As part of the brand’s efforts to combat bias in dermatology and improve skin-care outcomes for people of color, Vaseline has rolled out its See My Skin database.

The database allows users to search for skin conditions and facilitates connections with board-certified and culturally competent dermatologists. Users are also encouraged to submit their own images to expand the representation of skin of color. All content on the platform is independently evaluated for accuracy and relevance by Vaseline’s Dermatology Review Board.

Vaseline stated that its goal is to create 15 million more “equitable skincare experiences” by 2025. Its mission to provide healthy skin to everyone, the company added, cannot be accomplished if part of its customer base doesn’t have proper representation or has access issues caused by “systemic racism that impacts medical standards and algorithmic search.”

Vaseline launched See My Skin alongside Hued, a digital health company that aims to improve the quality of care for Black, Latino and Indigenous populations, as well as VisualDx, a medical informatics company working to reduce healthcare bias through visualization technology.

“We created See My Skin so that people with melanin-rich skin could finally see skin conditions on themselves. Our goal is to provide solutions that ensure communities are equipped to get the care that everyone deserves. This is a step in that direction,” said Kevin Tolson, brand director of U.S. skincare at Unilever, in a statement.

The launch of the See My Skin database marks the latest initiative undertaken by Unilever to build a more equitable and inclusive society. 

In January 2021, Unilever committed to spending €2 billion annually with suppliers owned and managed by individuals from under-represented groups by 2025. It also promised that all workers who directly provide goods and services to the company earn a living wage or income by 2030, and that it would equip 10 million young workers with essential skills to prepare them for the job market by 2030.

See My Skin received a warm reception online following its debut earlier this week. Helena Öhman, VP of creative technology and innovation strategy at Edelman, commended her team on LinkedIn for their efforts around the launch of See My Skin, adding “the work moves mountains.”

Gene Agency, a Toronto-based healthcare shop, offered its support of the database, tweeting, “We love this initiative @VaselineBrand and @WeAreHUED. More steps being taken in making health more personalized and equitable.”

For a February 2024 article on Vaseline’s Mended Murals initiative, click here.