Black Gold:
Spraying Away Oil Problems
by Scott Eric Barrett
Black Gold, Inc., a Minneapolis-based lotion manufacturer and distributor, is experiencing a gold rush of prosperity. Besides recently moving into a new 25,000-square-foot facility, the company has mined a Fort Knox-level of success with its oil-free tanning sprays and is at the forefront of the antioxidant revolution.
A Golden Decision
Black Gold has been concocting lotions since 1996. According to Ashok Patel, the company's CEO, Black Gold offers the best money value in terms of lotion quality because of its ability to source raw materials from around the world and formulate products with unique raw materials.
"Salon operators appreciate the fact that we offer a good mixture of high-quality ingredients and reasonable prices," he says.
Patel, who has a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Wales, was a chemical importer and distributor when the partners of Black Gold products invited him to work as a consultant in 1996. With three products in the Black Gold line, the partners were looking to expand and improve their current products. Patel was a logical choice.
In 1998, when the partners decided to change industries, Patel jumped at the chance to purchase the company and bring all of his formulas and manufacturing in-house. His risk turned out to be golden--make that Black Golden--and the company now features 13 products.
Cleaning Up The Oil Problem
Black Gold's Deep Penetrating Oil Free Formula is the company's most popular product. Patel says coming up with an oil-free formula was a key moment in the company's brief history.
Tanning sprays always have been popular with tanners. Salon operators, on the other hand, probably wouldn't have minded if oil sprays evaporated into extinction. It's easy to sympathize with them because when tanners sprayed themselves with oil sprays, they often would accidentally spray it on the walls or on the beds, and the oils wouldn't clean properly.
"It was just a mess," Patel says. "We introduced an oil-free formula that worked just as well but didn't have any oil in it. The salon operators had no cleaning problems because our product easily wiped off anything."
In the development process, Patel talked to a lot of salon operators and wondered what was in an oil product that could be made in a water-soluble base, yet have the same tanning effects.
"We came up with a bunch of herbal extracts and soluble tyrosine, put all of them together and made it work," he says.
The oil-free sprays have been a hit with men especially because lotion spreads best on hairless skin. Not too many men outside of professional body builders shave their arms, legs and chests, The oil-free sprays cover their entire skin more evenly.
The success of the Deep Penetrating Oil Free Formula led to Chill Spray, an oil-free spray with a chilling effect; Au Fire Spray, which has an oil-free hot tingle effect; and Au Glow, which has a tingle bronzing effect. Patel says all three are very popular and effective.
Staying One Step Ahead
Patel says it's tough to say what the next trend will be, but Black Gold isn't standing still. The company is working with a German company that has a special mill designed to produce oils from seeds.
"Right now we have a carrot seed oil that is all natural and has great anti-wrinkle properties," he says. "It's all organic and there is no volatile organic solvents involved in its manufacturing. We are beginning to use it in our lotions with great results."
The company also is working with strawberry seed, black raspberry seed and cranberry seed oils. Producing oil from these seeds is difficult because the seeds are so small. Patel says if you try and crush them all you get is a mush, so the German company is unique.
"Another plus is that you get the oils at room temperature, so none of the active ingredients are destroyed due to high heat or high pressure," he says. "We have put the carrot seed oil in our Face Oil and Face Cream and we are using it along with our strawberry and cranberry seed oils in our Exfoliating Scrub. We are also working with an onion-seed oil that may heal scars."
Another exciting development at Black Gold is the company's recent move into its new facility, which will allow the company to conduct more in-depth research and develop new products faster.
"We were so cramped for space," Patel says. "Now we're able to hire new people and perform at higher levels of research. It's just an all-around good thing."
Whether it's concocting new oil-free products or working abroad to make healthier products, this Black Gold rush won't end anytime soon.
