Women With GRITT: Tribe Skincare’s Kayla Houlihan On Identifying A Gap In The Market And Formulating For Sensitive Skin
“In business, you can get swept up in what other brands are doing and can veer away from your original ethos and purpose. You need to believe that people want your brand because they trust your vision and you are providing a solution for something that they are searching for.”
Welcome to Women with GRITT: a series where we interview the resilient, hardworking women who have kicked in the glass ceiling and inspire us to do the same.
Some people just have a knack for identifying when a need is begging to be met. Kayla Houlihan is one such person. Founding her brand, Tribe Skincare, in 2017, Houlihan was adamant about creating a skincare brand that was specifically designed to cater to those with sensitive skin.
Wanting to go beyond providing sensitive skin sufferers with just one or two products they could use, Houlihan has formulated an entire system of products that are gentle, yet anti-inflammatory to provide incredible results. Combining all natural, skin nourishing ingredients with hardworking ‘actives’, Houlihan has managed to nail the formulas with ease.
But don’t just take our word for it. The Tribe Skincare website is also overflowing with customer testimonials and results photos to show you exactly how effective these products are. Empowering real people to embrace their skin and feel confident.
In this interview, Houlihan sits down with Gritty Pretty to chat about identifying a gap in the market, staying true to herself, the challenges of formulating for sensitive skin and why real results speak volumes.
Hi Kayla! Before we get into all things Tribe Skincare, we would love to know a little more about you. So, where would you say you inherited your drive and passion from?
I always wanted to work for myself. Since I was young, my mind was always creating business ideas. My dad always worked for himself so that most likely inspired me to see it as a possibility. The reward that came with him working for himself and building something from scratch was a definite motivator. When I studied beauty, I didn’t set out to create my own skincare brand. I was wanting to have my own skin clinic which I did for three years before starting Tribe Skincare. The skincare brand was a byproduct of the skin clinic because I really wanted to be able to help my clients with sensitive skin get a good at-home routine that truly worked for their skin type.
While you had your skincare clinic, you realised that there was a gaping hole in the skincare market: skincare specifically designed with sensitive skin in mind. This is how Tribe was born. How long did the development process take once you had the idea?
I pondered the idea for about six months at the end of 2016 and then once I started developing the products at the beginning of 2017, it was about nine months until they were on the market–which is a really quick turnaround. We launched with just four formulas and they were all developed alongside each other so that made the sampling and conception process a lot quicker. We didn’t want to be like other brands that had just some products that were suitable for sensitive skin in their range, but others that weren’t. We wanted it to be made for sensitive skin so people with this skin type can confidently use anything in the range. Our formulas are packed with anti-inflammatories but also have active ingredients in them so that people also get the results they’re after, without the risk of reaction.
Anti-inflammatory skincare has certainly become trendier in recent years, with more and more brands popping up. How do you set yourself apart from the noise?
We were first to market in Australia as a sensitive skincare brand. Of course, we’re never going to be able to solely own that category and there are always new brands popping up, but we’ve been around for five years now and are really trusted in Australia and New Zealand. All our products have five-star reviews and we showcase our customer’s amazing results as well. The brand trust that we’ve built really helps us cut through the clutter and show how genuine and reliable our products really are.
As a business owner, you would have also experienced a number of challenges. What would you say has been the greatest challenge you’ve had to overcome at the helm of Tribe Skincare?
I assume a lot of small business owners face this but the greatest challenge for me was having to wear all the hats in the business. Combined with the overwhelm of having to learn new things all the time and feeling like a bit of a fish out of water made it challenging at first. But you just learn along the way and Google, a lot, and eventually you build a team around you so you don’t have to wear all the hats anymore. It can also be hard to switch off and give your brain a break. Especially in those early days, being able to work normal hours is sometimes unrealistic. Now-a-days, I’m much stricter with my time so I can have more of that work/life balance.
Where does your inspiration for new products come from? Is it customer driven or are you guided by new and innovative ingredients?
We’re very ‘anti-trend’ at Tribe Skincare. If a product or ingredient is suddenly trending, I’ll ignore it for a few years until I believe it’s earnt a permanent spot in the skincare field. We don’t constantly release new products because our concept is definitely about using less on the skin. Think of it as ‘slow fashion’ but the skincare version. If we do bring out a product, it has to be something that we believe is essential and will stay in the line for the next five or 10 years. The ideas for new product development are completely consumer driven. We’re not inventing products but rather inventing sensitive skin versions of products. So, we really listen to what our customers are wanting and we accommodate accordingly.
And what is the greatest piece of business advice you’d like to share?
