While we may have the convenience of online shopping at our fingertips, it can be an overwhelming experience navigating between brands, ingredients, and treatments in the current beauty market; especially when searching for melanin-focused formulations. More often than not, our efforts feel futile when the promises given from our chosen brands don’t quite live up to their expectations, leaving us searching for the next miracle product to alleviate our skin troubles instead. What we may not realise though, is that when it comes to skincare, one size doesn’t actually fit all; despite what the advertisements may claim. Skin is a complex organ that is not only a reflection of our inner health (think digestive, metabolic, and hormonal), but also a buffer for outside elements that often disrupt the delicate skin barrier (like maskne, for instance). And with so many varying factors at hand, it can be difficult to not only pinpoint the base problem, but also find the correct treatment solutions.

As we live in a world where everything from our groceries to our haircare can be customised with a touch of a button, it only seems right that our skincare regimens follow suit too. Here at 4.5.6 Skin, we strive to offer a customised skincare routine tailored to your individual skin requirements; using our vast wealth of melanin-driven expertise, knowledge, and resources to fine-tune your precise formulations. And by utilising the current digital retail space, we’re offering instant results delivered fresh from our labs directly to your door; an undertaking made possible by the personalised questionnaire feature provided on our website. To learn more about our unique customisation process for melanin-rich skin, we’ve answered a few of your frequently asked questions below to get the ball rolling.

How are we customising our products here at 4.5.6 Skin?

Dedicated research and development for melanin-rich skin.

In order to deliver the most concise formulations for your skin, we must first understand the distinct physiological and biochemical pathways of the phototypes IV, V, and VI, while listening to the real-life experiences of those who are melanin-rich. Pharmaceutical skin expert Dr. Imen Jerbi Azaiez did exactly that during her five years of working with melanin-focused prescriptive skincare. And now as our trusted formulator, she’s partnered up with US-based Board Certified dermatologist and melanin-rich skin expert Dr. Carlos Charles to uncover the most effective quality ingredients for our diverse customers. Through diligently treating and caring for thousands of patients for well over a decade, this duo has garnered an invaluable insight into the particular concerns and challenges that are unique to melanin-rich skin.

Additionally, we’ve worked alongside clinical research partners to further develop refined innovative solutions, all while building scientific research partnerships with some of the best research institutes in the business. And just to cover all of our bases, we also reached out to specialised cosmetic research universities to help address the lack of melanin-focused skincare currently available on the market. To make sure that we only produce the highest quality skincare for the melanin-rich community, we’ve collaborated with the French Cosmetic Valley in order to access the optimum ingredient suppliers and formulation spaces.

Built from every patient interaction, learning experience, and practical research discovery found over the years, we are pleased to say that we now have our very own formulation lab with trusted melanin specialised doctors at the helm.

Tailoring your bespoke core blend.

From this extensive experience working with melanin-rich skin, we’ve produced the very backbone of our formulas known as the ‘Core Blends’; a dynamic combination of innovative scientifically-backed ingredients that extend your natural skin functions to maintain a healthy and resilient skin barrier, before combining the additional actives based on your individual needs. These Core Blends cover the fundamental needs of phototypes IV, V, and VI by initially addressing dehydration, acne, excess sebum production, dullness, hyperpigmentation, and hyperkeratosis; the perfect base to your bespoke formula. Going from these powerful Core Blends, we then create a specifically curated formulation by adding a variety of dosages and active ingredient combinations to super-charge your individual skincare requirements.

This bespoke customisation process is based directly from your personalised questionnaire results, allowing us to navigate between your phototype specifications, skin type requirements, and your current skin concerns. Here’s how it works:

1. Start your skincare journey by visiting our ‘Concerns Index,’ then selecting your desired Core Blend or by simply creating your own routine from scratch.
2. Once you’ve selected your desired routine, let us know your skin phototype (IV, V, or VI), skin type (oily, dry, combination, balanced), and specific skin concerns (acne, hyperpigmentation, dullness etc).
3. From there, our melanin-focused algorithm will determine your ideal ingredient combination and dosage to boost your formulation based on the personal skin information provided.

And how does it work for your particular skin concerns?

Every product is unique, just like your skin concerns. And this requires a little extra care, consideration, and customisation. Let’s look at how we make this process work for someone who is looking to brighten their complexion and fade dark spots:

"Treating hyperpigmentation in melanin-rich skin requires both a gentle, yet multi-tiered approach to ensure that all avenues for producing excess melanin are addressed." — Dr Carlos A. Charles Board Certified Dermatologist, co-founder of 4.5.6 Skin.

