Meet Annie Tevelin of SkinOwl! Her sole mission is to educate you about your skin & deliver the best products, so that skin “care” can be the catalyst to caring about every genuinely important facet of your life. And why not? Your happiness is worth all the world’s weight in gold.
1 | Tell me about Skin Owl… What does your company do?
SkinOwl is a vegan, non-toxic skincare company based out of LA. While we are in the business of making and selling skincare, teaching selfcare and helping people get to a place where they love and feel their life is our numero uno goal. We love getting to know our clients and building up relationships with people everywhere we go (especially on Instastories)
2 | How long have you been working in skincare?
I started off working for Lancome when I was 25 years old, which was roughly 11 years ago. I have always been drawn to lotions and creams and things that shimmered and sparkled. I remember stealing all of the products in my Mom’s Gift With Purchase bags when I was a kid – way before I was even allowed to wear makeup. I went from working as a makeup artist to working in skincare as a result of my cystic acne. Everything recommended to me was really expensive and didn’t work. I decided to take matters into my own hands and go back to school and start my own line. I wanted to give people something that worked.
3 | What are some challenges you have faced being an entrepreneur in the skincare environment?
Ingredient sustainability is the first thing that comes to mind. I had to discontinue my best-selling product earlier this year because I wasn’t able to source the key ingredient any longer. I had to search the globe for something better, which I did. In the end, being kind to the Earth wound up gifting us something better AND more sustainable!
4 | How much has social media impacted your business?
SkinOwl started as a Facebook group. It was a secret, invite-only group wherein I would recommend products to people on a daily basis. What started out as a 6 person group grew to be 1600 in less than a year. Everyday, people would check in with me and ask for my advice about what makeup or skincare to buy. I eventually introduced my first product to the group and people went crazy over it. That was the beginning of SkinOwl. Without Facebook, I’m not sure where SkinOwl would be. In a sense, SkinOwl was birthed on social media and because of social media. Today, we have 49,000 followers on Facebook which is incredible to me.
5 | What motivated you to take the leap branch out to founding your business?
SkinOwl started as a result of my own journey with cystic acne. I was really determined to make a skincare line that would help people. In my experience, I was sold a lot of things that just flat out didn’t work. They claimed to do one thing, but didn’t deliver. I wanted to be a safe, trusted source in the beauty industry.
6 | What advice can you give to your fellow millennial entrepreneurs?
Build something that feeds you. Don’t build a business based off what’s trendy. Or what’s easy. Find a way to showcase and pour YOUR heart and soul into something that you are passionate about. In the moments where things get hard or you’re close to going broke, you’ll find a way to safety. You’ll have the hunger to keep going.
7 | What is your favorite product and why?
This is a hard one! I have to say SkinOwl’s new Beauty Whip is something else. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever put on my skin. It’s the multi-tasker – a sleep mask, a moisture booster, and a makeup primer. It helps with acne, dark marks, fatigue and first signs of aging. It is my everything and I literally use it everyday and on everyone who will let me. It’s a game changer.
8 | Who is your biggest influencer or inspiration?
Goodness. Kindness. Integrity. Authenticity. These four thing inspire and influence me everyday. As Conan O’ Brien once said, “If you work really hard, and your kind, good things will happen.” I think about that almost everyday and it hits me to my core. Good begets good. Brene Brown and Esther Perel are two of my favorites. Also, funny people. Larry David, Howard Stern, Chris D’elia. Funny people inspire me more than ever before.
9 | Do you have any promos that Bossfidence Babes can use to get your products this holidays season?
Yes! I want everyone to experience SkinOwl, so please use the code BOSSFIDENCE to get 15% off their first order. If they spend over $70, they’ll also get free shipping! Yay!
Drop a line, I would love to continue the discussion