Formulated with 100% pure organic bases and integrated with cutting-edge science, suki® skin care has helped countless people, from those suffering with a wide range of skin issues to cancer patients undergoing treatment, achieve dramatically visible results with the safest, most natural ingredients available today.

DermStore recently interviewed suki® to discuss its beginnings, the inspiration behind the line, its new products and the special ingredients it uses to deliver powerful results without harmful, synthetic ingredients.

How was suki® started? What goals did the brand's founder(s) have when first setting out?

suki® is the first and only brand with clinically-proven formulas that quantifiably demonstrate significant improvement to the skin. After years of struggling with skincare issues and preparing basic skincare formulas for herself, Suki founded her company to fill the need in the market for a clean line that had active, results-driven cosmeceuticals with luxurious textures, aromas and packaging. Suki wanted her brand to empower people, especially women, by showing them that they could have efficacy and purity in their skincare products. suki®, incorporated in 2002, offers products that are clinically proven to improve the skin and contains high percentages of cosmeceutical actives in 100% synthetic-free bases that are unmatched in the industry.

What Suki's background?

Suki created a line of products that delivered visible and tangible results to her own sensitive skin and as a result, she has been able to help millions of people solve their own skin issues. Before Suki started her company, she was fond of the luxury brands found at department stores but she could not use the formulations because they irritated her skin. Suki saw a void in the market for products that were clean yet results driven and this encouraged her to build a brand that was active, sophisticated and 100% synthetic free. Having no formal background in business or chemistry, Suki immersed herself in business books and studied extensively with chemists from Revlon, Estée Lauder and other large corporations. She launched her first four products in 2002. The company is a result of Suki’s hard work and demand for the best formulations that address and resolve even the most challenging skin issues.

What innovations, ideals, or achievements set apart suki® from other brands in the skin care market?

suki® is clinically proven to improve the skin and is effective, results driven and 100% synthetic free. It bridges the gap between a scientific dermabrand that is filled with synthetics and a green brand that makes skin feel good but does not yield clinical, visible results. For example, an independent lab tested and evaluated the efficacy of suki® mature skin care products and in an eight-week study of 32 women between the ages of 41 and 60, 84% of the participants agreed that it improved the overall appearance of their skin—reducing the appearance of fine lines and promoting skin clarity. The results and pictures from the study can be viewed at www.sukiskincare.com.

Additionally suki® is unique because each formula utilizes the most active organic content available and has no questionable ingredients, making all products safe for pregnant women, nursing moms and babies. We take great care to source and use local, organic, biodynamic and food-grade ingredients. Even the manufacturing process emits little carbon output and the products are shipped at the site of production right from pouring—guaranteeing the highest level of quality and freshness. We use mainly glass and aluminum containers as opposed to toxic plastics, and we never test on animals—all our ingredient vendors certify that they do not execute animal testing. Most of the formulas are vegan save for beeswax that is from apiaries that do not burn hives. Our philosophy is rooted in ethics and environmental stewardship.

What patented technologies or special ingredients can be found in suki® products?

Every suki® product contains 100% high-performance natural, organic, biodynamic and food grade ingredients that work in harmony with the body’s natural biological processes. The high-potency actives and the base of the formulations are what truly set our brand apart from other natural skincare lines. The products include high-performance antioxidants such as standardized olive leaf, green tea (10x more potent than vitamin E), polypeptide liposomes like vitamin C glucoside, and natural retinol, which solves skin issues without side effects. Another potent ingredient utilized is resveratrol, an exceptional free-radical scavenger that is one of the most complex and beneficial natural anti-aging ingredient available—think red wine benefits but for the skin!

The heart of each suki® formula contains a nutrient-rich base made from slowly boiling down and triple filtering whole organic botanicals. This organic high-potency botanic concentrate™ is then infused with pharmaceutical-grade and clinically-tested standardized botanical actives. The botanicals are standardized by isolating the most powerful part of a plant and refining it to a consistent potency. For example, the salicylic acid suki® uses as an anti-inflammatory is derived from white willow bark. The white willow salicins are isolated from the bark and standardized to a 15% potency for maximum efficacy. These powerful standardized white willow salicins, combined with the organic botanic concentrate are especially formulated to treat acne and any condition of inflammation. Results-driven actives such as these salicins, combined with the organic high-potency botanic concentrate™, put suki® in a league of its own.

How has suki® progressed over the years?

What started off as a four-product line has turned into sukiface®, sukibody®, sukispa®, sukihair®, sukicolor® and sukito-go® lines with over 65 SKUs that are sold in upwards of 800 stores around the world. The business has doubled in size each year and employs hundreds of people. suki® has won numerous awards and enjoyed the spotlight on Oprah, Fox Business News, The New York Times, Elle, Glamour, Lucky, People and several other media outlets. Suki owns 100% of the company and actively continues to expand the business.

Any recently unveiled suki® products you'd like to discuss?

Our new Eye Lift Cellular Renewal Cream is designed to boost collagen synthesis, firm under-eye area, reduce puffiness, brighten dark circles and reduce visible lines and wrinkles. This youth-restoring formula is perfect for ALL skin types and solves both AM and PM eye concerns. suki® age-erasing liposome technology provides a cutting-edge delivery system for clinically-proven cosmeceutical actives including collagen (acai oil), flavonoids (hibiscus liposome) and glabriden (licorice root). The Eye Lift Cellular Renewal Cream is a beautiful formula that is tested to work under eye makeup and provides results.

What is suki®’s signature product, and what makes it special?

Our award-winning suki® Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser with lemongrass & organic sugar is the number one best seller in the line. It is a highly customizable cleanser that smells delicious and makes the skin look and feel amazing. The formulation deeply cleanses, purifies pores, enhances skin tone clarity, unclogs and exfoliates dead cells, as well as smoothes dryness, lines and wrinkles—revealing fresh new skin.

From the sukispa® line, the renewal Bio-Resurfacing Facial Peel with cranberry glycolic and pumpkin enzymes is also extraordinarily popular and won the ICMAD (Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors) Cosmetic Innovation of the Year award. This product transforms the skin completely, revealing a visibly smoother, more refined complexion. It exfoliates damaged cells in a nonabrasive way, decongests pores, provides potent anti-inflammatory benefits, accelerates collagen production and enhances clarity.

Who is suki®’s target customer?

Anyone and everyone is the ideal suki® user. Our products are clinically proven to improve signs of aging on the most mature client’s skin and safe to use on babies. The beauty of suki® skin care is that it addresses a wide range of skin concerns. Prescriptions are available for people with cystic acne, rosacea, mature skin, dermatitis or eczema, blemishes, normal skin…the list goes on. suki® offers products for everyone’s skin issues, needs and goals, and is primarily geared towards anyone who wants to see real, visible results without using questionable or synthetic ingredients.

What is the main inspiration behind the suki® product line?

Suki founded the company because there was a gap in the market for products that “did something” and were also really clean. Today, Suki and the company constantly receive multitudes of positive feedback from fans. These amazing responses and touching success stories are the things that inspire Suki to continue working on growing the company and sharing her education with the public every day. Among the most moving are letters from cancer survivors or people in treatment who say that suki® products are the only things that helped them feel better when they had adverse reactions to prescription medications and treatment. Additionally, people with rashes who have tried everything, moms with babies suffering from eczema, and others struggling with skin conditions have all given similar feedback. Suki says, “Knowing I have helped people heal is the most rewarding feeling.”