Neutrogena nods to changing demographics and darker skin colors

LANA CONDOR

Neutrogena picked two young actresses of color -- Lana Condor and Jenna Ortega -- to be the faces for its beauty products. 

As the demographic shift of the United States continues to move to a POC majority that will be reached mid-century, another skin care and beauty product manufacturer is setting itself up for the transition by changing its products and rethinking its outreach strategy to the emerging marketplace.

Vietnamese American actress Condor acknowledges the significance of her selection to represent Neutrogena and she’s deeply committed to the brand’s inclusivity and overall message. “I just wanted to be part of a brand that elevates that and embraces supporting what you believe in,” she said. “I have been using Neutrogena products forever and I am really excited to be a global Asian face for the brand. I love that people see themselves represented in me and feel like they belong.”

“I have been very vocal about many topics I feel very passionate about, including education, diversity, Black Lives Matter, self-care and mental health," Condor tells People. "The first memo I ever received from Neutrogena said they just wanted to give me a platform so I can feel empowered to use my voice and feel like I have a safe space to connect with people that follow me."

JENNA ORTEGA

The star of To All The Boys I Ever Loved announced her partnership with Neutrogena four days ago and could barely contain her excitement.

“I have been a fan and an active user of Neutrogena for as long as I can remember,” she told fans, noting that her “first experience in skincare” was with the brand’s SPF and makeup wipes, which she shared with her mom when she was a young girl.

With that being said, this experience is certainly a “pinch-me moment” in the star’s career. “I’ve followed the campaigns for as long as I can remember,” she continued. “I remember being a little girl watching on TV all the beautiful different faces of Neutrogena over the years.”

After her role in Jane The Virgin ended, Ortega was cast as the daughter of Jennifer Garner in Netflix's upcoming Yes Day. Garner, already signed by Neutrogena, congratulated her costar's new role.

"The great thing about Neutrogena is that their ambassadors are very inspiring, outspoken and strong women," Ortega continues. "I am so excited to be a part of a brand that emphasizes the importance of inner beauty as well outer, and knows that the whole point of skincare and makeup is really just to feel comfortable in your skin."

Last month Unilever announced its new marketing strategy is moving away from emphasizing the skin-lightening effect of its products, which critics say is based on racist notions that white skin is more beautiful than the darker shades of beige. 

"We recognize that the use of the words ‘fair’, ‘white’ and ‘light’ suggest a singular ideal of beauty that we don’t think is right, and we want to address this, said Unilever executive Sunny Jain. "As we’re evolving the way that we communicate the skin benefits of our products that deliver radiant and even tone skin, it’s also important to change the language we use.”