Through this multi-tiered approach, we would recommend you start your oily skin focused regimen with the gentle yet deeply-cleansing Green Bae Cleansing Gel. This formulation uses a combination of natural skin brighteners and detoxifiers to targets hyperpigmentation directly. But for those who have a drier skin type, we would simply switch this cleanser for the Come Clean Cleansing Oil instead, which combines a blend of antioxidants to soothe and calm potential inflammations and irritants that may cause hyperpigmentation. The second step we would recommend in your regimen is our chemical and enzymatic To Be Clear Exfoliant Mask, which drains away dead skin cells and leave behind a long-lasting brightening effect. Top this off with the highly-potent Sevenly Delight Brightening Concentrated Serum, that’s jam-packed with biodynamic ingredients that are optimised to gradually brighten the complexion and prevent further hyperpigmentation using several melanin pathways.

Finally, we’ll freshly mix the Core Blend that works best with your individual requirements with a unique combination of ingredients. And it’s in this step that boosts your formulation to directly target your specific form of hyperpigmentation. Your freshly-made customised formulation will then be promptly delivered to your door, packaged with your name, product label, production date, and recommended date of use.

Interested to learn more about our ingredient blends for tackling hyperpigmentation?

For those with an oily skin type, we like to infuse our Green Bae Cleansing Gel with brown spot and blemish reducing Lilium Candidum Flower Extract; a bioactive extract that helps to prevent an uneven complexion. Another botanical we’ve chosen is radiance restoring Orange Flower Distilled Water, which provides a wonderful brightness to the skin. Finally, we add Citric Acid to naturally brighten your complexion, so that you can gently regain your natural skin hue back.

Come Clean Cleansing Oil however, uses Zinc Oxide to minimise irritation and drastically reduce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation for our dry skin customers who need some extra care. Astaxanthin (the most powerful antioxidant nature provides), protects the skin from free radicals and encourages skin radiance. Followed up with clearing and brightening Carrot Seed Oil, this blend promotes a beautifully even complexion.

Our To Be Clear Exfoliant Mask harnesses nutrient-dense Rosa Rubiginosa to deliver vitamin A, vitamin K, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Linoleic Acid, and Lycopene directly to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Green Tea Glycoprotein (an anti-tyrosinase active) is combined to brighten the complexion by reducing melanin production and improving skin elasticity, backed up by melanin formation inhibiting Salicylic Acid. This renowned ingredient is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) with gentle peeling functions to carefully help with the appearance of melasma.

To round off your hyperpigmentation-targeting routine, we’ve incorporated Hydrolysed Thapus Flower to protect the skin from harmful UV rays, and antioxidant-rich Acerola Cherry Extract to eliminate free radicals with the power of vitamin C in our Sevenly Delight Brightening Serum. This formulation doesn’t mess around when it comes to tackling hyperpigmentation; armed with tyrosinase-inhibiting Alpha Arbutin and melanin-regulating biocompatible active Balanite Roxburghii Seed Oil, this duo fights the many factors that causes unwanted hyperpigmentation and leaves you with an even and brighter complexion. Hydroxyapatite, Cysteine, and Glutathione bring us the healthy glow that we all desire by generating the pinky/red pigments instead of the darker brown.

These ingredients are examples of what you may find within our hyperpigmentation-fighting formulations, but your own customised formula may look a little different. And that’s how it should be; because we will adjust our dosages, concentrations, and blend of ingredients to specifically cater to you.

Fresh ingredients are by far more effective, and that’s why we recommend that every product you purchase from 4.5.6 Skin is used within a 6-month timeframe. But don’t worry, your product will still be suitable for use after this recommended period!

“I can select up to three concerns, but what if I only have one?”

If you only have one major skin concern that you’d like to deal with, then that’s not a problem! You have the option to select up to three main concerns on your questionnaire without the pressure of having to choose all three.

“What if I have more than three concerns?”

It’s preferable to focus solely on your three most pressing concerns first and build a solid skincare routine from there, but if you do have more than that, please don’t hesitate to email us with your additional concerns along with your order number. We’ll make sure to add your instructions to your order.

Uncertain about your skin type or the cause of your skin concerns? Consult our melanin skin experts directly via Messenger to gain valuable professional insight into your own unique skincare journey.