There are countless memes online about the youthful appearance of Pharell Williams. Namely, because it seems like the 47-year-old hasn’t aged all that much since he first came to our attention in the early 2000s.
While genetics play a role Williams’ ageless visage, the skincare products which he uses are undoubtedly important and lucky for us, he’s about to reveal his routine in the form of his very own skincare brand called Humanrace.
According to Allure, Williams has been a skincare enthusiast since his mid-20s and after two decades of dedicated skincare use, he has decided to create a small line of products that are vegan, fragrance-free and gender-neutral.
“I wanted to share my 20 years of skincare experience and education through this product and routine,” Williams said of the release.
“It’s created to take three minutes morning and night… it’s important to take care of your skin and to also take time for yourself daily.”
The Humanrace line contains three products so far: a cleanser, exfoliant and moisturiser, which are arguably the most important products in your kit to prepare, repair and protect your skin.
The Humanrace Rice Powder Cleanser is a dry powder that, when mixed with water, creates a milky emulsion and according to Allure, gently exfoliates using fruit alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs).
The Lotus Enzyme Exfoliant is formulated with glycolic acid, while the Humidifying Cream is a dense cream that contains snow mushroom extract, which Allure says has roots in Chinese medicine and behaves similarly to hyaluronic acid.
When creating the line of products, Williams consulted with dermatologist Dr Elena Jones, who has treated Williams since early on in his career. According to Jones, Williams has long had an enthusiasm for skincare.
“What struck me most about my first meeting with him was how committed to his skin and health he was at his age,” Dr Jones told Allure. “He wanted a routine to follow, and he’s dedicated to a skin-care regimen. He wanted explanations for everything.”
Williams and Jones had a list of non-negotiables when it came to the formulation of the products, which included no plastic particles. Creating effective products that worked for all skin types was also a priority.
“We wanted to choose ingredients that are clean, effective and friendly for all skin,” said Dr Jones. “We adhered to the European standard of 1,300 banned ingredients as an important starting point, and then we went further to develop our own restrictions. We worked to create products that had no rocks, nuts, seeds, or plastic particles in our formulas to ensure no micro-tears occur which can result in damaging your skin”.
This ethos extended to the creation of the green-coloured packaging, which is made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Humanrace officially launches on November 25th, via the Humanrace website, and through the simple practice of skincare, Williams hopes you “wake up everyday feeling empowered to turn good intentions into actions. Our goal is to help you in this quest.”