Iana Bertini doesn’t believe women should have to commit to an eight or 10-step skincare routine to be confident in their skin.
That’s why her new multifunctional skincare brand Bold & Bare formulates its products to address various skin concerns and types. The brand’s objective is that, by sticking to its multitasking products, consumers will have the option to skip makeup, the final steps of their beauty regimens.
“Our mission is to uncover women’s real beauty and to make them feel good in their own skin. We want to empower women to live a bold life and to chase their dreams,” says Bertini. “We want women to realize that they are beautiful just as they are and that makeup is a choice.”
Originally developed to fill void in Bertini’s skincare stash, Bold & Bare has launched with two stockkeeping units: $120 Purity Mask, a detoxifying and soothing clay mask, and $70 Bare Elixir, a serum containing avocado oil, hyaluronic acid, squalene and peptides meant to improve collagen production and balance the skin. Bold & Bare’s hero ingredient, peony, is featured in both formulations. Bertini chose it for its softening, regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties.
To streamline beauty routines, Bare Elixir can be applied as a primer and mixed into foundation to boost hydration and dewiness as well as be relied upon on its own as a skin treatment. Bertini says, “It’s enough to moisturize me, and I have really dry skin. The Purity Mask has a kaolin base, making it great for even sensitive skin.” She continues that the mask is intended to detox, brighten and tighten skin, and it doubles as an overnight spot treatment.
“Our mission is to uncover women’s real beauty and to make them feel good in their own skin.”
Bold & Bare’s products are vegan and certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny. “We refer to our ingredients as ‘bare,’ which means essential and safe,” says Bertini, noting that the brand has a no-no list forbidding silicones and synthetic fragrance, among other ingredients. “We source the most high-performing ingredients like peptides, vitamins, plant extracts and oils that are proven to renew and nourish the skin.”
Similar to Bold & Bare’s straightforward approach to skincare, its design isn’t overwrought. Products are housed in glass containers with black, gold and white components and labeling. “I really wanted to keep it simple and minimalistic, but also chic,” says Bertini. “In the market, there’s this separation between brands [that are] really cool looking and very ‘Instagrammish,’ but aren’t the most potent. They’re more about marketing and less about ingredients. On the other hand, there’s brands that are clean and cruelty-free, but their packaging isn’t sleek. I wanted to create the best of both worlds.”
Bertini landed on Bold & Bare’s price range to position its products as “affordable luxury” items. She explains, “Our pricing is targeted at women who like good products and are OK with paying a little more. We didn’t want to be too expensive so that women couldn’t afford it. Some brands feed into that category. We’ve done quite a few iterations on the ingredients to make sure the formulations are as clean as I wanted them to be while making sure they are active and work together for results.”
The Dallas-based skincare brand’s target audience is busy women in their twenties to forties. Bertini says, “She’s a five-minute girl. She’s not the woman who wants to spend an hour on her beauty routine. She’s a woman living a full life and just wants to take care of her skin.” She adds, “I’m a five-minute makeup person, myself. I don’t really wear a lot of makeup, unless it looks very natural. I wanted something simple, quick and that doesn’t take too much time, but that also makes you feel good because it’s cruelty-free and vegan.”
“She’s a five-minute girl. She’s not the woman who wants to spend an hour on her beauty routine. She’s a woman living a full life and just wants to take care of her skin.”
Bare & Bold is concentrating on e-commerce at the outset. Its goal for first-year sales is $1 million. In the relatively near future, the brand plans to present products to consumers and retailers at trade shows, including Indie Beauty Expo in Dallas, and begin to ramp up retail distribution. IBE is operated by Beauty Independent parent company Indie Beauty Media Group.
“Retail isn’t a simple business. I want to be ready, stable and have a few new products,” says Bertini. “Trade shows are a great opportunity for us to get feedback from the market and to fine-tune the products until they are ready for retail. I don’t want to rush into it and make any mistakes.” Sephora, Violet Grey and Neiman Marcus are on Bold & Bare’s retail wish list.
This year, Bold & Bare will be building its editorial platform, BoldMag, and influencer marketing to raise awareness. BoldMag’s aim is to cultivate a community of supportive women. Readers can expect to find positive skincare, lifestyle and psychological content.
A hydrating mist and cleanser are in Bold & Bare’s product pipeline. The goal for product expansion isn’t to balloon the brand’s assortment. Bertini says, “I just want the essentials to be in our range. Going back to that ‘bold and bare’ feeling, a woman should be able to use our skincare and feel bold in her attitude.”
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