The entrepreneur, jetsetter and mother of two shares her love for beauty as well as the important career lessons she’s learnt

Sabrina Tan, founder and CEO of Skin Inc, is one of the headliners at the inaugural all-women Galboss Asia Symposium on 21 July 2016.

In 2007, homegrown brand Skin Inc broke into the beauty scene as the world’s first skin supplement bar offering personalised, paraben- and fragrance-free serums. Skin Inc’s beauty bars allow customers to have a private skin analysis and consultants then create customised serums that target individual’s concerns.

This “one size fits one” approach has garnered many fans, locally and globally, thanks to founder and CEO, Sabrina Tan’s innovative mind. She has since broadened its product offerings to include facial services and this year, they’ve also launched the Optimizer Voyage Tri-Light — a home-use device that addresses several skin concerns with coloured LED lights. The red light repairs damages and boosts collagen production; yellow brightens complexion; and blue soothes irritations and reduces sebum production. The travel-friendly tool’s low frequency therapy function also boosts the absorption of skincare products for better penetration and to eliminate water retention.

This month, as Tan is scheduled to speak at the inaugural all-women Galboss Asia Symposium on 21 July 2016, we catch up with her to learn more about this successful #girlboss.

Tatler Asia

I start my day with... a daily dose of happiness aka breakfast with my family.

When it comes to beauty... I can’t live without Skin Inc customised serums and the Optimizer Voyage Tri-Light. My Daily Dose serum is highly concentrated and extremely potent and it’s concocted for me to meet my personal needs. With my sensitive, eczema-prone and extremely dry skin, I’ll need to first heal the barrier layer. Most creams have large molecules that are hard to absorb, hence the Optimizer Voyage Tri-Light with the LED NASA and ultra-sonic technology is the perfect tool to help my products penetrate better.

When I’m shopping for beauty products... I’ll always look out for those that are paraben-free, effective and at the same time, fuss-free. If I’m investing in something, I would definitely like to see some ROI.

One of the biggest beauty myths people believe is... their skin does not change. In fact, skin changes according to the weather, hormones or stress. With Skin Inc’s Skin Identity Test, you can easily find a new blend that suits your skin as it changes.

Most people don’t know this about me... I’m not a fan of exercising but I would like to have a go at Pilates this year.

The one thing people should know about female entrepreneurs is... that they have the fundamental leadership skills that modern companies need to succeed and attract key millennial talents today. I started Galboss Asia with the other four co-founders to enable, empower and elevate other women. We need to have the ability to dream and be bold to follow their dreams. I would like to invite all galbosses or galbosses-to-be to attend Galboss Asia Symposium which will offer a dynamic mix of four headliners presenting engaging TED-styled talks along with other power panels.

The biggest business lesson I’ve learnt is… don’t forget to listen and believe in yourself. When I shared my plans on starting a global beauty brand with my friends, only one out of 10 believed that it would be successful. I listened to myself and now I’m proud to share that Skin Inc has grown into a global skincare brand in its eight years. Today, Skin Inc is present in over 100 cities in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Europe and United States, with 10 concept stores, over 350 distribution outlets including Sephora, and online.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me... browsing online, travelling and visiting museums. I am a relentless searcher for innovation and I see social media as a source of information from all over the world.

I wish people would stop saying... “It is impossible!” There’s always a way, so we just need to think and be tenacious.

My proudest accomplishment to date is... having a family! I wouldn’t say it’s an accomplishment but I’m grateful to have two kids — a boy and a girl — and a very supportive husband who has always been there for me.

In 10 years... I would like to see Skin Inc impacting more lives and elevating the whole beauty market. We aim to be the Apple of the skincare industry by continuing to change the game!