A European brand trying to conquer the lucrative skincare whitening market in Asia might sound a little bit like selling ice to the Eskimos. After all, it was Asian companies which pioneered the technology of skin whitening.

But that was then. Clarins, a beauty company that is proudly French, believes that as the European leader in skincare and bodycare, it has a lot to offer the Asian consumer. As proof, it launched a refinement of its White Plus HP range on Monday, which made its debut in 2007.

In this latest version, sea lily extract has been added to the mix to slow down the extension of dendrites - melanocyte 'arms' which transport melanin to the skin, thereby creating pigmentation.

The range of six products are priced from $52 for the Pearl-to-Cream Brightening Cleanser to $130 for the Intensive Whitening Smoothing Serum.

Philip Shearer, the company's chief executive, offers this latest range as an example of how Clarins' constant research ensures its strong foothold in the Asian beauty market, where a whopping three out of every 10 beauty products sold is a whitening product.

Even though whitening is not a field Clarins pioneered, its dedication to research and technology, as well as its strong foundation in skincare and bodycare, allows it to always stay ahead of the curve, he says, in an exclusive interview with Urban at the product's launch event in Shanghai.

'With whitening, we had the idea in 2004, refined it in 2007 and now, in 2010, we are making it a little more perfect because with new research and better technology, we can now achieve better results.'

Shearer, who joined Clarins in 2008, has had vast experience in the beauty, haircare and fragrance businesses, having worked in New York, London, Paris, Tokyo and even Mexico City, in key positions for elite companies such as Elizabeth Arden and the L'Oreal and Estee Lauder groups.

This stands him in good stead to understand the nuances of various cultures, he says.

Throughout his career, he adds, the most important lesson he has learnt is humility, a quality he feels is essential for succeeding as a global business.

'Humility doesn't mean you do not have self-confidence. It just means that the more you learn, the more you understand and accept. Hence, with Clarins, we approach whitening with the same humility that comes from experience.

'We believe we can be a bridge between the East and West by applying our thinking process to a different problem.'

It is with this attitude that he hopes to achieve his aim of making Clarins the world's No. 1 skincare brand in three to five years.

Currently, it is the No. 1 brand by market share in Britain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Australia, South Ireland, Russia and South Africa.

It is also one of the top 10 brands in Asia, occupying the No. 5 spot in Singapore and No. 8 in Hong Kong.

'You don't have to be a guru to figure out that skincare in Asia will be the main area of growth. But how and where you do it is another matter,' he says.

'I adore Japan personally, but it is a very crowded market with many entrenched competitors.'

Clarins' strategy, then, is to focus on China.

The company is looking into setting up research labs in China to be closer to the ground when it comes to discovering new technologies and resources available in the region.

The company's manufacturing facilities, however, will remain at the current location in Pontoise, France, to preserve the integrity and quality of the products.

'For us, the kitchen has to be clean. As we go global, we have to make sure we know where all the ingredients come from and what exactly goes into everything we produce,' he says.

It is the dawning of a new age for Clarins, a largely family-run business started by Jacques Courtin-Clarins in 1954.

When he died in 2007, his two sons, Christian and Olivier, who had long occupied key roles in the organisation, took over the reins.

Shearer is only the second non-family member to assume the CEO mantle and it is a privilege he does not take lightly.

'Jacques Courtin-Clarins' mantra was: Do more, do better and enjoy doing it. And that's really what Clarins is all about. I'm not inventing anything different. I am just reinforcing those values.'

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.