the skyn’s the limit
“Sometimes beautiful things are born from struggle,” says beauty maven Sarah Kugelman. Her own pursuit
of health and wellness led her to the pristine shores of one of the world’s most beautiful and untouched
landscapes. It was here that skyn ICELAND was born.
How did you get started in the
beauty industry? I think I was
born a beauty junkie, so when I was
getting out of business school with
a concentration in marketing (and
background in retailing), I went
aggressively after every program/
job at a beauty company I could
find. I ended up landing at L’Oreal,
which is a tough environment but
an exceptional training ground for
establishing yourself in the beauty
industry. I was there for a couple of
years and learned the ropes. I then
moved onto a marketing position at
Bath and Body Works, from there I
went to Banana Republic to run their
fragrance and body care business and
then started my first company Gloss.
com which I ultimately sold to The
Estee Lauder Companies. I then spent
a few years in management before
starting skyn ICELAND. Although I
think I was always an entrepreneur at
heart, I needed to get an education in
beauty and feel like I had built a solid
foundation before going out on my
own.
Why Iceland? During the time that
I was researching the connection
between stress and skin, I traveled to
Iceland as part of my lifelong quest
to find and explore healthy, “green”
places. I completely fell in love with
the country, the culture and the pure,
unspoiled nature. I was amazed at
how beautiful everyone’s skin was and
started thinking, ‘What are they using
that makes their skin look so flawless?’
I realized it was the incredible, natural,
mineral-rich glacial waters that
Icelanders bathe in everyday. Now we
incorporate those waters into each and
every one of our products. Now that
I’ve traveled there quite extensively and
spent a great deal of time experiencing
the wonders of Icelandic nature, I
learned, that there is a short growing
season in Iceland (because it is dark
for half the year). That combined
with mineral-rich, volcanic soil,
produces some of the world’s most
potent botanicals and herbs. Not to
mention the amazing algae and kelp
from the Arctic waters. I incorporate
many of those natural ingredients
into skyn ICELAND’s products, and I
am always searching for new ones! I
find it amazing and inspiring that the
people there are all so environmentally
conscious—they are the first country to
use thermal and hydrogen power—and
have a long history of living off the land
and using botanicals/herbs for all types
of health issues and imbalances.
What ingredients does skyn
ICELAND use that differentiates
itself from other products on the
market? I focus on specific symptoms
and attributes of stressed skin, and
then I develop products with specific
ingredients/technologies that address
those problems. We have special
antioxidants that address free radicals
created when we’re stressed. I use
adaptogens that are certain herbs
proven to bolster the immune system
of skin that’s attacked by stress. I use
potent/natural anti-inflammatories
that reduce irritation associated with
stress, special peptides that make skin
‘happy’ by releasing endorphins on
the skin, and more. Lately, I’m into
extremophiles; these are ingredients
that grow in very cold climates but
thrive. They develop certain enzymes to
help them acclimate, and these enzymes
can work miracles on the skin. I seek
out unique potent naturals and new
technologies that specifically address
the type of damage stress inflicts on the
skin.
Why are these ingredients
important? These ingredients are
important because they work. And
at the end of the day, it’s all about
performance for me. Do the products
really work? Do they do what they
say they are going to do? I’ve been
unyielding in my standards to create
high-performance formulas, and I am
proud to say that we have thousands of
customer testimonials that support how
well our products work.
What has been the most exciting
part of your journey with the skyn
ICELAND? The most exciting has been
to see the brand thrive and become
successful despite the long journey
and rabid competitive landscape. It’s
very hard to rise above the fray in
this industry, and there are very few
independent brands that do. We only
hear the success stories, we don’t hear
about all of the brands that struggle
and fail. To be living my dream and
succeeding at it, is no better reward.
The icing on the cake is that I get to
help women look better, feel better
and live healthier lives, that gives me
a tremendous amount of gratification
and makes me feel like I am doing
something worthwhile every day.
What exciting developments do
you have planned for 2015? We
are going to be launching an arctic
face oil in the fall that I am extremely
excited about. It’s a completely new
and innovative technology. We are also
launching a new eye treatment into our
assortment, as we are known for our
eye products, I think this is going to be
highly anticipated and the product is
great so I look forward to the reception!
Plus, we are going to be expanding our
distribution all over the country this
summer. Finally, our loyal clients who
have been dedicated users for years
will be able to find us in their home
towns. I am over the moon about that.
SkynIceland.com