PB Approved: Urban Skin Rx Turns a Glowing Face to the Truths of the Skincare Industry
The color cosmetics industry has just recently started to be more inclusive, which is long past due, however the skincare industry lags even further behind. Due to the pandemic and all of its zoom meetings often under the unforgiving glare of a ring light, many are shifting from makeup to skin care. Under the scrutiny of our ringlights we are seeing the lack of products for non-white consumers. According to Zoe Weiner, Associate Beauty Editor for Well & Good, “In the United States, Black women spend an estimated $465 million a year on skin care—yet, despite their buying power, the majority of mainstream skin-care products are formulated with caucasian skin in mind.” This means that trials are being done on majority white groups which leaves out data related to non-white groups with very different skincare needs.
This inequality was not lost on Rachel Roff, founder and CEO of Urban Skin Rx. Roff graduated with a degree in Sociology which offered her a foundation for understanding inequities in society. Driven by personal experience with bullying due to a skin condition, she immediately attended the National Aesthetics Institute and obtained her license. Upon working in the industry, she found a dismaying lack of education and services available for those with darker skin tones so she committed herself to ensuring inclusivity in her line. Roff describes those at Urban Skin Rx as "melanin experts," and is proud to be a company that supports non-profits such as Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc., Color of Change, A Safe Alliance, Trayvon Martin Foundation, A Child's Place, and The United Way, Houston.
Zoe Weiner also notes that “for too long, women of color have been underrepresented in medicine, medical research, and the decision-making positions at cosmetic companies, and that is reflected in the products we see on the shelves.” Urban Skin Rx breaks this mold through their organizational structure; 100% of managers are women, while 61% of employees are BIPOC. The Founding Medical Director, Dr. David Henderson, is an accomplished Black man which is important since the skincare industry tends to be dominated by white medical professionals.
This is all not to say that Urban Skin Rx cannot be used by white consumers. Before my review, I was somewhat concerned that as someone with practically no melanin at all, this product would not suit my skin, however the company makes a point to state that they are inclusive of ALL skin types, but they find it important to offer solutions for non-white consumers.
Upon receiving the products, I immediately noticed that they were clinical in nature, denoting a more serious skin care line than those bought at the local drugstore. Rx is customarily part of the heading of a prescription, and while this is not a prescription product, the ingredients in clinical products are at a higher concentration than in cosmetic products, thus making them more effective.
Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar, $24; urbanskinrx.com
Right away by the name, I was expecting a solid bar of soap that might be messy so I was wondering where I would keep it, but I was happy to find that it came contained in a lovely aqua shaded jar with two exfoliating sponges included for easy application. This product is a solid brown cleansing bar in a jar that lathers with a light tea tree and licorice smell. It is a 3 in 1 treatment as it works as a cleanser, mask, and exfoliator. The blend of 6 active ingredients work together to even skin tone and eliminate dark spots. I would describe this product as the holy grail of the line as application is so easy and your skin is immediately left feeling “squeaky clean.” My skin looked as if a cloudy film I didn't even know was there had been brushed away to reveal a new shiny layer underneath. I felt my skin was primed to absorb the following products, but honestly I would have been satisfied with this one 3-in-1 solution, hence “holy grail.”
Urban Skin Rx Hydrabalance Instant Moisture Infusion, $34; urbanskinrx.com
The first thing I noticed was that I couldn’t twist off the lid, but this quickly turned into a delightful little surprise as the lid is meant to pop off leaving a dispenser button that pushes out small amounts of product from the center. This cute magical contraption makes it almost impossible to dispense too much product which is what happens with many other moisturizers. The primary ingredients are Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane which are known to offer intense hydration for a glowing complexion. While I was applying the moisturizer, the product felt creamy and luxe and not at all greasy. I was left feeling fresh faced and dewy. One push of that clever little button gave me enough product to cover my whole face with no waste, and no messy spills. Did I mention how much I love this dispenser?
Urban Skin Rx Acne and Blemish Control Mask, $20; urbanskinrx.com
The last product I used was the mask. Urban Skin Rx offers several masks, but this one is designed to treat acne so it contains 5% sulfur. I immediately looked up sulfur before trying the product to be sure of what it does, and read that it is used to dry up excess oil. My face is not particularly oily, so this is a product I would use more infrequently and I would follow it up with a moisturizer. The mask itself is a dark blue/gray color that was perfect as it helped me see if I missed any spots in applying it. Since I do not thankfully suffer from acne (except for maybe some mask acne, shh!), I was not expecting to see much of an effect. I should have raised my expectations though because, (and I know you won't believe it but it is true) I saw an immediate difference-my pores seemed to shrink. I purposefully applied the mask on my t-zone only so that I could compare the results to the skin I did not use it on, and there was a difference. I thought it was my imagination, but I entertained my bored family by sticking my face in front of them and asking if they could see a difference. They all could! I will be using this product once a week, for sure.
I am a big fan of these products, but am an even bigger fan of what Urban Skin Rx stands for- equality, inclusion, and allowing everyone to feel beautiful in their glowing skin. If this has not convinced you to buy the product, then Urban Skin Rx offers sample sizes for purchase to test before making the decision to change up your skin-care routine.
Website: https://urbanskinrx.com
Instagram: @urbanskinrx
Article by Tessa Swantek, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Destina Marotta, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
