patches on the edge of her forehead and tip of her nose. Overall, her skin felt refreshed and rejuvenated.
I decided to try the milky lotion cleanser, clarifier and anti-aging moisture lotion with SPF 18. Because I spend too much time in the sun with no protection, Caroline, the LAB21 consultant, suggested that I use a moisturizer that protects from ultra-violet rays.
The most annoying feature was the bottle’s pump. After several tries, I was able to get it to work correctly. Though the texture of the milk cleanser took some getting used to, I immediately noticed how gentle it was on my skin. The clarifier was mild, and I could feel it tighten up my pores. It did not dry my skin up like other astringents. The lotion was my favorite. Absorption was instantaneous.
Overall, I would give my personalized products a solid rating. Besides the temperamental bottle design, it’s a solid buy. If you can afford department store prices ranging from $50 to $120 for skin-care products, LAB21 is a sure bet.
Product line: $50 - $120
Consultation fee: Free
Reach Ji Hyun Lim at jlim@asianweek.com.
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