Pharrell Williams is known for an array of talents, including being a singer, songwriter, producer and now entrepreneur. The 47-year-old emerges from this trying year with a new beauty line, Humanrace Skincare. Simple, inclusive and sustainable are what we can expect from the trio of products. Here is a deep dive into the products and why we cannot wait for it to drop in Southeast Asia.
When the CEO of Exfoliation tells you the best way to start your morning is with a good skincare routine, you best listen to him. 47-year-old multi-hyphenate singer-producer-songwriter Pharrell Williams not only enchanted fans globally with his jovial Despicable Me tunes, he has also captured the hearts of many with his immaculate complexion and incredibly good looks.
Just last month, the musician released his new skincare line “Humanrace”. A small “gesture of self-compassion”, Williams hopes the trio will be user-friendly and entry-level skincare. The brand will fulfil the basics of skincare: prepare, repair, protect.
Humanrace Skincare’s Inspiration
Williams credits his love for skin care to his 20-year routine and him chatting up supermodels like Naomi Campbell since the onset of his career. He admits that he did not care much for his skin before speaking with his long-time personal dermatologist, Elena Jones. After developing his understanding of the importance of a routine, Williams never turned back. He explains, “Your face is the expression of your personality – you gotta take care of it”.
This is exactly what Humanrace aims to do. Created in consultation with Jones, the duo hoped to focus on hydration and exfoliation, similar to Williams’s routine. According to Jones, they started by adhering to the European standard of 1300 banned ingredients. They later introduced their own restrictions such as no rocks, nuts, seeds or particles that usually result in microtears of the skin.
The brand proclaims that skincare is universal and does not differentiate by race or gender. Williams believes that every human is worthy of empowerment and to follow a path to an improved mind, body and soul. Humanrace celebrates this. For an awe-worthy complexion, you also have to put in the work.
Humanrace Skincare’s Products
The skincare line launched with three products and is set to introduce more in the future. Three simple steps is all you need to complete your entire skincare routine. This is the reason why it’s been dubbed the “three-minute facial”. That is what you call both user AND beginner-friendly.
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Humanrace Rice Powder Cleanser
To equip your face to receive skincare in the routine, you begin by washing it. The Rice Powder Cleanser arrives dry and produces a light, foamy emulsion once mixed with water. Dosed with Fruit Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), the cleanser induces gentle exfoliation which breaks down dead skin cells. The gritty consistency buffs away at your skin, bringing dry flakes to the top.
Williams constantly endorses exfoliation as the key to age-defying skin. He believes that the “alchemical sensation” of feeling the cleanser go from powder to foam when adding water is where the “chemistry happens”. I do not know about you, but hearing that makes me want to flock to the shelves once stocks arrive in Southeast Asia.
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Humanrace Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator
The next minute is devoted to repairing your skin from the damage it experiences daily. The Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator contains a high concentration of glycolic acid (8%) which acts as a chemical peel. Sloughing away dead skin cells, this allows for new skin cells to rise to the top, leaving your skin fresh and glowy.
To Williams, exfoliation is the absolute key as “getting rid of dead layers of skin is what really makes all the difference in the world”. In an interview with Instyle, he likens exfoliation to a spiritual experience: “You need to cleanse not only your face and body but also your mind and soul. It’s the same for exfoliation. When you hold on to negative energy, you have to shed that.”
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Humanrace Humidifying Cream
The last and most important step is to moisturise. Inspired by some of Williams’s favourite places like Japan, the Humanrace Humidifying Cream is dense and thick. It contains a blend of soothing rice water and snow mushroom extract, an organic ingredient with roots in Chinese medicine and acts as a moisture-binding agent. The cream gives the effect of being in a humid climate without the heat. Who would not love that feeling in this tropical country?
Humanrace Skincare’s Values
Just when you thought Pharrell has already done it all, he manages to charm us yet again. Humanrace Skincare also champions an array of treasured values above all the exquisite features it already boasts.
The brand positions itself as a genderless, vegan, fragrance-free and “clean” brand. Williams believes that skincare is a universal habit that should be cultivated, no matter the race or gender of a person. Calling it a journey of “self discovery”, he feels “every human should feel empowered to follow their own path to an improved mind, body and soul.”
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Inclusivity
Humanrace also prioritises inclusivity. The brand includes a key demographic that is often forgotten and has the cap of each product embossed with raised lettering to represent Braille, making it accessible to the blind. It is this inclusivity that sets Humancare Skincare apart from a typical beauty brand.
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Sustainability
Sustainability is also an important factor in the equation. There is no better time than now to start giving back to the earth. The packaging of each product is green in colour and sustainability. 50 percent of the plastic used in the products comes from post-consumer recycled plastic. Only traces of virgin plastic are used. Buyers will also find that each container has a removable inner piece that can be easily exchanged for a refill.
Launched on 25 November 2020 and later restocked in early December, the Humanrace skincare line has sold out entirely. Stocks have yet to arrive in Southeast Asia, but when they do, I do not doubt that crowds will be lining up for them.
Judging by the look of Pharrell at age 47, who would not want to be the same and have young, radiant skin? Maybe that is why he is so happy! We should all clap along with him (Despicable Me reference!) and experience the happiness he must feel after his famed Three Minute Facial.
Read more articles on natural and sustainable products:
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