In business, you can get swept up in what other brands are doing and can veer away from your original ethos and purpose. You need to believe that people want your brand because they trust your vision and you are providing a solution for something that they are searching for. You need to narrow down exactly who your target market is and how your products enhance their lives. Ours is people with sensitive skin–no matter your age or gender.
Great advice! Before we wrap up, we would love to know exactly what you use in your personal skincare routine?
I use every single product in the Tribe Skincare range! There are no double-ups in there so you can use every single one. My favourites would have to be the Gentle Balm Cleanser, the Brightening Vitamin C Serum and the Clearing Anti-Breakout Serum. I can’t live without them.
Thank you so much for speaking to us Kayla!
Hi Kayla! Before we get into all things Tribe Skincare, we would love to know a little more about you. So, where would you say you inherited your drive and passion from?
I always wanted to work for myself. Since I was young, my mind was always creating business ideas. My dad always worked for himself so that most likely inspired me to see it as a possibility. The reward that came with him working for himself and building something from scratch was a definite motivator. When I studied beauty, I didn’t set out to create my own skincare brand. I was wanting to have my own skin clinic which I did for three years before starting Tribe Skincare. The skincare brand was a byproduct of the skin clinic because I really wanted to be able to help my clients with sensitive skin get a good at-home routine that truly worked for their skin type.
While you had your skincare clinic, you realised that there was a gaping hole in the skincare market: skincare specifically designed with sensitive skin in mind. This is how Tribe was born. How long did the development process take once you had the idea?
I pondered the idea for about six months at the end of 2016 and then once I started developing the products at the beginning of 2017, it was about nine months until they were on the market–which is a really quick turnaround. We launched with just four formulas and they were all developed alongside each other so that made the sampling and conception process a lot quicker. We didn’t want to be like other brands that had just some products that were suitable for sensitive skin in their range, but others that weren’t. We wanted it to be made for sensitive skin so people with this skin type can confidently use anything in the range. Our formulas are packed with anti-inflammatories but also have active ingredients in them so that people also get the results they’re after, without the risk of reaction.
Anti-inflammatory skincare has certainly become trendier in recent years, with more and more brands popping up. How do you set yourself apart from the noise?
We were first to market in Australia as a sensitive skincare brand. Of course, we’re never going to be able to solely own that category and there are always new brands popping up, but we’ve been around for five years now and are really trusted in Australia and New Zealand. All our products have five-star reviews and we showcase our customer’s amazing results as well. The brand trust that we’ve built really helps us cut through the clutter and show how genuine and reliable our products really are.
As a business owner, you would have also experienced a number of challenges. What would you say has been the greatest challenge you’ve had to overcome at the helm of Tribe Skincare?
I assume a lot of small business owners face this but the greatest challenge for me was having to wear all the hats in the business. Combined with the overwhelm of having to learn new things all the time and feeling like a bit of a fish out of water made it challenging at first. But you just learn along the way and Google, a lot, and eventually you build a team around you so you don’t have to wear all the hats anymore. It can also be hard to switch off and give your brain a break. Especially in those early days, being able to work normal hours is sometimes unrealistic. Now-a-days, I’m much stricter with my time so I can have more of that work/life balance.
Where does your inspiration for new products come from? Is it customer driven or are you guided by new and innovative ingredients?
We’re very ‘anti-trend’ at Tribe Skincare. If a product or ingredient is suddenly trending, I’ll ignore it for a few years until I believe it’s earnt a permanent spot in the skincare field. We don’t constantly release new products because our concept is definitely about using less on the skin. Think of it as ‘slow fashion’ but the skincare version. If we do bring out a product, it has to be something that we believe is essential and will stay in the line for the next five or 10 years. The ideas for new product development are completely consumer driven. We’re not inventing products but rather inventing sensitive skin versions of products. So, we really listen to what our customers are wanting and we accommodate accordingly.
And what is the greatest piece of business advice you’d like to share?
In business, you can get swept up in what other brands are doing and can veer away from your original ethos and purpose. You need to believe that people want your brand because they trust your vision and you are providing a solution for something that they are searching for. You need to narrow down exactly who your target market is and how your products enhance their lives. Ours is people with sensitive skin–no matter your age or gender.
Great advice! Before we wrap up, we would love to know exactly what you use in your personal skincare routine?
I use every single product in the Tribe Skincare range! There are no double-ups in there so you can use every single one. My favourites would have to be the Gentle Balm Cleanser, the Brightening Vitamin C Serum and the Clearing Anti-Breakout Serum. I can’t live without them.
Thank you so much for speaking to us Kayla!
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