Nicolas Travis, founder and CEO of Allies of Skin, turned trauma into triumph. At age 19, Travis had a severe accident and needed facial reconstructive surgery. Procedure complications like infections and necrosis led him to discover active ingredients like epidermal growth factors and copper tripeptides to help with skin regeneration and longevity.
Those two outcomes of regeneration and longevity have been the guiding light of his product creation ever since. The entrepreneur, who studied biomedical and pharmaceutical science, self-financed and launched the brand in 2016. The journey began with three products following two-and-a-half years of research and development: The 1A All-Day Mask (a moisturizer with a mask-like concentration with anti-pollution and anti-acne benefits); a Molecular Saviour Toner Mist with probiotics and antioxidants; and 1A Overnight Mask with a patented, time-release form of retinol.
“My product formulation ethos is driven around delivering the most efficacious products.” Multifunctional, effective formulas, or “supercharged clinical,” as the brand calls it, are the brand’s DNA.
The brand was born in Singapore, a beauty landscape that Travis describes as “nascent” with a savvy consumer influenced by K-beauty and Hollywood trends. “We are the most successful global beauty brand that has ever come out of Singapore, which says a lot because we have a lot of tech companies. But for the beauty sector itself, there's a lot of room for growth.” Challenges to that growth are the market entry costs as well as stiff competition when it comes to hiring a workforce. “But if you're a beauty brand and have a really great idea, the beautiful thing about Singapore and its people is that they're very supportive of supporting local brands.”
To start, the brand only had a Shopify storefront, with Travis packing and delivering every order himself, complete with a handwritten thank you card. He recounts the brand doing a thousand dollars a day in sales “from the get-go.” That same year, Allies of Skin entered the international market brand through retailers like SpaceNK and Sephora.
In March 2020, he launched PSA (short for “Purposeful Skincare for All”) by Allies of Skin, a lower-priced, but equally science- and results-backed skincare range. Travis made the decision to sell PSA in 2023 in order to channel more energy and resources towards Allies of Skin, especially as the founder was in the middle of raising institutional capital.
“There was no way we had the resources or the bandwidth to double down on two brands. It happened very naturally because we sold it to one of our distributors in Eastern Europe. It [PSA by Allies of Skin] was already the #1 brand in their portfolio.” When the distributor asked Travis about starting a new brand, he sold them PSA by Allies of Skin instead.
In March 2024, Meaningful Partners made a $20 million strategic growth investment in Allies of Skin. Speaking on the partnership, Travis said, “Raising money was honestly like dating 40+ funds over months and months. I'm at a stage in my career where I know I'll reach the summit. I want to do it with people whom I respect and admire. That's my non-negotiable in life. I found it with Meaningful Partners.”
Today, Allies of Skin has a projected revenue of $50 million for 2025 and is sold in 36 countries in over 800 stores globally. Its Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum, containing a 3% Sh-Oligopeptide-1 (Growth Factor) Complex, and 9% Lifting Peptide Complex sold out six times upon launch in Q3 2023. At one point, there was an 11,000-person-long waitlist for the $188 product.
The brand’s other bestsellers are Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser (which hydrates, nourishes, and brightens the skin while cleansing), Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment (a 5-in-1 treatment which refines and protects skin), and The One SPF 50 Invisible Sunscreen Gel (a pore-blurring and skin conditioning formula). On average, it takes three years for the company to launch a new product, due to building the formula from scratch, according to Travis.
Even without the presence of a US team, the country became the brand’s biggest market, with a 44% retention rate. With the influx of new capital, Travis is building out his stateside leadership, including hiring Karen Raghavan as its Global President in October 2024, Sean Sharifi as Executive Creative Director in March 2025, and growing the brand’s DTC team. Aside from marketing and growth, Allies of Skin also invests in sampling and travel sizes across its retail network, including Mecca in Australia. “It takes a lot of investment, time, and energy. Just because you get a shelf space doesn't mean you're going to win there. It's about maintaining longevity with those retailers.”
For the past year, the brand has had 60% year-over-year growth. A large percentage of that boost is from DTC, with Travis stating that the brand does more than eight figures in sales on their website. Allies of Skin has also done millions in sales on Amazon—an interesting feat for a brand with several price points above the $100 mark.
“It just shows how much potential we have. Also, as a consumer who’s really busy, I like that with Amazon Prime, I can buy everything else like Epsom salts and toilet paper, plus my $188 growth factor serum.” Allies of Skin is looking to triple its sales at the retailer in 2025.
The brand’s latest release is Sunless Tan SPF 50 Daily Self-Tanner, a 3-in-1 formula with a gradual tanning effect using DHA, sun protection, and skin actives like vitamin C, goji berry extract, and Centella asiatica.
While there is comprehensive research underlying its product creations, Allies of Skin aims to make beauty more human, whether through education or advocacy. “The whole idea is to make everyone feel like they have a seat at our table.” Under #InMyHealingEra on social media and through a video gallery on its website, the brand shares the stories of brand allies and burn survivors like Tonya Renee Meisenbach and Catrin Pugh to empower others. It also works with charities like Katie Piper Foundation to support burn survivors, using its products to help heal third-degree burns and scars.
In addition to clinically testing its products, the brand partners with dermatologists like Dr. Kunal Malik and Dr. Luke Maxfield to boost its scientific credibility. “The most important thing that I like to do is cultivate deep relationships. There are a lot of derms and facialists, but it’s about whether or not we have an energetic connection. With that comes a level of trust because I think consumers are so savvy these days that they can tell when something is a money grab.” Strategic partnerships with skintellectual influencers, celebrity facialists, and doing skincare prep for fashion shows like Oscar de la Renta and the Oscars are broadening the brand’s reach even further.
Those activations have had immediate results. A video created with Brazilian YouTuber Camila Coelho (who has over 10.4 million followers on Instagram) for New York Fashion Week, speaking about the brand’s Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum, resulted in it becoming the #1 selling anti-aging treatment on Revolve, according to Travis. “Even though we're high-performance skincare, it's so boring to be in lab coats all the time. What we're really trying to do is make science sexy and cool so that everyone can digest it.”
Travis prides himself on having created a brand that casts a wide net for the power of skincare and self-empowerment. “It’s not just about creating $200 serums. It’s very rare to find a brand that does Fashion Week and Oscar-nominated actors but also cares about burn survivors. We have all of that, and it makes our brand really special.”
Travis, who openly shares his personal story and struggles with mental health with the brand’s audience, feels an immense gratitude for being able to channel a huge life obstacle into a thriving business. “I want to show people it can be done. You can come from nothing, have the odds stacked against you, and still build something incredible.” With Allies of Skin, that creation continues to build and build, with skincare that has an impact far beneath the surface.
