If you're not familiar with Youthforia yet, it's safe to assume that you're not up-to-date with the latest and greatest beauty trends. Youthforia gained popularity not only on TikTok but also caught the attention of entrepreneur Mark Cuban when its founder, Fiona Co Chan, appeared on Shark Tank and earned a well-deserved investment. This innovative beauty brand, which emerged in 2021, combines elements of skincare and cosmetics. In a recent conversation with Chan, we delved into the brand's origins, sources of inspiration, and an excellent product to get started with Youthforia.
Growing up, what was your personal connection to makeup?
I always loved going into my mom's makeup bag, putting on makeup when she wasn't home, and rushing to wash it all off before she got home. I've always loved makeup!
How did the Youthforia brand come about? I started the brand during the first week of the pandemic - I was stuck in Hong Kong then, and I kept thinking that makeup is really about going out and seeing people - and how great it would be to create makeup you can sleep in!
Talk about the unique idea that makeup is an extension of our skincare. It never made sense to me how we don't see make-up and skincare as one routine, so that's what I wanted to do differently. I see makeup really as an extension of your skincare routine. I want my makeup to improve my skin as I wear it.
Talk about your unique technique of testing products by sleeping in them.
We are best known for creating the world’s first color-changing blush oil, and at the time, I really wanted to create a universally flattering blush that would work on all skin tones and skin types. It was during COVID, so he was the only person I interacted with. I remember trying it on him; it was a different color than mine. And I remember testing the blush by sleeping in it, and I woke up with much nicer skin. So I had him sleep in it too. And also woke up with much nicer skin. Now I do them with every product!
What does clean beauty mean to Youthforia? Using great for your skin ingredients. "Clean" is a tough term - every brand defines it differently, and it's not regulated. We follow our retailers' lead here for how they define clean ingredients.
How long does developing a new product typically take you guys, and why is this important? It depends on the product - the total development time was over three years for our next product launch. Sometimes I'm waiting for new technology in the ingredients to come out, but I always have a vision of what I want the product to be like, feel like and do before it gets made.
What product would you suggest if someone wanted to buy one Youthforia product to start off? BYO Blush - it's the world's first color-changing blush oil
How do you want your customers to feel when wearing Youthforia products? Youthforia, our brand name, means the feeling you get when you're so happy in your adulthood that you're reminded of your favorite childhood memories. I want our customers to feel that every time they use our products.