MY earliest memory of someone religiously following a beauty regimen was of my Mama Rose dabbing on Pond’s iconic cold cream. The white jar looked ceramic and superseded any cosmetic products on her dresser table. This was in the early 1980s, during her 40s, and she continued to do her nightly ritual until she passed on in 1991.
Those times were before the onset of miracle creams, whitening agents and instant remedies for all problems pertaining to the skin. Pond’s, as I have realized now, was already part of every woman’s personal beauty practices.
Fast-forward to the present day, and the Unilever-owned label is still at the forefront of the beauty sweeps. Prolific and with a unique pulse of what women want, Pond’s recently introduced its White Beauty and Clear Balance ranges.
“At Pond’s, the jump-off point of any innovation is this: to let your innate beauty reach its full potential. We believe that making the most of what you’ve got is the best way to look and feel beautiful. Our products respond to a desire, a want of Filipinas, which is to look fairer and have brighter skin,” says Jacqueline Yuengtian, Pond’s senior brand manager.
It isn’t about having Caucasian-like skin, Yuengtian explains, but rather about retaining the warmth and natural beauty of the Pinay complexion but only rosier, clearer and whiter. Pond’s offers women the opportunity to get what they want in the form of products that know and understand their skin intensively. “We believe in giving the Filipino woman the skin she desires and deserves. This then makes her look and feel beautiful about herself,” she adds.
As the acknowledged market leader in mass whitening and facial washes, Pond’s deems it its responsibility to ensure that today’s Pinays have the products to address their current skin needs. The brand believes this is key to maintaining its lead: to have a pulse of the market and have the research, science and infrastructure to translate their gathered insights into stellar products.
Proof of this confidence is the fact that Pond’s is once again looking at an exciting year of innovation. Aside from educating the market about maintaining a good skin regimen, convincing them to use Pond’s facial washes and Pond’s whitening creams, it is also putting the consumer at the core of their efforts.
The innovations that Pond’s products will be unleashing this year will directly address what women want and need. In doing so, it not only expands the total category and Pond’s business, but also fortifies its relationship with users. This February, for instance, Pond’s will relaunch its two prestige variants: Flawless White and Age Miracle. Both promise the most advanced whitening and anti-aging technologies of Pond’s to date, making these favorite products of Pond’s users even better.
How do White Beauty and Clear Balance complement the other Pond’s ranges? Can they be used in conjunction with their predecessors, or will there be adverse effects?
“Knowing that Pinays are concerned about being naturally rosy-white and keeping oil at bay, we see the White Beauty and Clear Balance washes filling in those beauty gaps. Both ranges offer solutions to those skin concerns and provide products that target specific skin issues,” Yuengtian says. “However, we understand that Pinays have a multitude of skin concerns. In the Pond’s Institute, all Pond’s products are tested in conjunction with other ranges and are proven to be safe on skin. This way, you can find the perfect product/s for your individual skin needs.”
Clay is the star ingredient in Clear Balance. What are its beautifying effects? “Clay is known to absorb oil effectively. When used in a face-care product, it is proven to remove your skin’s excess oil, freeing it from oily-skin problems, such as blackheads, visible pores, and pimples. Clay is a natural ingredient which is combined with Pond’s proven formulation. The clays used in the different variants of Clear Balance have different strengths, ensuring that there’s an effective facial wash made for every Pinay skin issue,” says Yuengtian.
In some products, Pond’s has the most beautiful celebrity endorsers, with Tweetie de Leon as the image for the Gold Radiance series and Angelica Panganiban, the face for Pond’s White Beauty Naturals. “Angelica is the perfect endorser for White Beauty as the female mass market relates to her well. Also, she epitomizes the real Pond’s woman—believing that naturally fairer, smoother skin helps to realize her life’s romance,” Yuengtian stresses.
What more can women possibly want? Fountain of Youth excluding.
