Black History Month – Member Spotlight – Cubie Lamb

Cubie Lamb is excited about where the cosmetics and skin care industry is, what IBA is doing to foster the industry’s growth and the promise of more sustainability and diversity awareness. Cubie is currently the Director of Research at J. Strickland & Company, a multicultural hair care and skin care manufacturer, which has been in business for over 80 years and offers hundreds of products. “I think we just scratched the surface of what we are becoming.” Cubie is happy to be a part of this movement.

Cubie is an active member of the IBA Supply Chain and Sustainability Committee and appreciates the opportunity to participate in helping find solutions on such a timely topic. “Building Sustainability and promoting Green Chemistry, so all aspects of production are as non-hazardous as possible is very important.”

As a Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) member, Cubie directs four chapters on leadership and growth. Cubie thinks being available is an excellent way to help others. He works with mentees through the SCC, through community colleges and does his best to provide guidance and direction. With his colleagues, Cubie is often a panelist on recurring panel discussions for Future Cosmetic Scientists. They take calls and let the students ask anything.

In his early days in college (at Florida State), he played football. An accident in his Organic Chemistry lab resulted in his glasses being melted by a reaction between an acid and some moisture on his lab coat. Rather than being traumatized by this, his interest was piqued, and he wanted to learn more about chemical reactions. “Why did that happen?” “What variables were in place to cause that reaction?” As he delved deeper into chemistry, his interest in football waned. “Sometimes accidents lead to great discoveries.”

With an uncanny knack for looking for the good in every situation, he appreciates the changes brought about by the COVID pandemic. “That one and a half years caused most of us to step back and re-think things. Our devices helped us stay connected during that time, but now people want more connection. They don’t want to be so disconnected. I see the desire for more connection and inclusion.” The cosmetics industry is about diversity, inclusion, and connection.”

Regarding the upcoming rollout of the MoCRA legislation, “I very much welcome the legislation. I feel it has been a long time coming. We need to be responsible. I feel it’s going to be great!” Through his work with young chemists, his mentoring focuses on sustainability and the need to have all inputs be as non-hazardous as possible, so our customers are not harmed. “I like to emphasize renewables rather than just consuming goods.” As a manufacturer, we have that opportunity.

Paraphrasing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cubie stated that we usually judge people by their appearances, but we should look at their character. By training yourself to look beyond appearances and look for the character, you can see who a person or company is. It’s that way in the industry: “We need to look at what people do, what they say, what they think, and what they manufacture.”

For Cubie Lamb, learning, being responsible, and staying connected is how he sustains his path of growth and well-being.