Black Beauty & Hair editor-in-chief Irene Shelley tries products from the melanin-focused 4.5.6 Skin product range.
As a beauty editor, I get so many products to try that my skin often yo-yos up and down depending on the active ingredients. At my age, I’m recommended to use ingredients such as tretinoin and/or retinol to keep age-related issues at bay. Unfortunately, by adding those ingredients to my skincare routine, my skin was in a constant state of irritation, including tiny little bumps under the surface —so much so that any toner that I used after cleansing was making my skin sting like crazy.
It shouldn’t have to be so; skincare ingredients shouldn’t be harmful. In an interview with Black Beauty & Hair magazine, Aïmara Coupet, founder of Be+Radiance, a microbiome-friendly makeup range, asserted that “Melanin-rich skin is probably the most easily unbalanced: excess sebum, dark spots, breakouts. Even though it does not age as fast as white skin and does not wrinkle in the same way, it’s more difficult skin to please as it needs to be kept cool and not irritated by too many chemicals.’
Aïmara had hit the nail on the head with her observation, especially in my case. Many skincare brands target specific problems with specific ingredients that are not always black-girl-friendly. For example an active ingredient like tretinoin kept my skin ‘in fight or flight mode’ constantly agitated, resulting in a bumpy complexion and sensitised skin.
So it was with interest that I replied to an invitation by 4.5.6 Skin, headed by Cameroon-born Noelly Michoux, who created her own skincare brand because she couldn’t find suitable skincare products for her own skin while moving across Europe and the USA.
The importance of melanin in skincare
Noelly explained, “It was my frustration with the skincare industry and the realisation that this was a problem for anyone with melanin in their skin. The industry was mostly focused on skin with lower melanin levels. Most of the population was not factored into R&D and skincare formulation. So, in August 2017, I started a brand focused on melanin skincare science. That’s how 4.5.6 started.”
“During my research, I found structural and functional differences in people’s skins depending on how much melanin they have. That blew my mind. I finally realised there was a physiological explanation, and I started doing more research. What I understood was that it doesn’t start with the brand. It begins with the people who make the ingredients.”
Alongside co-founders Imen Jerbi Azaiez (chief scientist) and Dr Carlos Charles (chief medical officer), the team developed the skincare brand that addressed the needs of melanated skin while doing it no harm.
The Fitzpatrick Scale
Noelly continues, “I discovered the Fitzpatrick Scale, a numerical classification scheme which categorises skin tones into six phototype groupings ranging from one to six. The numbers 456 are from the darker end of the colour scale. Our name is inspired by and reflects the Fitzpatrick scale groupings, our diverse audience among those groups who our research caters to, and the founders behind the brand whose skin types fall into these different groupings.
“In 2019, when Imen sent me the first batch of 4.5.6 Skin products, my skin felt at home, soothed and glowing each morning. The dullness I had always known vanished, replaced by a natural radiance I had never seen before. Over time, my skin came back to life—smoother texture, fading acne scars, and the confidence to leave the house without makeup. That feeling was transformative, and I told Imen, “This is what we need to create for women of colour. We have to deliver this feeling in a bottle and change the skincare game for us.”
Reviews
According to the Fitzpatrick Scale, I’m a Phototype 6: Dark Brown to Black skin, which always tans darkly. My skin is what I’d call atopic, reacting to allergens, which results in hives and tiny bumps under the surface, as well as suffering the odd hormonal breakout.
Come Clean Hydrating Cleansing Oil (£28/100ml)
Come Clean Hydrating Cleansing Oil contains astaxanthin oil, a powerful antioxidant that gives the cleanser its rich orange colour. It protects the skin from environmental aggressors and helps to brighten and improve skin tone and texture. It also contains antibacterial essential oils, including rosemary, sage, chamomile and lavender, to soothe stressed skin and diminish blemishes.
Results
I’ve never been a fan of oils in skincare other than used for cleansing. I have oily, combination skin, and oil moisturisers and serums never seemed to contain the actives that I felt my skin needed. They just sat on top of my skin, making me look even oilier. But Come Clean is a great cleanser, and the texture feels wonderful to use. It emulsifies when you add water, so there’s no greasy residue when you wash it off.
Max Glowgetter Firming Radiance Serum (£55/30ml)
Max Glowgetter Firming Radiance Serum treats hyperpigmentation and dark spots and is described as a daily protecting serum for healthy, radiant, youthful skin that feels soft, supple and intensely hydrated. Active ingredients include bakuchiol, a plant-sourced retinol alternative that’s rich in antioxidants to smooth the skin’s surface and reduce pigmentation and brown spots. Hexylresorcinol, which is interestingly found in the throat lozenges Strepsils, is included to repair skin damage, reduce inflammation and brighten stubborn hyperpigmentation safely and effectively.
Results
Again this has the texture of an oil. It’s great to find a gentler alternative to retinol that is still effective. The texture is light, though fairly viscous, reminding me of sebum-mimicking jojoba oil. You just need a couple of drops and it spreads nicely and leaves my skin moisturised, yet never greasy. I once forgot to finish with Sevenly Delight and just had this on all day my skin didn’t have that drawn-dry feeling.
Sevenly Delight Hyperpigmentation Correction Serum (£65/30ml)
Sevenly Delight Hyperpigmentation Correction Serum tackles hyperpigmentation using seven of the very best hyperpigmentation-fighting ingredients in balanced doses to prevent sensitivity. Key ingredients include hexylresorcinol, alpha arbutin, and vitamin C Complex, each with its own fighting style to combat hyperpigmentation.
Results
Due to hormonal breakouts and reactive skin, I’m often left with hyperpigmentation. The slick serum-like texture absorbs easily, and two pumps give you enough coverage for your face and neck. Since using Sevenly Delight, I have noticed a definite reduction in hyperpigmentation, and the dark circles around my eyes have reduced. My skin is also softer and smoother.
Verdict
My skin has never looked or felt better. When you start using a new product, you experience what I call the ‘honeymoon phase.’ Your complexion glows, and your skin is almost shocked into behaving itself under a new regimen. But down the line, usually after a couple of weeks, the old problems resurface – dullness, irritation, bumpy texture, etc. Since using 4.5.6, my skin is still on its honeymoon! And that’s after a couple of months of use.
I think the 4.5.6 is a real game-changing range, that looks after your melanated skin while dealing with issues like dryness and hyperpigmentation. Since using the range, I’ve noticed how soft and bump-free my skin has become. Even my husband noticed the improvement to my complexion and remarked that I looked great!
Come Clean, Max Glowgetter and Sevenly Delight are my hero products. Used together is like having your own anti-hyperpigmentation tag team.
4.5.6 Skin