Beekman 1802 is staking its claim as the leading brand in microbiome skin care.
The microbiome and its close cousin, the skin barrier, have lately come into the forefront of the beauty conversation. In late June, Beekman 1802 launched a mobile tool accessible through its e-commerce site called My Skin Biome, which allows shoppers to scan their face and, in 30-seconds, assess six qualities including their facial microbiome, wrinkles and skin texture. Each receives a score of up to 100 points, with 100 being perfect. Pop-up windows then inform users about how their skin microbiome impacts results and suggests recommended products. According to Jill Scalamandre, CEO of Beekman 1802, 80% of Beekman 1802’s website traffic is mobile. With an emphasis on skin health, companies like Unilever, Shielded Beauty, Dr. Barbara Sturm and even hair regeneration brand Nutrafol have introduced microbiome products to their customers.
“We needed to start educating consumers on the microbiome because it’s not something they completely understand at this point, even though we know it’s going to be a huge part of the conversation moving forward,” said Scalamandre. “We needed to bring [our shopper] in on issues she can understand with her skin and then link them to the microbiome because that would be the most consumer-friendly way.”
Beekman 1802 worked with Perfect Corp. to develop its diagnostic tool. Brands like Neutrogena and Nu Skin have also implemented Perfect Corp.’s skin diagnostic technology since its introduction in 2017. Skin care accounts for 40% of Beekman 1802’s sales, with Scalamandre aiming to increase sales to 60% by 2024. In Dec. 2021, Eurazeo investment group invested $62 million out of a total of $92 million to acquire a majority stake in the brand alongside co-investors Cohesive Capital Partners and the Cherng Family Trust. Scalamandre said the current iteration of My Skin Biome is just the beginning of the tool’s potential; the “ideal situation” would be measuring the bacteria on the skin for the most accurate results, but that Beekman 1802 will pursue other diagnostic features such as additional photo analysis. Additionally, the tool could be embedded in physical in-store displays in the future. Beekman 1802 joined Ulta Beauty in 2020 and also sells through HSN and QVC.
Perfect Corp.’s AI Skin Diagnostic technology is being implemented in an exciting new way with the launch of Beekman 1802’s digital tool, by incorporating education on the microbiome when people use the tool, said Alice Chang, founder and CEO of Perfect Corp.
“Now more than ever, beauty consumers seek personalized advice and brand experiences,” Chang said. “This AI-powered technology is a transformative tool in the skin-care space and allows skin-care brands to provide immersive, valuable shopping experiences that drive digital engagement and sales.”
At the outset, Beekman 1802 will promote My Skin Biome through email marketing, influencers and the brand’s social channels. Scalamandre declined to say how many email subscribers the brand has but said there are about 1 million customers between its DTC e-commerce, HSN and QVC sales channels.
“The skin-care industry has gone from natural to clean, and clean then had to become [clean and] clinical,” said Brad Farrell, CMO of Beekman 1802. “What we call ‘kind ingredients’ that are also clinically effective is what we view as the future of skin care — it links into the microbiome, which is all about being kind to your skin and using safe ingredients.”
