Behind the Brand: U Beauty
We wanted to make sure this season’s box was stocked with a supercharged skincare product that could benefit so many different skin types. The Resurfacing Compound by U Beauty is that and so much more, with an innovative formula that helps streamline your routine, plus recycled packaging to lessen your carbon footprint.
There are so many fascinating aspects of this forward-thinking brand, including the career path of its founder, Tina Craig, and we believe learning a little more will make you fall even more in love with this powerful addition to your skincare regimen (as if the glow you’ll get isn’t reason enough!). Read ahead to get the scoop on how Craig went from the creator of wildly popular blog BagSnob to a beauty brand founder, plus how U Beauty is prioritizing sustainability and why the Resurfacing Compound will save your skin this winter (and long after).
Not yet part of the CURATEUR community? Head HERE to learn how simple it is to become a member. Want to try a few more favorites from U Beauty? Visit HERE and use code CURATEUR20 to save 20% on your next U Beauty purchase*.
Have you always been fascinated with skincare? Can you remember a moment or period in your life that sparked this?
I have spent a lifetime obsessing over skincare. Healthy skin was something I was taught about from birth and growing up, it was instilled in me that good skin is synonymous with confidence and beauty starts from the inside out. Some of my earliest memories are of my grandmother telling me to eat certain foods for health and good skin: Bone broth, bitter gourd, and snow fungus!
What made you pivot from BagSnob to creating your own beauty line?
I started BagSnob as a blog inspired by my personal passions, which were fashion and beauty (BagSnob’s most popular sister site was BeautySnob). Skincare, specifically, had been an integral part of my social media content for years.
I had also spent over 16 years as a beauty brand ambassador, both launching new brands and rebooting heritage brands. I tried every great new product, had access to every new line, and also had an overflowing beauty counter. In addition to granting me a huge deal of insight into the beauty industry, it left me with a 15-step skincare routine and lots of cosmetic confusion. I realized there had to be a better, smarter way to take care of our skin, and if I felt like this, so did other people.
We love that U Beauty separates itself from so many other skincare brands by being both clean and technologically innovative. Can you speak to how you achieve this?
For us, being “clean” equates to prioritizing efficacy and safety while relying on science (ample clinical and toxicological testing included) and making a concerted effort towards sustainability. Enter the innovation factor, which drives every decision I make and every product we create. Developed by top scientists at our medical-grade lab in Italy, our proprietary technology is the groundbreaking secret behind all our formulas.
While most products unleash ingredients all over the skin, flooding it with harsh actives, U Beauty’s patent-pending SIREN Capsule Technology releases age-reversing actives strictly on free radicals, which materialize as vulnerable, damaged areas, instead of all over your skin’s surface. Healthy cells don’t need harsh actives, and with this strategic delivery system, they get to maintain their integrity, avoiding dryness and irritation. The results are visible repair and nothing but both short and long-term benefits.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of the brand. Can you share why that’s so important to U Beauty?
You can’t be an innovative luxury brand without prioritizing sustainability. Not only is it at the forefront of our minds as both creators and consumers, it’s my inherent commitment as a brand founder to prioritize it. I’ll never stop looking for ways we can increase our sustainability practices. When I say we have a zero-waste goal I mean it, and the more we can empower consumers to make choices that are better for the planet (and their skin and schedules), the better.
I’m proud to say we’ve been awarded the Butterfly Mark by Positive Luxury for our environmental efforts. We also have an ongoing initiative with One Tree Planted, an amazing non-profit dedicated to reforestation. One tree gets planted for each dollar we contribute, so whenever you shop, you’ll be offsetting your carbon footprint!
What was your goal in creating the Resurfacing Compound found in our winter box?
U Beauty began with my desire for a great product that successfully resurfaced my skin without irritation. Laser resurfacing wasn’t an appealing option for me, since the results are unpredictable for Asian skin and it can cause permanent changes in pigmentation. In developing the Resurfacing Compound, not only did we realize a true multitasking formula really was possible (it took 9 formulations in total to get just right!), we discovered it did even more than we’d set out to achieve.
It delivers comprehensive resurfacing, brightening, antioxidant, toning, and collagen-boosting benefits with a fresh, weightless finish and without irritation. Skin instantly appears brightened and toned and pores diminished. In just 3 to 6 days, skin looks renewed and refreshed. I honestly don’t know how I’d live without it!
What makes it such a hero product for the season?
As we all know, winter can be especially tough and drying on the skin and while the Resurfacing Compound is designed to be used year-round, like all our products, its ability to visibly boost brightness, tightness, and elastin-expression can be especially welcome in the colder months.
It’s designed to be used in tandem with The SUPER Hydrator, which delivers up to 48 hours of sustained moisture to deep levels of the skin, and together they keep skin resurfaced and hydrated. With the new Multimodal Defender Broad Spectrum SPF30, your skin will also be protected from the harsh elements (sun included, because it’s still strong in the winter!), less prone to redness and discoloration, and more even all-around!
What should fans of the brand look for next?
I’ll never create a product if there’s not a white space in the industry and personal need for it first, and I’ll only launch products that give the skin what it needs and produce superior results. They are always born from my own desire for something that doesn’t exist yet. We’ll continue to focus on innovative problem-solving, an ever-increasing emphasis on advanced technology, and a 360-degree, multitasking approach to skincare.
*Offer valid on purchases made via THIS link from 12/1/2021 through 3/1/2022.