L’Oreal Opens Ethnic Hair & Skin Research Facility.

L’Oreal USA announced the opening of a new multi-million dollar research center, the L’Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair & Skin Research, whose sole mission will be to conduct and support basic science research on ethnic hair and skin.

Located on the Near South Side of Chicago, the Institute is the first and only research facility operated by a beauty company that will engage a world-class team of biologists, chemists and physicists to advance the understanding of the unique properties of the hair and skin of people of African descent. The research complex will also house a product development team with expertise in ethnic products and consumer products evaluation center in the recently renovated historically significant building at 2101 South Wabash Avenue.

“The opening of this Institute represents an important milestone for our company and for people of African descent around the world,” said Jean-Paul Agon, President and CEO of L’Oreal USA. “The knowledge and insights that we gain through research conducted at the Institute will ultimately allow us to develop innovative new products that better service the beauty care needs of the global ethnic market,” he added.

A global leader in the ethnic beauty care market with SoftSheen/Carson, L’Oreal will leverage the valuable knowledge that is obtained from the research that is conducted at the Institute, to develop innovative and better performing new hair care, skincare and cosmetic products for the growing African American population and ethnic consumers worldwide. African American women in the US are known to consume three times as many hair care products as consumers in the general market.

“This Institute is symbolic of L’Oreal’s commitment to science and toward making cutting-edge advances in research and development for ethnic hair and skin,” said Dr. Victoria Holloway, Director of the L’Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair & Skin Research and Assistant Vice President R&D for L’Oreal USA. “The opening of this research facility in Chicago is an exciting step for L’Oreal, the Chicago community and the continued development of the Near South Side.”