Sabrina Tan, CEO and Co-Founder of Skin Inc., began her entrepreneurial journey with a mission to create customisable skincare solutions for all.
The successful entrepreneur spent much of her youth honing her skills as an IT professional, an industry that placed great emphasis on speed, data and results.
Hacking Generic Beauty
Sabrina’s background in IT developed her prowess in refining the user experience. Being able to accurately identify pain points, Sabrina could streamline the skincare regimen to better serve urbanities with rigorous daily schedules.
“We want to cut down the steps to their core – and that’s why we chose the customizable serum as our focus.”
Creating Customisable Skincare Solutions For All
When it comes to skincare, customers are often spoilt for choice. The billion-dollar beauty industry offers a plethora of options to choose from.
Despite having ample choices, finding an effective skincare routine will prove to be a challenge without first understanding what your skin needs.
“People don’t need countless products, they only need what they truly need. I believe that in life, less is more.”
By tailoring serums to each individual’s needs, Sabrina believes Skin Inc can provide customers with the one-stop skincare solution they need.
“We want things to work fast and instantly. We want to cut down the steps to their core—and that’s why we chose the serum as our focus.”
Disrupting Conventional Skincare
“As a beauty-tech company, disruption is hardwired into Skin Inc’s DNA. To accurately diagnose every unique skin type, the brand deploys its Skin Identity Quiz. This interactive tool empowers customers to be their own skin consultant online.
“The concept is one-size-fits-me instead of one-size-fits-all.”
To create the perfect, customised serum, customers first complete a Skin Identity Quiz, an interactive diagnostic tool that empowers customers to be their own skin consultants.
By answering a series of fast and easy questions, customers can obtain an accurate snapshot of their skin’s unique characteristics. The quiz collects key data like age, gender and even lifestyle habits.
When the brand was first established in 2008, the notion of customised skincare was in its infancy.
Not afraid to take the road less travelled, Sabrina decided to adopt the personalised approach to skincare, making it the successful industry disruptor it is today.
“The breakthrough came when I spotted a picture of a capsule in the lab’s hallway and joined the dots. In tech, we encrypt our files so that they remain secure,” she explains.
Her epiphany fuelled the development of a new preservation method. Using these processes, Skin Inc would be able to lock in vitamins and nutrients in optimal conditions until the products reach users.
“If I were to wrap vitamins C, A or very unstable collagen molecules, I’d be able to preserve its purity and potency till the point of application,” revealed Sabrina.
Achieving International Acclaim
Skin Inc has grown exponentially from a homegrown Singaporean brand, penetrating overseas market like the US and Europe.
The brand’s international access was no accident. Sabrina had crafted a very deliberate strategy to grab attention abroad.
The savvy beauty entrepreneur had cleverly marketed the products’ ability to deliver instant results —10 mins, apparently— by using the serums to prepare models for the runway at New York Fashion Week.
She also employed influencer marketing strategies, partnering with names like Aimee Song and Bubz Beauty to amplify the brand’s presence on social media.
Want to be a successful #Galboss like Sabrina?
“10 years ago, the start-up environment was not as vibrant as it is today especially for female or mommy entrepreneurs.”
Apart from helming a successful global brand, Sabrina also pilots entrepreneurship and leadership initiatives at Galboss Asia Symposium, where she is a co-founder.
These initiatives aim to enable, empower and elevate women to take risks and chase their dreams.
As much as Sabrina is a passionate advocate for women empowerment, she’s not one to sugarcoat the facts.
When it comes to advice for budding female entrepreneurs, she tells it like it is.
“Business is a blood sport. Statistics reveal that more than 50% of start-ups crash and burn within the first four years of operation. A business is about the soaring highs as it is the vulnerable lows. One of my greatest challenges was commonly felt among founders: getting people to believe in the vision.”
