Launched: 2021
Founder: Fiona Co Chan
Key Executives:
2024 Full Year Expected Revenue Range: $10M-$20M, according to industry estimates.
Offline points of distribution globally projected for 2024: 1,340
Primary Category: Color Cosmetics / Makeup
Other Categories: Facial Skincare
Primary Distribution Channel: Prestige
Other Distribution Channels:
Funding Rounds: Seed
Notable Investors / Funding Partners:
Notable Advisors / Board Members:
Accelerator participation: Ulta Beauty's MUSE Accelerator program as a mentor
Youthforia was inspired by the idea that the best part of wearing makeup is getting ready to go out with your friends but knowing that means forgetting to take it off at the end of the night (and dealing with the aftermath on skin!). I created Youthforia to solve this problem based on similar situations I was dealing with in my daily life. After spending long hours in makeup due to work, play, or travel that led to breakouts and skin irritation, I decided the products we use on our face should be helping our skin, not harming it.
By sleep testing all my formulas, I was able to ensure that Youthforia users would wake up with better skin. This led to the unique brand positioning of "makeup you can sleep in." I wanted to create something to take the worry out of makeup so users would be free to enjoy the best parts of wearing makeup. This meant taking skincare/makeup hybrids to the next level with skin that looked better after wearing Youthforia makeup. This meant new to the world form factors like the world’s first color changing blush oil that created the perfect shade for every person so they didn’t have to worry if it was right for them. This meant using bio-based ingredients so users could do good for the environment while doing good for their skin. This meant making makeup fun again with viral products like the cult-favorite BYO Color Changing Blush.
Insight shared by Fiona Chan, Founder and CEO
What are your key business initiatives for 2024?
In 2023, Youthforia achieved remarkable business growth, propelled by the success of its TikTok-viral products. Gen Z's embrace of its innovative formulations led to our brand becoming the #8 beauty brand on TikTok, as per Rival IQ and one of the top 10 growing EMV makeup brands as noted by Creator IQ. The brand experienced a sales growth of +200%, with its BYO Color Changing Blush accounting for a threefold increase in sales. Additionally, Youthforia unveiled the Date Night Skin Tint Serum Foundation, expanding its innovative product line with the first foundation you can sleep in.
We deepened our core retail partnership with Ulta Beauty in 2023 by launching on the Sparked endcap in 445 doors in March 2023 and continuing to drive sales with other retail partners Credo, Revolve, JCP, 13 Lune, and Amazon.
As founder, I was focused on strategically expanding and fostering consumer trust and credibility. I raised the brand’s seed round from beauty and consumer investors including True Beauty Ventures, Willow Growth Partners, and Mark Cuban through an appearance on Shark Tank. Helping to drive cost efficiencies, I had a multifaceted role as CEO, Chief Creator Officer, Chief Product Developer, and more— I was a very hands-on leader! I made two executive hires in 2023 to set the stage for scalable growth in 2024 and beyond.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
The Ulta expansion was my biggest accomplishment for Youthforia in 2023 and continues to be our biggest opportunity for growth in 2024. In March 2023, we launched in 445 doors on the Sparked endcap, exceeding all of our joint projections with Ulta. Since then, the brand has achieved distribution in all doors with the Conscious Beauty endcap launch in December 2023 and will move to full four and five shelf endcaps and inline displays in 500+ doors as of March 2024. Not every new and emerging brand is able to meet the productivity goals of retail partners to expand shelf presence, and we’re so proud to have done this all in a year.
What has been the biggest surprise?
The biggest surprise was just how much people would resonate with our BYO Color Changing Blush. When creating this, a lot of thought went into making it viral. I purposely wanted something visually breakthrough, like a green blush oil. I wanted a formula that was good for skin, so I formulated it with 20 plant-based extracts to hydrate and nourish skin. I wanted something that looked good on all skin tones and types, so I made it pigmented and buildable for that perfect glass skin finish. I even patented packaging that would be fun with stackable, magnetic packaging. It’s gratifying to see how all the planning for virality went far beyond what I envisioned it could be for one product. Even now, with every new viral video we have on social media, we see renewed excitement around the BYO Color Changing Blush and our brand mantra of makeup you can sleep in. In less than two years, it became one of the top-selling blush products at Ulta Beauty despite being in only 30% of the retail doors for most of 2023
What fuels your competitive advantage?
Youthforia has redefined the skincare/makeup hybrid space with innovation that refuses to compromise skincare or makeup efficacy. I pride myself on using high-quality ingredients that are otherwise inaccessible at a nonluxury price point. My formulation philosophy is to make sure Youthforia delivers on the formula texture and pigmentation payoff necessary for high-end makeup while also infusing active skincare ingredients at functional levels so skin is protected and improved when wearing Youthforia. It’s makeup you can sleep in. We also lean heavily into the idea that prestige makeup can be fun. Leveraging TikTok and aesthetic branding, Youthforia has successfully tapped into Gen Z culture, gaining viral momentum and a passionate following. Since our initial TikTok debut, Youthforia remains dedicated to launching clean, sustainable, and innovative products where makeup intersects with skincare. We combine high-quality ingredients in luxurious formulas with a playful packaging touch. Our groundbreaking launches, such as the world's first color-changing blush oil and the Date Night Skin Tint Serum Foundation for overnight use, have set new standards for makeup quality and innovation. We incorporate plant-based synthetics, delivering luxurious textures and high performance.
Please share your insight on the future of the beauty industry.
I think consumers are more educated than ever before thanks to the information available to them through content creators on social media platforms, but particularly Tik Tok. These platforms have evolved with their users, and what goes viral now is not simply hacky SEO tactics, hashtags, or trending audio, but things that add real value to people’s lives. I think the future of the beauty industry is finding and achieving virality from both a brand and product perspective that transcends one social platform and even one (digital) media. Future beauty hits will be viral online and offline, in chat forums and in conversations with friends and family, in store and in digital retail environments. It will be viral because it’s solving a real problem or enhancing lives in a way that people can’t help but talk about.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The best advice I've been given was when I was preparing to appear on Shark Tank, the producers told me to "not give up any fight until you're kicked out of the room by all of the Sharks." I use that advice daily when running Youthforia—to be open to all possibilities and not to give up.
Paying it forward, what advice would you give someone contemplating launching a beauty brand?
Just start—if you have something unique to bring to the market based on your experiences, whether in beauty or any other industry; if you're solving a real need, customers will resonate with it. Don't be afraid to take a test-and-learn approach with your go-to-market. Understand what's important to you as a founder, and don't compromise on those values. As a beauty founder just starting, you will have limited resources, time, and budget, so prioritize what's most important in your brand and don't compromise. For us, it was formula quality and R&D, and it was the only area where we had no budget. Instead, we had to be resourceful in other areas (like headcount) to get the brand off the ground. Everyone's path will be different so just trust your gut.
If you could change one thing in the beauty industry what would it be?
Less intimidating, more accessible. Beauty should be about helping everyone feel comfortable in their own skin, to feel seen and confident. There shouldn’t be a minimum expertise level to be able to use blush, primer, or complexion products. This is a big part of what drives me to ideate new products for Youthforia. We’re very intentional about not being a high artistry brand; we want everyone to be able to use our products and embrace their inner child, confidence, and beauty. Regardless of age, we find that we’re often our customer’s first entry point into makeup. We receive so many notes from people who don’t normally wear primer, foundation, blush, etc., and they love our products because they feel like they’re doing something good for their skin, and our products are so easy and accessible to use for anyone.
