Celebrity skincare from actors Deanna Yusoff and Lawrence Wong… and a Nobel laureate

THEY say beauty is only skin deep. That may well be the case, but it hasn’t stopped people from hunting down and splurging on the latest skincare product – with money rolling in for brand owners.

Not only has the global beauty business made a strong recovery since the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the industry is expected to hit estimated retail sales of around US$460 billion this year, with the figure projected to increase to some US$580 billion by 2027.

“It’s now an industry that everyone, from top-tier financiers to A-list celebrities, wants to be a part of, with good reason,” says a report published by The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company.

According to the report, skincare remains beauty’s biggest category, at around 45 per cent of the industry’s total market value. Based on an expected global compound annual growth rate of 6 per cent, the skincare segment will grow from US$190 billion in 2022 to US$260 billion by 2027, with gross margins of between 50 per cent and 70 per cent.

Innovation is expected to remain the big push factor in skincare growth, with brands increasing their focus on science-driven efficacy claims. The report also notes that consumers make purchases across physical and digital channels, with e-commerce set to represent a quarter of the beauty market by 2027.

In addition, McKinsey’s 2023 global consumer survey found that consumers are interested in adding products to their regular home beauty routines. While approximately 40 per cent of consumers indicated they are loyal to brands they trust, 69 per cent say they like to try new products at least every six months.

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This spells opportunity not only for established brands, but also new ones. Indeed, to borrow skincare terminology, the market is healthy, radiant and well-nourished. It’s also keeping celebrities venturing into the field busy. BT Lifestyle takes a look.

Deanna Yusoff

Having previously represented skincare brands such as SKII and Oil of Ulan, Singapore-based Malaysian actress Deanna Yusoff is launching her eponymous skincare line in November – with a focus on natural ingredients.

She first discovered the world of natural skincare when she was brand ambassador for Swiss skincare brand, Qamare. Her interest piqued, she started taking courses with Formula Botanica, a UK-based accredited organic cosmetic science school, and is now a certified natural skincare formulator.

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“Initially, creating natural skincare was a hobby, but the pandemic provided me with the opportunity to delve deeper into it,” she says. “As I dedicated more time to this pursuit, I realised that natural skincare was my true passion.”

Deanna says she researched the needs and desires of the market, and did hands-on experimentation, developing and testing various methods and formulations on herself.

Her skincare products are tailored for people with mature skin and crafted using natural and naturally derived ingredients such as prickly pear seed oil, ubiquinone and sea buckthorn fruit extract. Organic or wild-harvested elements are prioritised whenever possible and strictly adhere to European Union regulations for natural preservatives.

“Every batch is carefully made in small quantities to maintain freshness,” she says, adding that all ingredients are sourced from certified suppliers with documented origin, authenticity and safety features.

She crafts her products herself in Singapore, and they are registered with the Health Sciences Authority. They will be available online via Shopify with prices ranging from S$100 to S$250.

The first product in the line-up is Lummniq, a well-ageing night oil serum catered to maturing skin in tropical climates. Other products to follow include a hyaluronic acid gel, an eye cream and a day cream.

Deanna, who has also completed diploma courses on face yoga, anti-ageing techniques and gut-brain health, is now finishing a diploma on menopause awareness. She says skincare products are one part of her brand, with other aspects of her holistic approach to maintaining healthy skin including sleep, diet, exercise and positive thinking.

Ultimately, her desire is to empower both men and women with maturing skin, offering skincare that celebrates ageing as a natural phase of life, “void of threatening or negative connotations”.

Grail

Actor Lawrence Wong successfully debuted his skincare brand Grail in 2021 with a multi-tasking mask. This month, the Malaysian-born Singaporean actor relaunched the brand with a refresh and new products.

Grail’s mantra is simple and effective skincare, and the actor – who became famous after his role in China’s 2018 hit period drama, Story of Yanxi Palace – says it reflects his fondness for decluttering.

The mask, for instance, provides intense moisturisation and is meant to be effective and suitable for all skin types. Not only did the product sell out within two weeks of its launch, a local hospital started using it as an aftercare for patients’ post-laser treatment. 

But Wong did not want Grail to be “just another celebrity skincare brand”, so he took a year to re-envision it. Its packaging is now reduced and biodegradable and uses recyclable materials. Grail’s products are also formulated with natural ingredients, and are free from harmful chemicals.

Wong does his own research on ingredients for the products in his line, and tries different formulations sent to him before he decides on the final one. Manufacturing is done in Taiwan and Korea.

“I cannot put out something that I don’t believe in,” says the effectively bilingual Wong. “People have to know that these products by an actor are legit, instead of coming from an original equipment manufacturer or an existing company that I lend my name to. Grail is something I built from zero, and it started with one mask.”

Costing S$32 to S$58 each, the products are pitched at accessible price points and available at grailskin.com.

Accompanying the brand’s relaunch are two new products – the Hydrating Dewy Moisturiser and the Retinol Vitamin A Serum. They join Grail’s existing items, the Deep Hydrating Treatment Mask, Daily SPF and Amino Acid Probiotics Foaming Cleanser.   “The next product we’re launching is a pure hyaluronic acid serum that’s packed with vitamins B5 and F, Omega-3 and probiotics,” says Wong.

It would seem that with the addition of each new product, Grail is moving away from its aim of being a simple skincare brand. But Wong says the products are developed to provide multiple benefits, thereby simplifying the skincare routine.

“For example, our Retinol Vitamin A Serum provides exfoliating treatment to the skin while also hydrating it, making sure your skin is taken care of with fewer products needed,” he says. “Other beauty routines tend to include many steps, like the K-beauty 10-step trend, that can take time to get through.”

But why should consumers choose Grail when there are so many other options in the market? 

“Grail’s formulations are unique to the brand and reflect our belief that ‘less is more’,” says Wong. “Our goal is to offer products that not only provide deep hydration and quality treatment, but to also reduce the need to over-consume and overwhelm your skin.”

Noble Panacea

Fancy entrusting the care of your skin to another kind of celebrity – specifically, a Nobel laureate? You can now, with Noble Panacea, a high-tech skincare brand from Sir Fraser Stoddart, who won the 2016 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his research on molecular motion.

Recently introduced to the Singapore market and available at Tangs department store, the patented “Organic Super Molecular Vessel” (OSMV) technology is at the core of the America-based brand.

Developed by Stoddart, the OSMV’s encapsulation technology sounds like something right out of a sci-fi movie. It hosts and protects active ingredients at the molecular level, so multiple ingredients can be combined without cross-interaction, then programmed for a precise, controlled release “directly into cells where their full potency is unleashed for superior penetration”. Yup, stuff befitting of a chemistry luminary.

Noble Panacea’s products comprise four main collections – The Elemental, The Brilliant, The Absolute and The Exceptional – which address different skincare needs.

Each formula comes in single-use daily doses, with the skincare line featuring clean formulas, green chemistry and sustainable packaging, including refillable octagonal boxes.

The brand’s star product is The Exceptional Chronobiology Sleep Mask, which is supposed to work synergistically with the skin’s natural overnight biorhythm of regeneration and self-repair. 

At S$515 for eight doses – or just over S$64 per mask – Noble Panacea is clearly perched at the luxury end of the market. Its other products cost S$259 to S$696 for 30 doses. They don’t come cheap, but how does one put a price on the work of a Nobel laureate?