Acne treatments have sold well in the direct-to-consumer market (think Proactiv); and now BioClarity is on track to be the winning bio-based skin care solution in this niche. The brand’s product formulations include ingredients like Salicylic acid, Niacinimide, Ergothynine, bisabosol, licorice root, and the proprietary ingredient Floralux (which is made with the help of biotechnology). What’s more, BioClarity is on board with the made-without trend: The line “is 100% vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, gluten-free, and clinically-proven,” Sliter tells Cosmetics Design. “It's clean, green, never mean...is what we like to say.”
Here, the skin care entrepreneur shares a profile of himself and the brand.
Name: Rick Sliter, CEO
Indie Beauty Company: BioClarity
Launched: 2016; we first sold BioClarity to consumers on August 1, 2016, so we’re celebrating our one year anniversary this month.
Headquarters: San Diego, California
Cash flow: We have eclipsed the $1m mark in revenue, and we project to triple revenues in the second half of 2017 vs. the first half, thanks to our rapid customer growth. In August 2017, we surpassed all of August 2016 orders in 4 days. We’re growing quickly and excited to scale our business.
Team work: 9 full-time employees, 5 part-time, and a number of strategic partners that help us bring BioClarity to life.
Distribution: BioClarity is offered to US customers through our site—bioclarity.com, and also available through Amazon.
Years in beauty: I’m new to beauty—so my experience is tied to the start of BioClarity in 2016. I’ve spent the past 15 years in ecommerce direct-to-consumer businesses.
Years at BioClarity: Since Day 1—February 1, 2016
Entrepreneurial experience: I’ve had the opportunity to take on entrepreneurial roles within larger companies, which has been tremendously helpful at preparing me for running a new startup business.
It sounds a little contradictory to say my entrepreneurial experience [came from working] at the world’s largest bank, HSBC, but while there I had the opportunity to help create and ultimately run a direct-to-consumer auto finance division….Now, at Adigica Health, Inc. (the holding company that launched BioClarity,) I am responsible for the strategic vision and overall leadership for the business.
The business: BioClarity was co-founded by biotech entrepreneurs David Hale and Cam Garner, and myself, Rick Sliter. Recognizing the need for a naturally better alternative to traditional acne solutions without all the harsh side effects, BioClarity formulated a patented Floralux science which leverages the regenerative power of chlorophyll and paired it with over-the-counter acne treatment and natural botanicals. Floralux is a naturally derived, plant-based ingredient from the Chlorophyllin-Copper complex, which boasts important properties for acne treatment. The twice daily, step-by-step system, targets the root cause of breakouts in blemished skin with new liposomal delivery technology, and is clinically proven to soothe skin, alleviate redness, reduce pore size, and kill the bacteria that cause acne. The complete line is suitable for all skin types and is 100% vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, gluten-free, and clinically-proven.
The wow-factor: Essentially, we have used the power of plants and the smarts of science to bring consumers a better option which allows them to get clear, radiant skin in a way that not only is effective, but one that clears in a kind way without all the harsh side effects such as peeling, dryness, redness and irritation.
The customer: Our target consumers are both women and men between the ages of 12 and 30 who suffer from mild to severe acne or blemishes and who care about what they use to treat their skin.
Milestone moment: I’m most proud of the advocacy and support we get from our existing customers, and the unsolicited requests we get from people asking to be an ambassador for BioClarity. From a metrics perspective, I was extremely proud of how quickly we reached 20,000 followers on Instagram, which tells me BioClarity fills an unmet need in the market for our target demographic.
Advice for fellow indie beauty entrepreneurs: Everything begins with a great product and great ingredients. I’m blessed with an effective and innovative product with BioClarity. Having a product that works and is unique in the marketplace makes everything else easy and fun.
Just one: Asked about his go-to product, Sliter says, it’s absolutely the Restore Gel with Floralux from BioClarity. But if I have to pick something outside our brand, I’ll go with Fiber from Crew.