Acne care brand ZitSticka raises $5 million to launch new products
Robbie Miller and Daniel Kaplan founded the brand this year; and the 2 men already have additional acne care products in the pipeline.
“We have a range of innovative products that we'll be launching over the next 12-18 months within the same category,” Miller says in a media release about the investment deal. “Each product serves a unique stage or type of acne, with each harnessing a different kind of technology or delivery system to maximize its efficacy.”
And the ZitSticka team itself is likely to grow as a result of the $5m in financing. “The capital will also go towards scaling the team to keep up with the demands of growth,” Kaplan tells the pres.
Acne tech
The first ZitSticka product is a cleansing swab and acne patch combo; “the KILLA patch, contains dermatologically backed ingredients, and is layered with self-dissolving microdarts that disrupt the progression of upcoming, early-stage zits,” as the media release describes it.
And the brand plans to create each new product with similarly innovative ingredient delivery mechanisms. Though details on what’s coming next haven’t been released.
Next-gen acne care
ZitSticka is one of many new skin care brands looking to change the way acne is characterized, eliminate shame from the category, and make caring for acne-prone skin more fun. “Niche brands like Squish Beauty, Blume, and Starface are changing the way acne is seen and treated. Brands like these are creating new products and new marketing strategies; and in doing so are giving acne care a whole new look,” as Cosmetics Design reported just last month.
Financing skin care
BFG Partners led this series A round for ZitSticka, with Interplay Ventures, Silas Capital, and Propeller Industries also investing in the acne brand.
“We feel lucky to be partnering with the extremely passionate and knowledgeable team at ZitSticka as they continue to build their business and introduce complementary acne care products,” says Ben Fenton, partner at BFG, in this week’s media release.
“In less than a year they have built a brand with a following typically seen in brands 3 to 4 times their size and age, and they have done it with one product,” asserts Fenton, adding that, “We especially love how the brand is working to destigmatize acne and increase transparency that normalizes acne, rather than pretending it doesn't exist, glossing over it or blurring it out.”
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.
