Starface Accelerates Mission To Shake Up Skincare Category

LONDON, United Kingdom — Acne-patch brand Starface has launched in the UK as part of its mission to shake up the skincare category and rewrite the narrative around breakouts.

Launched in late 2019 by co-founders Julie Schott – former Beauty Director of Elle and entrepreneur Brian Bordainick, the startup has been gaining traction in the US thanks to its refreshing rhetoric which aims to empower consumers to approach skin concerns without shame or stigma.

Tapping into one of the key trends we identified in our 2020 Consumer Wellness Trends Report: ‘The New Wellness Warriors’ it aims to create feel-good moments that resonate with those searching for a more balanced, reflective and ultimately enjoyable form of wellness. A movement we’ve highlighted as helping to drive the conversation forward, and one that’s forcing brands to consider a less narrow-minded and conformist approach.

Across social media, in particular, Starface has caught the attention of Gen Z, racking up more than 131K  followers on Instagram and TikTok, with comments from its fans regularly pleading with the company to start shipping to their respective countries.

This momentum, Schott believes, is down to the fact there has been very little innovation in the way skincare brands and media have approached acne, despite it being a condition that affects nearly everyone at some point in their lives.

“Since acne affects such a wide range of people, it was important to us that our first product, Hydro-Stars, would be safe and effective for everyone,” Schott told Welltodo.

“We see parents buying Hydro-Stars for children as young as 12 and we also have our Gen Z and millennial audience,” she added.

With that in mind, the startup’s one and only hero product: a hydrocolloid patch that treats and protects pimples, has been designed to be fun and accessible — an approach that’s in stark contrast to most of the legacy brands, which have chosen to stigmatize the issue.

But the risk seems to be paying off. Earlier this year, the disruptive concept secured $2 million in a seed round led by BBG Ventures — a backer of wellness brands including LOLA, Carbon38, Shine and Spring. This followed a pre-seed raise of $1 million from investors including beauty veteran Bobbi Brown. And according to Vogue Business, its sales have risen by roughly 50 percent month-on-month since launching.

Despite the market’s unexpected shift causing ongoing disruption for businesses across the globe, Schott says that by being flexible and recognising that the situation is bigger than them, has enabled the brand to continue to push forward with its plans.

“Expanding our offering to meet demand in the UK was a milestone for us, and we are grateful we were able to make that happen,” she told Welltodo.

However, she acknowledges that every business is different and will be focusing on different priorities to enable them to make it through this global challenge.

Looking ahead, Starface remains coy about whether it will expand its product offering into other areas, but Schott reveals there are a lot of exciting developments to come.

“I love the beauty industry and see a lot of parallels between skincare and sneaker culture,” she told Welltodo. 

“I think it’s a collector/connoisseur mindset, and in the coming years, Starface will continue to spread joy, promote optimism and challenge the status quo.”