Originally from the Washington, D.C. Area, Patrick Boateng II is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Morehouse College. Following his studies, Boateng was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, serving in Guangzhou, China. He then moved to Thailand in the early fall of 2017 and the second time was in June 2022.

Struggling with daily breakouts, acne scarring, pigmentation issues, and dissatisfaction with the skincare products available for men like him led Boateng to collaborate with Dr. Lynn McKinley-Grant, who helped him create scientifically developed skincare for men of color. 

This past summer while in Thailand, I had the pleasure to meet him and we had a marvelous conversation about his personal brand called Ceylon Skincare.

Melita: How is it being an entrepreneur in Thailand?

Patrick: It’s a great place to be an entrepreneur if you have a strong sense of what you’re trying to build. 

Melita: How is it being a black man in southeast Asia running an American brand?

Patrick: It’s an exciting position, to be an outsider in a place that is changing so rapidly and incorporates many influences that you’re familiar with (which, in some ways, gives you an inside perspective) as well as those that you aren’t. I would say it keeps everything fresh but is also a grounding experience. 

Melita: Who is your customer? 

Patrick: Most of our customers are men who want high-quality, multifunctional products that deliver consistent improvement in skin quality over time. They care about their personal wellness and see having an effective skincare routine as part of that.

Melita: What’s the hardest part about living far away from home?

Patrick: I think finding time to catch up with folks back home is the hardest part, mainly because the time zone difference can make schedules quite mismatched. 

Melita: What’s some advice you’ll give entrepreneurs that want to run their business abroad?

Patrick: My advice would be to be very careful about doing it at a time when the business might not be mature enough to handle that sort of situation, especially if the majority of the actual operations are not in the country that you’re planning to live in.

Patrick describes himself as a continually inspired man by the intersection of culture, health, technology, and desirability. His line of skincare as they describe is based on when “science meets simplicity”, offering a compact range of products that are created to make your skin look and feel better but overall, to improve your health. 

Check all of the products they offer here and stay tuned for a guided routine.