After attending University of London, Sabrina Tan launched a successful career in tech, holding IT positions at Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM. In 2008, after realizing there had to be a better way to deliver customized skincare to busy working mothers everywhere, she founded Skin Inc. Among many breakthroughs is the brand's inclusion of multiple active ingredients rather than simply one through encapsulation technology.
Brand Founder: Sabrina Tan
Founded: 2008
Leadership: Sabrina Tan, Founder and CEO
2023 Full Year Expected Revenue Range: $50MM to $75MM (estimated by industry experts)
Categories: Skincare,Tools
Distribution Channel: DTC, Department Store
Funding Rounds: Venture Capital
In February 2021, Skin Inc closed $7 million in a pre-Series A round of new investment from Singapore-based Mistletoe.
What are some of your key business initiatives for 2023?
Providing more innovation, becoming more sustainable, and lastly participating in corporate social responsibility initiatives to give back to our community.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
Being one of the first to bring customization to the beauty industry. In addition to launching the first device powered by AI—in partnership with a strategic app, +SABI, which is the first 360° health and wellness coach to not only provide personalized skincare recommendations—but also coaching consumers on data.
What has been the biggest surprise since the brand was founded?
That the brand was truly far ahead of its time in means of personalized skincare, and now, after 14 years, it is catching on.
What aspect of your brand DNA fuels your competitive advantage?
As a beauty lover, I was constantly frustrated with my inability to find products that worked for my specific skin condition, which is sensitive, dull, and eczema prone. Many brands in the market addressed generic skin needs and did not account for individual differences or the fact that our skin care needs constantly change. As a mother and career woman, I was and am constantly extremely busy juggling my career, family, and personal interests—I definitely could not afford time for trial and error. I realized then that this is a conundrum that many modern women face and decided that it was time someone stepped in to revolutionize the vision of modern skincare and fill that gap in the market, where skincare should not be about a one size fits all, but where a one size fits one. That's our advantage. Our skincare is based on customization and data. Two that truly come together to provide the exact solution for each individual. No skin is the same, and we firmly believe that.
Please share your insight on the future of the beauty industry.
Minimalism is here to say. Consumers are tired of having a "vanity graveyard" and the guessing game that comes with skincare. Everyone is unique and skincare should be treated as such.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Time is precious. Use it wisely.
Paying it forward, what advice would you give to someone contemplating launching a beauty brand?
I like to say it’s insanity with a purpose. Your purpose needs to be clear. It will be long days and nights. Failures and successes. But, when you love what you do, you just keep going.
If you could change one thing in the beauty industry, what would it be?
Less is more. AI is the future of beauty. Providing customized solutions based on data.
