In skin care, what ‘made for Filipinos’ means
The back of 1120 House at Estrella Street in Makati City resembled a science fair that Monday afternoon for the “Power House Lab” event where guests were invited to get a glimpse of how UL Skin Sciences Inc. (ULSSI), a subsidiary of Unilab, develops their skin care and wellness products.
“Today is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Madel Carillo, division vice president for research and development. “We take a very scientific approach to the development of every product that we have in ULSSI because we want to achieve the highest standards of quality and safety. Our scientists are very relentless in trying to find ways by which we can improve our products and that is to better address the needs of our Filipino customers, whether it be the increasing temperatures, increasing pollutants in the air or other unique skin care needs.”
ULSSI prides itself for being a homegrown brand that tailors its products to Filipino needs.
“ULSSI is proud to be a local company with roots that are embedded deeply in the Philippines,” said Kathryn Carag, ULSSI division vice president for marketing. “Being local comes with a lot of pressure. [But] this nation is not just our home, it is also our inspiration.”According to her, they make sure that their team is always updated and constantly improving their formulations to be able to keep up with the changing needs of Filipinos.
Safe to use
“Over the years, we’re seeing changes that are affecting people’s skin,” she added. “SPF 15 was already okay before but now you have to go 30 or even more. Also antipollution? A few years ago, no one knew what that was about. We want each Filipino to have in their arsenal products that they trust to really deliver, products that come from a company that is looking after their needs.”Carillo added, “We believe that by understanding the unique qualities of Filipino skin, we can better address the needs of our fellowmen in terms of skin care. Our products are designed specifically for Filipinos, therefore we have a much deeper understanding of their needs, and our products are really tailored to fit the needs of our Filipino consumers.”
Not only that, but Carillo emphasized how they think of their own families when developing products. She uses Celeteque Hydration Ultra Moisturizing Essence with her daughter, for example, and Christa Vidallo, the lead formulator for DirtBugSun Anti-Mosquito Lotion for kids, is a mother herself.
“It took us four years to make this product because you don’t just go in the lab and mix everything. You have to undergo a series of safety tests to ensure that the product is really safe,” Vidallo said, who described DirtBugSun as being close to her heart.
Carillo added that a number of experts including ophthalmologists, dermatologists and toxicologists were involved in ensuring their products are safe to use.
What’s more, ULSSI has also been exploring using more indigenous ingredients in their products, like guava extract and locally produced witch hazel.“We’re basically starting to use indigenous materials, but it’s something that we need to explore more in the near future,” said lead formulator Clarinda Ellazar, ULSSI senior research and development manager. “We want to help Filipino farmers.” INQ
