The AAPI Beauty Justice Project

BCPP expanded our beauty justice work to investigate cosmetic safety concerns experienced by the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

The AAPI community encompasses a diverse range of cultures and people, who represent a significant market share of the beauty and personal care products space – especially skincare.

While many Asian American communities are underrepresented in the research, the presence of toxic chemicals in beauty and personal care products marketed to this sought-after demographic is undeniable and needs to be addressed.

What is the AAPI Beauty Justice Project?

This project assessed the safety of beauty and personal care products targeting the AAPI community, drawing insights from scientific literature, popular culture, and market research.
Asian Americans are the biggest consumers of skincare products, spending 34% more than any other demographic.
With beauty standards that promote “skin-lightening” and “hair-straightening”, products in this market niche are full of toxic ingredients that the science shows are linked to cancer, skin damage, and other negative health effects.
Without health-protective cosmetic safety laws, AAPI consumers are unknowingly being exposed to substances linked to adverse health effects.
The AAPI community, like any other, deserves access to safe and non-toxic beauty and personal care options.

Defining AAPI:

For the purposes of this project, the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is defined as individuals who are from or have origins from any country in the regions of South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, Polynesia, or Micronesia, and currently live in the United States of America.

By the Numbers

Asian Americans outspend the general US population by 22.75% on beauty products annually.
Asian Americans purchase facial, hand, and body products 34% more frequently than the general U.S. population.
Asian consumers are 17% more likely than the average consumer to use facial skincare.
When compared with other groups, Asian consumers are strong users of facial skincare products. More than half use facial moisturizers and cleansers, and usage of products like facial toner, sheet masks, and facial mists is also well above the norm.

The History of Skincare in Asia

Skincare has always held a significant place in Asian cultures and is deeply rooted in a rich history that emphasizes holistic wellness and beauty. Each culture has their own unique rituals and practices to enhance skin health and appearance.

Today, skincare remains a deeply rooted and evolving aspect of Asian cultures, reflecting a blend of ancient traditions and more contemporary practices. As the beauty industry evolves, understanding and respecting these historical practices can offer valuable insights for modern skincare solutions.

The History of Skin Lightening Culture in Asia

The desire for lighter skin stems from the historical prevalence of colorism in Asia, where lighter skin traditionally meant higher social status and wealth.
People with darker skin often were exposure to more sunlight and belonged to the working class.
In Asian regions that were colonized by Europeans, darker-skinned individuals were encouraged to “marry lighter” to achieve social mobility and protect their descendants from oppression.
This association between social class and skin color has also persisted among immigrant communities as they moved to the United States.

Analysis and Findings

Though skin-lightening concerns may be at the forefront, AAPI cosmetic safety concerns also encompass other products with ingredients linked to adverse health effects.

Without health protective cosmetic safety laws, consumers are unknowingly exposed to hazardous ingredients linked to a host of negative health outcomes.

This project investigated the AAPI beauty market through a three-pronged approach: popular culture, market search, and product analysis.

The Popular Culture

We analyzed search results of key phrases (e.g., “non-toxic Asian beauty products” and “beauty products that Asian American women are using”) to explore the current dimension of AAPI beauty.
Search results focused on Korean beauty brands, with limited mentions of Chinese, Japanese, or South Asian products, despite their emerging market presence.
Search engines currently have limited analytical information about what products Asian American women are using.
Many Asian American communities are underrepresented in research.
Search results focused predominantly on skincare, with much less emphasis on makeup products.

Many Asian American communities are underrepresented in cosmetics, beauty, and personal care products research studies.

The Market Research

We utilized market research to validate our popular culture finds, confirming that searches related to Asian beauty products primarily focused on skincare products.
Asian Americans purchase facial, hand, and body products 34% more frequently than the general U.S. population.
Asian consumers are 17% more likely to use facial skincare products than the average consumer.
The most popular facial skincare items include facial moisturizers, cleansers, eye creams, serums, toners/astringents, sheet masks, and facial mists, all of which are used at higher rates compared to other racial groups.

The Product Analysis

Our product research focused on looking for chemicals of concern in products used by AAPI women through the: 1) CAPABLE Project; 2) Taking Stock Study; and 3) Olive Young and AAPI founded beauty brands.

The CAPABLE Project examined Vietnamese women and found that 65% of the personal care product labels contained chemicals of concern, and 74% of these products included ingredients under the term “fragrance.”

The Taking Stock Study examined Black, White, Hispanic/Latinx, and Asian women in California and found that Asian women reported more frequent use of skincare products. Additionally, sunscreen use was notably high among Asian women, with 82% using it and nearly 40% applying it almost daily.

Our own product research examined popular AAPI-founded brands sold by prominent K-beauty retailer Olive Young. Using the ingredient analysis extension Clearya, we evaluated 155 products and found only 12 that could be considered non-toxic.

Two chemicals, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), were flagged as “banned and/or toxic.”
The most common ingredients flagged as “potentially toxic” were Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysorbate (20, 60, & 80), Talc, Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), and Octyldodeceth-16.
Common “potential allergens” included Limonene, Linalool, and various flower or plant extracts.
The most common generic ingredient was “fragrance/parfum.” This term can mask the presence of anywhere between a dozen to hundreds of individual chemicals. Many fragrance ingredients have been linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental harm and respiratory illnesses.

Conclusion

The AAPI community encompasses a diverse range of cultures and people from various countries.

Current popular culture focuses on Korean brands, even though Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian products represent a significant portion of the market space. Many Asian American communities are currently underrepresented in research and analytical studies.

To better understand and protect the AAPI community from toxic ingredients in their beauty and personal care products, we must expand our research into this complex and multi-faceted marketplace.

Questions to consider:

How can future research be framed to better understand the diverse ethnic groups within the AAPI community and the long-term health impacts of repeated exposure to harmful ingredients in beauty products specifically marketed to and used by the AAPI community?
How can the beauty industry incorporate traditional AAPI ingredients and practices into modern formulations without compromising on safety and efficacy?

Featured Resources

Acknowledgements

This project would not have been possible without the generous funding from the Pham Family Foundation.

BCPP and CSC would like to give thanks to the wonderful interns who led the development of this beauty justice project:

Sophia Tong
BCPP Program & Policy Intern
October 2023 - April 2024

Karina Bhavsar
BCPP Science Intern
October 2023 - December 2023

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