Laser facial services bar Skin Laundry, known for its 15-minute laser facials performed by medical-grade lasers (no downtime necessary), is on an accelerated growth track with plans to double clinic locations next year. CEO Gregg Throgmartin talked to CEW Beauty News about Skin Laundry rebounding in 2021 after last year’s forced closures, the company’s new strategic initiatives, and why the firm is intent on specializing only in laser facials.
Skin Laundry prides itself on having made laser facials “a thing.” To date, the eight-year-old company has delivered more than one million laser treatments designed to help rejuvenate the skin, boost collagen production, and improve skin conditions such as acne, melasma, pigmentation, and rosacea.
“We want to be the best at giving you clean and healthy skin, and that’s it. We want to own that space, and we want to do more of it than anybody. In my travels, I have not seen anybody who is that focused and committed to laser facials,” said Skin Laundry’s CEO Gregg Throgmartin.
The company, which was founded in 2012 in Santa Monica by husband-and-wife team, Julian and Yen Reis, and President and COO Chris Carey, describes itself as a “medical company” thanks to a team of registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who administer the treatments and are guided by dermatologists and physicians.
In 2022, Skin Laundry looks to double its store count from 21 clinics at the end of 2021. Currently, most locations are in the U.S. (California, New York, Arizona, and Florida, in addition to Hong Kong, London, Dubai, and Kuwait). Possible new locations include Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and some additional outposts in London. “We are seeing very healthy not just year-over-year growth, but month-over-month growth. Our business continues to accelerate,” said Gregg, who added that in addition to expanding, Skin Laundry is always focused on refining its treatment protocols.
After joining the company in 2018, Gregg noticed that consumers were buying many services, but not being very consistent in their approach to treatment. So he introduced a membership program (with prices ranging from $100, $200, and $300 per month). “I equate it to exercise,” he said. “It’s hard to get results if you say, ‘I’ll run on the treadmill every now and then.’ Some people love those businesses where you buy a gift card and forget about it. That’s not what we want. We know our business will be great if people have great results. That will be our greatest advertisement. So we moved to a membership model, and I have heard people say, ‘That forces me to come in!’ Great! Then they will get results.”
In 2020, when Skin Laundry was forced to shut down for several months, it used the downtime to refresh its technology completely, reopening with a whole new platform. Gregg described 2021 as “a banner year” which he attributed to the Zoom Effect, people seeking treatment for maskne, and the implementation of membership options (made possible by the new technology and staff training).
The company also recently revamped 80 percent of its product portfolio, featuring new ingredients and stronger formulations. It also launched two new serums, including Tranexamic Acid Serum, which is formulated with 3 percent tranexamic acid and 1 percent niacinamide. “If you have a good regimen of treatments and use the right ingredients, you’ll get the best results. One of our treatments is a fractional laser. If you put a product on your face, you’ll get 20, at best 30 percent absorption. When you do a fractional treatment, it opens up those channels and you’ll get up to 90 percent absorption. For someone who has melasma or pigmentation issues, opening up those channels, and getting that tranexamic acid in, is the absolute best for it,” he said.
Skin Laundry’s funding is secure. “We have done a few rounds previously with a diverse investor group, including individuals from Australia, Hong Kong, and the US. Very eclectic. That was based on our founders’ relationships with various individuals. At this point, we don’t need to raise any additional capital to double our store count. We don’t see any fundraising needs in our near or long-term future right now,” he said.
Gregg’s own route to the company was as an investor. “I grew up in retail. My great grandmother started an appliance and electronics company, so from the time I was little I worked there,” he said. After leaving the family company, Gregg became President at Fabletics. During his tenure, he made various investments in retail, including Skin Laundry, later joining the board. “I got close enough to the business to see the potential, and I was extremely excited about it.”
Skin Laundry sees itself as occupying a unique position in the beauty landscape. “We really don’t have competition. We have two ends of the spectrum: dermatologists who are offering the same treatments with the same devices, but at a much higher price-point, and med spas that are doing everything from Coolsculpting and tattoo removal to Botox and injectibles. It’s very broad,” said Gregg.
For the foreseeable future, Skin Laundry is singularly focused on staying in its lane. “Our value proposition is phenomenal. We need to get the education out there on what laser facials can do for different skin conditions, and why Skin Laundry is best-positioned to do that for our clients.”