A chemical engineer by trade, SkinKick founder Matty Schirle applied his professional background to his brand to create research-driven acne-fighting formulations that are natural alternatives to the benzoyl peroxide-pumped products from mainstays such as Proactiv and Clearasil in 2016. Now, determined to build big-box distribution, Schirle has overhauled SkinKick to hammer home that its approach is unique in the market.
“We treat the microbiome like everyone should with kindness, care and love. No harsh acids. No nasty chemicals. No charcoal. No clay,” says Schirle. “Our philosophy is that your skin cells die every minute of every day, so why not remove them every day? Waiting a month and doing a chemical peel is insanity in my opinion. We design our products with real engineering and science.”
Science isn’t always super stylish—and SkinKick’s packaging needed some tweaks to put it on par with its competitors. To improve its look, the brand turned to Monolith Collective’s Ruba Tadros, a designer who’s worked with Drybar and Skin Laundry. Throughout the redesign process, Schirle frequented his local Sephora and Ulta Beauty stores and placed SkinKick’s renovated packaging next to Drunk Elephant’s to determine if it made the grade for beauty retail. The packaging stands out with a bold blue, white and green color palette.
“I would get the employees to vote on the packaging,” recounts Schirle. “SkinKick designs won every single time. One time, a mob broke out at my local Sephora store based on pure excitement for the next SkinKick packaging just before I got booted from the store.” All told, he’s invested more than $1.8 million to revamp SkinKick’s formulations, packaging and communications.
“We treat the microbiome like everyone should with kindness, care and love. No harsh acids. No nasty chemicals. No charcoal. No clay.”
The products have been aided by the involvement of chief skincare scientist Bill Provance. In South America, Provance tested botanicals on skin to determine their abilities to ward off parasites, and his findings inform SkinKick’s formulas. SkinKick’s patent-pending ingredient blend dubbed the Tropical Haven Complex features acai, andiroba, camu-camu, copaiba and pequi. The brand’s products are formulated to work for a wide range of people across skin tones and types. Schirle describes SkinKick’s target customer as frustrated with lack of results from the skincare products they’ve used prior to trying the brand.
To test formulas, SkinKick ran two 28-day clinical trials with focus groups comprised of men and women aged 12 through 22. It was during a focus group session that Schirle met Abigail, a 14-year-old battling acne. He recalls, “At the beginning of the trial, she was hiding behind her hair, and she didn’t want anyone to see her face. That day, she stood up. Her shoulders were back, and her hair was pulled behind her ears. She said, ‘Do you see my skin? I’m glowing! I felt so confident that I tried out for the school play and won the lead role.’ Everybody was crying. She said we should call it self-esteem in a bottle.”
Schirle has doled out small percentages of his company to valued partners such as Provance, Nancy Henger, founder and CEO of Brilliant Fulfillment, and Tadros. SkinKick’s marketing manager Madii Laferney is poised to become its second-largest shareholder after she completes a three-year residency at the brand. Schirle says, “I own 100% of my SkinKick equity through my personal account, and 100% of the voting shares through my investment fund that holds 10% of SkinKick assets. SkinKick is built on love, and I am sharing that love with those who deserve it.”
“We design our products with real engineering and science.”
The brand’s products are currently available online at Amazon, Urban Outfitters and Macy’s. Ulta Beauty is on its distribution wish list. SkinKick was a participant in Target’s accelerator program Target Takeoff this year along with Scotch Porter, Pholk, Terra Origin, SAHI Cosmetics, Olive + M, Allyoos, Black Chicken Remedies and Ducalm.
Part of SkinKick’s pitch to retailers is its clean positioning. The brand’s cruelty-free formulas are 99% natural. In addition to staying away from benzoyl peroxide, they avoid artificial fragrance, alcohol, glycol, parabens and sulfates. In their stead, SkinKick incorporates cat’s claw and dragon’s blood extracts to combat redness, and black willow bark to enhance skin texture. The ingredients are outlined on the side of SkinKick’s boxes and combine to form what the brand titles its B³ Technology.
The brand is ideal for acne sufferers or their parents hunting for remedies that don’t contain the irritating ingredients of popular zit-zapping products. To simplify skincare routines, SkinKick packages its products together in sets of two and three items. Its hero offering is Blemish Kick Duo, which consists of a gentle exfoliant and lotion intended to clear blemishes while soothing irritation. However, Schirle anticipates SkinKick’s new CBD-infused Dope Kick Blemish Relief Lotion will be a bestseller by the end of the year. The brand’s prices range from $19 for Daily Exfoliant Cleanser to $79 for Clear Kick Trio.
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