In recent years, the beauty industry has seen a surge in influencers transitioning into brand founders, leveraging deep audience insights and social commerce to create compelling product lines. Major successes such as Glossier, Huda Beauty, Rhode Beauty, and Summer Fridays exemplify this shift, where creators channel their platform credibility into fully realized beauty brands.
Following this trend, influencer Kay (Kaylee Dudley), whose joint TikTok account with husband Taylor currently has 11.7M followers, has recently launched Glow Serum, developed in partnership with Holly Tanella, founder of Boho Med Spa, an award-winning esthetician. Designed to replicate the effects of an oxygen glow facial, the product was formulated through multiple iterations in a medical-grade laboratory with a focus on efficacy and suitability for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
In this Q&A, CosmeticsDesign US spoke with Kay about the development process, ingredient considerations, and the operational challenges of translating a professional spa treatment into a retail-ready skin care product.
CDU: Can you walk us through the development process of Glow Serum?
Kay: We created the Glow Serum to bottle my favorite facial, the Oxygen Glow Facial that I have been getting for years. I partnered with Boho Med Spa and was involved in every step, from testing and tweaking to perfecting the formula until it delivered the plump, dewy finish I was trying to replicate.
It took dozens of prototypes, but we finally landed on something gentle, hydrating, and actually effective — especially for sensitive, acne-prone skin. I’m so proud of how it turned out.
Being safe for sensitive skin was the most important aspect for me because I know firsthand how harsh products can be on sensitive skin. I have Lupus, which regularly leaves me with rashes on my face. I wanted to ensure that this serum would be safe for my sensitive skin.
CDU: How involved were you in choosing the ingredients and formulating the product?
Kay: We worked with a chemist in a medical-grade lab. Award-winning celebrity esthetician Holly Tanella, the founder of Boho Med Spa, had a lot of knowledge on how different ingredients reacted with her patients.
So, we took that info, my goals with the serum, and the importance of effectiveness while being gentle on the skin, and the chemist went to work tweaking different combinations! The end result is gentle on the skin, but so powerful at brightening and hydrating the skin! All while giving a glow-y look.
CDU: What makes your skin care product unique compared to others on the market?
Kay: One ingredient that we wanted to use that we haven’t seen in the American market yet is utilizing the oxygen molecule! That’s a crucial step in oxygen facials, and has even been added to some products in the Korean skin care market.
So, we wanted to be the first to bring it to the US! So far, the reviews have been amazingly positive! And the serum is actually performing better than I wanted!
I never wanted to over-promise with the serum, because even though I love it and it’s everything I want in a serum, I didn’t want it to be seen as this miracle serum. But so far, the reviews are making it sound like magic in a bottle! Lol.
I mean the before-and-after images that are coming in, and the testimonials we are receiving… This serum is actually life-changing for some!
CDU: How did you decide which brand or manufacturer to partner with for your skin care line?
Kay: This started as a passion project for Holly and me. It was genuinely an effort to bring the oxygen facial from the med spa home with us. And after we started to see the results we were seeing, that’s when it became more!
The chemist we are working with has created some well-known products in the skin care space. So, when we brought the idea, and they showed interest, it all just fell together perfectly.
CDU: What were some of the biggest challenges in turning your idea into a tangible product?
Kay: The biggest challenge for me was just locking in all of the little details and making sure that I was creating exactly what I wanted in the serum without compromising. One example of this was in the scent.
We wanted the serum to be all-natural, so that meant creating the scent with natural ingredients. And it took a while to get that citrus-y, clean smell that I wanted. The same goes for the AHA blend and other ingredients!
Making sure that whatever we added was making the product better without making it bad for sensitive skin! We ended up using the highest grade of vitamin C, because a lot of vitamin C serums were actually not great for sensitive skin. It, of course, costs more to source, but I would rather take on additional costs rather than cause irritation!
CDU: Are there plans to expand the product line or collaborate with other brands in the future?
Kay: I think the serum is the only product we will release when it comes to the collaboration with Bohemia Skin! Kay’s Glow Serum meets my needs perfectly, and making another just wouldn’t be the same. The serum’s creation is one of those rare “passion project” products that you don’t see often in the entrepreneurial space. Haha.
I am sure that Boho Med Spa will continue to develop products to fit their needs and wants. But I am satisfied with the serum! As long as it stays on the shelves forever, I am happy! It’s my favorite skin care product!
