Most of the skincare products we see on shelves, from fancy serums to sunscreens, are made for Western skin and climates. They are tested in places where the air is dry, the sun is mild and sweat isn’t something people deal with all year round. For people living in Bangladesh, that’s a completely different story, a press release said.
Our skin faces heat, humidity, pollution, and intense sun exposure almost every day. So, those heavy Western creams that protect dry skin in London winters? They often end up clogging pores and making brown skin oilier in Dhaka’s weather. And because melanin-rich skin reacts differently, even a little irritation or sun damage can leave dark marks that take weeks, sometimes months, to fade.
That’s why formulas built for Europe or the U.S. often fall short here. They are not bad products; they are just not made for our skin, our climate, or our lives.
Brown skin is strong and beautiful but it’s also more reactive. It tans quickly, scars deeper and shows post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) easily. Combine that with Bangladesh’s humidity, sweat, and pollution and you get a skincare challenge that’s totally unique.
We need products that are light yet hydrating, protect from sun and dust, and calm the irritation that comes with constant heat. Our moisturizers shouldn’t feel sticky. Our sunscreens shouldn’t melt off in the sun. And our serums should work against pollution damage, not just aging.
That’s where science and pharmacists step in.
Pharmacists are trained to understand how ingredients interact with the skin. They know which actives truly work, which preservatives are safe and how to make formulas stable even in harsh climates. Across Bangladesh, a new wave of pharmacist-led innovators is rethinking skincare from the ground up; not just following global trends but solving local problems.
One of those innovators is Sinthia Islam, a pharmacist who co-founded Skin Cafe. Her goal is simple, to create skincare that truly works for Bangladeshi skin in Bangladeshi weather.
Sinthia, together with Prof. Dr. Abu Zafar Mohammed Ruhul Momen, a veteran scientist with over 30 years of international research experience, brings science and local insight together. Every formula is built from scratch, not copied from abroad, and tested to handle our heat, humidity, and pollution.
Their sunscreens are made to resist Dhaka’s sweat and sun. Their brightening serums fight pollution damage without harsh bleaching agents. Their moisturizers are lightweight, so they hydrate without clogging pores. And every batch goes through microbiology checks, third-party efficacy tests and lab simulations that mimic our real weather conditions.
As Sinthia explains, “We are pharmacists, but more importantly, we are Bangladeshis,” says Sinthia Islam. “Our job is not just to make skincare — it’s to make skincare that works here, for our people, in our climate.”
Skin Cafe has set new standards in Bangladesh’s beauty market by formulating the country’s first locally made sunscreen; an item customer once had to import. These breakthroughs show how homegrown innovation can not only match international brands but confidently replace them.
