Once you’ve obtained your qualifications as a skin care professional and put in the work to be up to date on your skin trend education, how do you win over new clients? You’re already passionate about supporting clients achieve their best skin possible. Yet, you still find somehow, that your confidence weans when clients who don’t look like you indirectly express their uncertainty in your capability to care for their skin. You’re not alone in this experience. This is a disconcerting, yet present reality for many skin care professionals and has been for some years.

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According to cultural leadership experts, selective ethnocentrism is when only one culture is known or embraced. Moreover, what is considered normal for that one culture is eventually expected to be normal for another. When differences in normalcy are noticed by either party, it then becomes challenging to accept new norms. Ethnocentrism is an inescapable reality for all people. 

Selective ethnocentrism (SE) can be projected both by clients onto professionals and professionals onto clients. When it comes to supporting clients with melanin-rich skin, selective ethnocentrism can sometimes be responsible for barriers to trust. 

References

1. C. R Cooper: The Skin Theologian. “Melanin Rich: Elevate Your Understanding of Darker Skin by Mastering All Things Melanin” (© 2024). 
2. C. R Cooper: The Skin Theologian. “The No Compromise Black Skin Care Guide “Pro Edition”: The Skin Professional’s Culturally Intelligent Tool for Caring for Darker Skin”.(© 2022). 
3. Thompson, Cheryl. “Beauty in a Box: Detangling the Roots of Canada’s Black Beauty Culture”, (© 2019). 

Charmaine Cooper, known as The Skin Theologian, is an award-winning international speaker, author, and educator with 28 years in the skin profession. Renowned for her passion and ability to connect with diverse audiences, she has trained skin professionals and educators globally for 24+ years. Cooper’s work emphasizes skin health equity and cultural intelligence, particularly for melanin-rich skin. A recipient of the ACA 2024 favorite contributor award and author of the acclaimed “No Compromise Black Skin Care Guide” series & “Melanin-Rich,” she continues to inspire through her international webinars, media engagements, and transformative workshops. Connect with her on Instagram @theskintheologian.