The African beauty industry has been quite difficult to regulate for decades; one of the biggest issues has been the use of highly poisonous components, particularly mercury. Over many years, the beauty industry in Africa has placed an unhealthy focus on skin-lightening resulting in a plethora of illegal and harmful products. Regulation is becoming increasingly important in the industry and it’s become the responsibility of the industry to ethically produce products that respond to the needs of African skin. 

South Africa, in particular, has a large proportion of illegal skin products that are still made in the country. At the helm of the movement against the use of skin bleaching creams is Professor Ncoza Dlova who published a research paper in 2012 analyzing the harmful compounds found in the top 10 bestselling creams which are likely to be illegal. 

In the African market, the most consumed products are surfactants and emollients; the rise of beauty and home care brands is in direct competition with the ‘underground market’. However, as consumers gain an increased awareness of what is well-suited to their skin – it’s becoming more pivotal for the industry to cultivate an environment for ethically produced skin products in Africa. Many products targeted at Africans, have focused on skin lightening whereas there are a plethora of things to consider when creating products for African skin. Therefore, the growth of the market is expanding to consider these diverse needs; African brands are accommodating a wide range of needs and there are diverse brands offering natural and traditional products for African consumers. Check out our 10 favourite luxurious African skincare brands. 

Some of the products we will be featuring on the African Beauty & Home Cluster will cover brands from various places on the continent. The African Beauty & Home Cluster is looking to ensure that emerging brands are able to produce and source products on the continent while avoiding banned and harmful products. African brands are leaning into each of their own country’s skincare secrets and tapping into the natural resources of the mother continent. We believe that the African continent is at an advantage to compete in the international market.

In South Africa, Cosmetics and Home Products fall under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, Act 54 of 1972. The industry most self-regulates using the CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletries and Fragrances Association) guidance documentation, which is based upon the EU Cosmetic Directive.

As the industry grows, it’s becoming increasingly important for brands to take it upon themselves to ethically create products while educating consumers. As the AB&H Cluster, we are looking to create a platform that ensures products are manufactured with the nuances of the African lifestyle and history in mind. We also feel that African beauty and home products hold a lot of potential to pioneer new approaches and formulas. It’s an exciting time because the market is growing quite rapidly, we believe in an environment that educates aspiring and emerging brands on ethical production is very important.