Vaseline’s ‘Equitable Skincare for All’ initiative highlights skin health inequities
Vaseline is shining a light on how various members of its community — including Black and Latinx individuals — do not have access to equal care due to systemic racism.
The end result of this can affect access to various types of health care, including skin health access and dermatological care.
As a way to address this issue, the brand is partnering with actress Regina King on its “Equitable Skincare for All,” campaign, which focuses on the advancement of training and providing resources and education to better aid dermatologists and medical practitioners to accurately treat, diagnose and care for skin of color, the company said.
“I love being a Black American woman. Using my platform to celebrate who I am affords me the opportunity to remind people, who look past the dissimilitude, that the inequities experienced by Black people still exist," said King, Vaseline's brand ambassador and creative director. "Black and brown people have been at a disadvantage for far too long. The lack of access to healthcare resources is still a huge concern. It's important to shed a light on the inequalities that exist and be part of the solution alongside a brand that does as well.”
Through a partnership with Medscape, Vaseline will sponsor the development of programs that educate dermatologists and medical practitioners on how to care for skin of color. It will consist of learning modules that cover treatment for such conditions as acne, scarring, seborrheic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, the company said.
In addition, Vaseline will partner with HUED, a healthcare technology start-up that connects patients with medical professionals who specifically understand their cultural, physical and mental health needs.
The partnership led Vaseline to co-create a search tool that helps people identify and connect with dermatologists of color and those who are experienced in treating skin of color, the company said.
“HUED is on a mission to bridge the gap between dermatology and people of color,” HUED founder and CEO Kimberly Wilson said. “Vaseline is equally as passionate about providing people of color with the resources needed to care for their skin, so we couldn't have asked for a better partner to launch this invaluable tool.”
The search tool can be accessed online at Huedco.com/Vaseline.