“I started as a cosmetic chemist for the Clinique division of the Estee Lauder Companies back in the early 90s,” founder of BeautyStat, Ron Robinson tells thirteenlune. “There, 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 helped senior product developments roles at Revlon, Avon, and Lance, before launching my own company, BeautyStat.”
But long before BeautyStat became a beauty brand that offers products like the Universal S Skin Refiner ($80) or its Universal Moisture Essence ($40), it was a beauty blog and social media agency. “During that time I became the go-to cosmetic chemist for media journalists and beauty editors that were looking for my expertise on ingredients and beauty trends for the stories they were working on,” Robinson says. One question he was frequently asked 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,” he adds. “This got me thinking what if we could stabilize pure vitamin C? That would be the holy grail of beauty.”
After 5 years and 3 patents, Robinson along with a former colleague and good friend, were able to find a way to stabilize vitamin C in a formula that was left with a great texture. Robinson then put the formula through an independent clinical test in an effort to confirm that the product did in fact deliver results. “When the results came back, I was floored,” he adds. “Testing confirmed that our formula delivered significant improvement in lines, wrinkles, firming, and tightening the skin, evening out skin tone and hyper-pigmentation, as well as diminishing the look of pores. Given these stellar results, I had no choice (I was compelled) but to launch the beauty brand, BeautyStat Cosmetics and bring our BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner to consumers.”
Get to Know – Ron Robinson
Do you have a beauty philosophy? What is it?
Beauty to me means fearlessness. Fearlessness that comes from a place of putting in the work, investing in yourself and knowing that you’re doing the best you can to take care of your mind, body and spirit.
Where are you from originally? Where do you live now?
My parents are of Caribbean descent, but I was born in Brooklyn, NY and I currently reside in Manhattan.
What were some of your first memories of beauty growing up? What are some early beauty influences?
My first memories of beauty were the use of pomades and hair spray to keep my afro hairstyles conditioned and shiny. Then later as a teen suffering from acne and blackheads, I began using acne treatments and pore strips.
What does self-care look like in your life?
Right now, self-care is using all of my brand’s products in my morning and night skincare routine. When my skin gets dry, I also double-moisturize by doing what we call the “BeautyStat Moisture Sandwich.” This is a routine where after cleansing, I apply our BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner Vitamin C Serum, then go in with our moisturizer. BeautyStat Universal Pro-Bio Moisture Boost Cream, which is packed with Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid. Then to seal-in the moisture, I go in with a more occlusive product, our BeautyStat Universal Moisture Essence, which is made of 100% sustainable sourced Squalane oil derived from plant sugars. This sandwiches in the moisture and keeps me hydrated all day.
What inspires you most about the beauty landscape and industry today?
What inspires me is the feedback I get from consumers who try our products. Just yesterday, I got a DM from a customer who told me our vitamin C serum changed her skin. She said that it helped clear up her hyper-pigmentation and acne-scarring so much that she was getting so many compliments on her skin. This type of feedback fuels me to continue to develop great products that really deliver results.
What has been the biggest challenge in starting your business?
The biggest challenge was maintaining cash-flow as we scaled the business. To solve this, we renegotiated terms with our suppliers in order to keep the business running smoothly as we satisfied larger and larger purchase orders.
What has been the biggest win thus far?
Aside from the feedback that I get from customers, I’m most proud of seeing my brand on the shelves of major luxury department stores and specialty stores such as Bluemercury, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. And now I’m thrilled to partner with thirteenlune, who is setting a new standard for inclusivity in the beauty industry.
What would you like to see more of in the beauty industry when it comes to diversity and inclusivity?
Along with diversity and inclusion, I’d like to see more equity. Equity means allocating the resources and opportunities proportionally. This is all about being fair and allowing everyone to start from the same position.
