“But philanthropy is my dearest endeavor!” he told Happi.
For Gedeon, giving back is personal and all part of a journey that has come full circle.
Gedeon emigrated from Carrefour-Feuilles, Haiti to the US in 1961. He worked full-time as an undergraduate at City College of New York and in graduate school at New York University. He started his career as a bench chemist at Revlon and retired from Estée Lauder in 2011.
Gedeon visits a class at d’Ecole Nationale de Furcy, a school the brand supports.
Now, he splits his time between Florida and Haiti—and devotes most of that time to several causes that are near and dear to him.
For example, in 2019 he created the Rosita Gedeon Scholarship at Florida International University (FIU). Created in honor of his mother, it provides funding to young women of Haiti to study STEM at FIU in Miami.
The St. Marc School of Excellence is one of his proudest philanthropic efforts. The Port-au-Prince school was founded in 2010 to educate children in first and second grade. Thanks, in part to Gedeon’s efforts, the school now serves more than 350 students from pre-K through the end of secondary school.
“It is really great to see the kids smiling,” said Gedeon. “We are all of the same Father; all these kids need is opportunity to succeed and fair play.”
Furcy First
That belief helped Gedeon forge a bond with Nathania Dominique. Together with her husband, Lorenzo, Dominique created a line of toiletries sold in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. According to Gedeon, Dominique is very dedicated to helping the schools and kids of the Furcy region of Haiti.
“After meeting the two of them in Haiti about two years ago, and after spending some time in the mountains with Dokte Feuille, I was hooked,” recalled Gedeon. Dokte Feuille are keepers of local plant knowledge and are some of the most important figures in Haitian villages.
So hooked, that Nathania Dominique and Gedeon decided to create skincare formulas created with ingredients unique to Haiti. She heads up creative and product development; Gedeon is in charge of R&D and product marketing.
Furcy Botanik formulas are based on Djon Djon mushroom, which is only grown in Haiti and promises to make one “healthier and stronger.” Gedeon sent the mushroom to a US lab for for in-vitro testing and Djon Djon was found to have a high percentage of Beta Glucans, which are known adaptogens and immunomodulators. The mushroom is bio-fermented, and in-vitro tests confirm that it has fantastic anti-inflammatory properties. Those properties are enhanced with the addition of guava leaves ferment, which was recommended by Dokte Feuille.
Through in-vitro testing, an independent lab confirmed the formula has outstanding free radical scavenging properties and is effective in preventing and repairing DNA damage. According to Gedeon, the formula significantly restores and increases collagen-1 and hyaluronic acid production after UV exposure. Those benefits are reinforced with ingredients that include ceramides, tri-peptides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and squalane.
“My goal has always been to satisfy the consumer needs and I like to prove my claims through independent consumer testing. With Furcy Botanik, formulated and manufactured in the US; we did all the safety testing and efficacy,” recalled Gedeon. “We had subjects of different age groups and skin tone, and after 28 days, the results came back beyond expectations: more than 80% acceptance for the attributes and we are mild enough for sensitive skin.”
Gedeon and Co-Founder Nathania Dominique flank Dokté Feuille.
The Furcy Botanik line includes Gel Creme Lejand to hydrate and firm through the day; spray-on Essence Eklat for instant radiance and to refresh the skin during the day (even with foundation, noted Gedeon); and Serum Nuit Mitik to brighten and repair at night. Products are available online and making inroads into brick and mortar. Furcy Botanik gives back $5 of each purchase to The Kids of Furcy Foundation, a non-profit, philanthropic organization that supports educational access and opportunity in the village of Furcy.
“We are working on a few new products that will target specific areas of the face; one is in test right now,” confirmed Gedeon. He called Furcy Botanik’s five-year plan, not aggressive but thoughtful.
“We will only introduce a new product if it is the best, is driven by consumer need and enhances our reputation,” he insisted.
The Furcy customer is primarily 35+, educated, self-assured, and dedicated to maintaining her or his beautiful looks throughout her or his lifespan and “healthspan,” said Gedeon.
In addition to pursuing commercial success, Furcy has a greater mission.
“My long-term goal is to make Furcy Botanik a success to help make the Furcy school a model school in Haiti,” said Gedeon.
A portion of Furcy Botanik’s sales go to support St. Marc. At the same time, Gedeon wants to create more schools to help Haitian students and increase the Rosita Gedeon Foundation.
“In between, I would like to make Furcy a ‘botanical hub,’” he added.
Keeping Up with the Beauty Industry
Although he no longer sits in a corner office, Gedeon says keeping current on the global beauty business is easier than he initially expected.
“With SCC, IFSCC, ChatGPT and all the magazines, I stay abreast of the latest science, new products and new companies,” he told Happi.
From his vantage point, Gedeon noted things have changed a bit in the industry in recent years. There’s an emphasis on “clean” and “green” chemistry; more new, dynamic, young entrepreneurs; and greater focus on beauty’s impact on society in general.
After so many years at multibillion-dollar multinationals, Gedeon admitted that getting a startup up and running took some getting used to.
“You no longer have all the resources you need and your ‘friends’ take longer to respond, if they do at all,” he said candidly.
Still, there are plenty of benefits, too, according to Gedeon. One, entrepreneurs can make quick decisions without all the politics of a giant company; two, they can be a big fish in a small pond; and three, entrepreneurs become humble and learn from their mistakes—which will happen.
Gedeon has advice for the growing list of entrepreneurs entering the beauty business, too.
“Know your target consumer and most importantly get appropriate financing and/or backing,” he urged. “Everything else—story, products, packaging, PR and distribution—are achievable but need financing!”
Clearly, entrepreneurs face many obstacles. But Gedeon maintains that the beauty industry remains, well, a beautiful business opportunity.
“All in all, the industry remains dedicated to making society more beautiful, happier and therefore healthier,” he concluded. “I call it ‘BeautySpan!’”
Credit:Source link
