John Legend recently announced he is launching a skincare line. The line will reportedly focus on “the unique needs of darker, melanin-rich skin.”
The singer shared with Fortune that while his career gives him a vested interest in having healthy skin, it was the notion that "everybody cares about presenting themselves well," that served as inspiration for his latest venture, which is currently unnamed.
"Of course, I'm in the public eye, and so there's a bit more of a premium placed on making sure we take care of ourselves and present ourselves well to the public," he shared, adding, "But everybody has skin, and everybody cares about their skin, and everybody cares about presenting themselves well in every situation, whether it's, you know, family, community, or wherever they are."
He continued, "It's such an important part of who they are, and how they present themselves to the world, and how they feel."
Legend has teamed up with Los Angeles holding company A-Frame Brands, founded by actor and activist Hill Harper and entrepreneur Ari Bloom, for his latest venture, according to the outlet.
A-Frame released Olympic tennis star Naomi Osaka's skincare brand KINLO last year and is developing Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade's babycare line Proudly, both designed with the needs of people of colour in mind.
Speaking on his decision to partner with A-Frame, Legend said, "I love that they have a really diverse team and are concerned with making the world a better place, concerned with listening to a myriad of voices who are often marginalized and left behind, concerned about creating something that is affordable and accessible to all kinds of people, truly loves people of colour and wants to provide people of colour with the care that we deserve."
Martin Ekechukwu, Chief Brand Officer of A-Frame, expressed: “The entire purpose of the business is to create products for people who need them the most and we’re defining ‘people who need them the most’ as Black, Brown, Asian, and [people with disabilities] … anyone for whom there has been nothing specifically created for you, from the ground up.”
Legend's interest in quality skincare for people of colour is nothing new. The singer was an early investor Tristan Walker's Bevel, which catered to Black people who shaved.
Legend shared that he wants to use his voice to make a difference and encouraged others to do the same.
"I get to make music for a living. I love doing that. I get to put more beauty on the world," he told the outlet, adding, "I believe that even folks that aren't as famous as me, aren't as well-known as me can use whatever influence they have, use, whatever passion they have, whatever knowledge they have to try to make the world better."
