“Competition is everywhere.
But that’s good.”
Ron RobinsonBeautyStat Cosmetics
A longtime cosmetic chemist for big beauty brands, Ron Robinson launched BeautyStat Cosmetics after he devised a new way to stabilize Vitamin C (a famously efficacious yet unstable skincare ingredient). Today, his cult-favorite Universal Skin C Refiner is the foundation of a growing line of innovative, high-performance products.
What drove you to start your own brand? I started as a cosmetic chemist for Clinique back in the early ’90s; I formulated some of the biggest-selling skincare products for Clinique at that time. From there, I worked for other divisions of the Estee Lauder Companies, including Aramis and La Mer. I then held senior product development roles at Revlon, Avon and Lancôme before launching my own company, BeautyStat, 10 years ago.BeautyStat was originally a beauty blog and social media agency. I became the go-to cosmetic chemist for journalists and beauty editors that were looking for expertise on ingredients and beauty trends for the stories they were working on. One frequently asked question was, “Why is vitamin C unstable?” Everyone knows vitamin C is a great ingredient for skin, but it’s notoriously unstable. That means that it oxidizes, turns brown or orange and is rendered inactive. This got me thinking, what if we could stabilize pure vitamin C? That would be the holy grail of beauty. After five years and three patents, we found a way to stabilize pure vitamin C in a formula with a great texture. The last step was to put our formula in an independent clinical test to confirm that our product did, indeed, deliver results. When the results came back, I was floored. Testing confirmed that our formula delivered significant improvement in lines, wrinkles, firming and tightening the skin, evening out skintone and hyperpigmentation, as well as diminishing the look of pores. Given these stellar results, I had no choice but to launch the beauty brand BeautyStat Cosmetics to bring our BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner to consumers.
Competition is everywhere. But that’s good. I’m inspired by trends in other industries, and we tap into those trends as we look to close need gaps within the beauty industry by creating innovative products that solve real problems.
What’s your favorite product in the line? We’ve since launched a few other products, all of them great, so it’s hard to pick just one. The Universal C Skin Refiner is a favorite because it was our first. It closes a big need gap in the market and delivers unparalleled results. And personally, it has made my skin so much smoother and more even, I can’t live without it!
The runner-up is our moisturizer, the Universal Pro-Bio Moisture Boost Cream. Packed with hyaluronic acid, ceramides and a probiotic ancient mushroom extract, it works to heal and repair the moisture barrier. It’s so comforting and literally drenches your skin with hydration that lasts all day, but never feels oily or greasy. It’s the perfect next step in your skincare regimen after applying the Universal C Skin Refiner.
What are your morning and evening routines?
I’m an early riser. The first thing I do is have a cup of coffee while I think about three things that I’m thankful for, as well as picking one thing that I’m really looking forward to doing that day. These moments are precious, as they center me and get me focused on the big picture before I start checking email, which usually puts me in a tactical and reactionary mode.
At night, I shut down all devices 30 to 60 minutes before bed, and I do some reading. It’s a great way to wind down, so that it’s easier to fall asleep. What would people be surprised to learn about you? I work out every day for two hours. I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years. And I follow a keto diet and I intermittent fast. All of this helps keep me mentally sharp and physically fit. Don’t worry, I’m not always strict and regimented, as I do enjoy a nice glass of wine every now and then. What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own business? For those that want to go the entrepreneur route, my advice is that you should test your brand/product concept to make sure that it’s filling a market need before quitting your day job. I see too many entrepreneurs who think they have a great idea, but don’t get enough objective feedback to confirm it’s viable and scalable.
At night, I shut down all devices 30 to 60 minutes before bed, and I do some reading. It’s a great way to wind down, so that it’s easier to fall asleep. What would people be surprised to learn about you? I work out every day for two hours. I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years. And I follow a keto diet and I intermittent fast. All of this helps keep me mentally sharp and physically fit. Don’t worry, I’m not always strict and regimented, as I do enjoy a nice glass of wine every now and then. What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own business? For those that want to go the entrepreneur route, my advice is that you should test your brand/product concept to make sure that it’s filling a market need before quitting your day job. I see too many entrepreneurs who think they have a great idea, but don’t get enough objective feedback to confirm it’s viable and scalable.
The Founders Series
Learn how some of the beauty industry’s most dynamic entrepreneurs find inspiration and develop must-have products as they share their advice for aspiring business moguls and much more