Running a local skincare business is tough with fierce competition from international brands.

But one entrepreneur has managed to launch a skincare line with just one product that sold out within five months. 

Meet Naz, a 23-year-old skincare influencer and entrepreneur. 

How it all began 

A quick glance at Naz's social media, and you will notice that he has glowing, glass-like skin. But that wasn't always the case. 

At 16 years old, Naz struggled with cystic acne. Unlike your regular pimples, cystic acne is a severe form of acne, where cysts form deep under the skin.

While Naz encouraged people to seek professional help, he personally didn't want to spend his resources in consulting a dermatologist. Instead, he took the matter into his own hands. 

He started to do his own online research on cystic acne - from understanding the root cause to finding ways on how to deal with it.

Over time, Naz experimented with different skincare products and studied their ingredients to understand the science behind them. 

After much research and trial-and-error, Naz learned what works for his skin, mentioning that "everyone's skin journey is different". 

With a newfound passion, Naz created a skincare account on Instagram in September 2019 to document his skin journey.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Naź (@skintnaz)

It started out as a platform for Naz to share and review skincare products that have helped with his skin condition, but as time went on, people started to relate to his skin journey, and now he has more than 24,000 followers at the time of writing. 

His Instagram is not solely about posting skincare content. He is a firm believer in skin neutrality. As the name suggests, it's a movement that takes a neutral approach to your skin. 

"Skin neutrality is the state of just acknowledging that your skin has good and bad days," Naz explained. His belief is reflected in his content as well. 

One quick glance at Naz's Instagram account and you will notice that his posts are raw and unfiltered, which is a far cry from the heavily filtered photos and videos you see on social media these days. 

Through this approach, he encourages individuals to embrace their skin as it is.

The birth of Newdtral

After seeing an apparent gap in the representation of real skin in the local and international market, Naz was inspired to build his own skincare brand in 2020. 

"It took us a year to develop the profile of the brand and the product," Naz recounted the initial stages of building his brand.

While beauty brands typically feature poreless and wrinkle-free skin, Naz sought to celebrate and showcase real skin in all its glory.

With this vision in mind, he embarked on the creation of his brand, aptly named Newdtral, as a testament to the power of embracing and celebrating one's natural skin.

In May 2021, Newdtral made its debut with its Siriusly Bright serum. 

Taking its name after the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, the vitamin-C-focused serum helps to reduce the appearance of dark spots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

"Vitamin C is a well-known ingredient in the skincare industry but what I offer is different," Naz mentioned. “I feel a lot of brands are afraid to formulate vitamin C with other depigmenting agents as it is an unstable [ingredient] but that’s a misconception." 

After fine-tuning the ingredients with the manufacturer to ensure the product possessed the desired efficacy and impact, Siriusly Bright was born. 

It's packed with other skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide, which helps to minimise the appearance of pores; bacillus ferment, an enzymatic exfoliant for skin; and Stellight, a depigmenting agent targeting stubborn dark spots. 

In a way, Naz's Siriusly Bright serum is a tangible expression of skin neutrality. 

Vitamin C enhances skin radiance, even out tone, and promotes a healthy complexion. This encourages a focus on maintaining healthy skin, rather than seeking to achieve an unattainable "perfect" appearance.

Looking towards the future

As a brand rooted in the values of embracing real skin and promoting skin neutrality, Naz wants to play a role in promoting positive mental health. 

He believes that with his brand's ethos of self-acceptance and celebrating "real skin", Naz hopes that individuals will feel comfortable being their authentic selves, free from judgement or societal pressures. 

In years to come, Naz aims to contribute a portion of the proceeds from his business to mental health organisations. 

But for now, he is working on getting Siriusly Bright back on the shelves with a new-and-improved formula. So keep your eyes peeled for that. 

ALSO READ: The best sunscreens for all skin types: Shield your skin's complexion from Singapore's heat

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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