Moving with the times: Garden of Eden invests in clinical trials to strengthen derma brand position

Speaking to CosmeticsDesign-Asia​, general manager Wei Lin said the firm was capitalising on the rise of derma skin care since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lin highlighted the importance of clinical evidence as there is often an assumption of compromise between effectiveness and natural or plant-based ingredients.

Its own consumer research also gathered that its customers prioritise ingredient information, as well as clinically proven or dermatology test labels.

As the brand is positioned as a derma beauty brand, its target audience tend to be hyper-educated with heightened interest in ingredients and are more open to learning about the products.

As such, investing in clinical trials was imperative, said Lin.

“We’ve done clinical trials on our serum products in a US FDA facility. The study was done about two years ago on volunteers who have pigmentation. The results were recorded over a three months’ period and facilitated by doctors and dermatologists. We tried our hand submitting the reports to a cosmetic dermatology journal and the report was accepted.”​

Brand refresh​

In addition, the company’s products are undergoing a packaging refresh as its research found that product packaging was an important purchasing factor for its consumers.

“We’re moving with the times. The packaging for our Hydra range is quite different from our serums range. So, sometime next year, we will revamp our serum range to align with the hydra range. There’s more pastel, looks more young age, trendy, vibrant and modern,” ​said Lin.

Garden of Eden is a Malaysian skin care brand founded more than 20 years ago. Today, it has a wide range of skin care products that target a range of skin care concerns such as pigmentation and acne.

The brand has been known for its 100% plant oil-based serums. However, consumer education for oils have been an “uphill battle,​” especially among acne-prone customers.

In May, the brand launched a range of four facial creams featuring botanical ingredients such as grapeseed oil and evening primrose oil. The new products complete its current skin care range.

“Over the years, consumer demand and acceptance for creams is very high. People are just more used to using it. It was a lot easier for our beauty advisors to sell the cream than our [oil-based] serums as they understand how to use it.”​

Expansion works​

The brand is currently available in Malaysia via health and beauty chains Watsons and Guardian. It is also available online its website and major e-commerce platforms such as Shopee.

The brand is also available via Guardian in Brunei and is growing its e-commerce presence in Indonesia.

As the brand is halal certified, it attracts Muslim consumers from neighbouring country.

The company has inked a deal with a local Chinese distributor to make its products available in China through JD.com.

Lin highlighted that while there are opportunities fuelling demand for its products in South East Asia and China, other factors such as local consumer preferences and market competition that come into consideration for its international expansion strategy.

Company papers published:

Shah, S., & Chew, SK. (2017). "Efficacy and safety of topical depigmenting agent in healthy human fair skin female volunteers: A single-arm study." DOI: 10.1111/jocd.12435

Gajjar, T., et al. ​(2020). "Safety and efficacy of two botanical based topical anti-acne products in treatment of mild to moderate acne subjects." DOI: 10.15406/jdc.2020.04.00161

Chew, SK., et al. ​(2021). "Safety and efficacy of Trimax-360 serum in healthy adult subjects with mild to moderate alopecia of scalp." DOI: 10.1111/jocd.14998

Gajjar, T., et al. ​(2021). "Enhanced efficacy of radiant skin serum in subjects with moderate to severe, dry and sensitive skin." DOI: DOI: 10.15406/jdc.2021.05.00173