Beauty's Go-To Chemist Shares How He Built His Own Blockbuster Brand in BeautyStat

Why it matters:

• Chemist Ron Robinson parlayed his expertise gleaned from working on blockbuster beauty formulas for brands like Clinique and Revlon to create his own brand, BeautyStat.
• The startup now ranks among Ulta Beauty’s top 10 best-selling skin care items and reflects the industry’s migration to scientifically backed brands.
• Robinson’s success caught the eye of celebrity Hailey Bieber, who hired him to develop her skin care brand, Rhode Skin.

Ron Robinson didn't see his future as one of the beauty industry's most famous chemists. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biology, he enrolled in medical school, only to depart after a year to reevaluate his future.

While applying for jobs, he caught the attention of executives at Estee Lauder's Clinique brand, a trailblazer in science-based skin care. Robinson found he could combine his expertise in formulating ingredients and a knack for marketing to go beyond the traditional roles of beauty chemists.

From 1990 through 2008, he spearheaded beauty ingredient innovations for companies including L’Oréal/Lancome, Avon, and Revlon.

“It was a time when the beauty industry was getting very crowded. I thought my knowledge could be of service to help consumers learn about products through an expert lens,” he recalled of his two decades creating for other brands.

Inspired by the fast rise of the early social media era, he tapped into the need for an online community to disseminate science-backed information.

Robinson started a blog called BeautyStat, reviewing the seemingly endless barrage of new products on the market. He quickly became the go-to guru for beauty editorials in top fashion magazines. “I helped beauty editors understand ingredients and beauty trends,” he said. He was often asked why he didn’t start his own brand. “My answer was, ‘the world does not need another beauty product,’” Robinson said.

Building vitamin C–based beauty items designed to stand out ‘in the crowd of products’

As his mailbox overflowed with consumers’ and beauty insiders’ questions about vitamin C—specifically wondering why it was unstable in their beauty products, often turning color or losing effectiveness—Robinson saw the opportunity to put his knowledge to work.

“The questions got me thinking that if I could stabilize vitamin C, I would be serving a need rather than just adding to the crowd of products,” he said.

It took five years and three patents, but Robinson uncovered a method to stabilize pure vitamin C into a texture suitable for beauty products. He then put the product to clinical tests. “I was blown away by the results,” he said. Robinson pivoted away from the blog and invested his own money into his first product, BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner, which debuted in 2019.

After selling more than 250,000 units direct-to-consumers through word-of-mouth, retailers came calling. BeautyStat is now sold in all Ulta Beauty stores. The retailer became the launchpad for Robinson's expansion into a full product line, including a mineral sunscreen, a peptide wrinkle moisturizer, and a coconut milk serum. The lineup spans six items and assorted travel and combination packs.

BeautyStat is also sold at merchants including Sephora and Nordstrom.

Since its launch in 2019, the brand has won numerous awards from beauty magazines and amassed sales reported to be in the $10 million to $20 million range. BeautyStat’s Cosmetics Universal C Skin Refiner is among the top 10 skin care items at Ulta Beauty, according to the retailer.

According to Robinson, the company has a database of more than 100,000 beauty consumers who serve as a sounding board for new ideas.

[Read more: How to Turn Deinfluencing Into a Marketing Opportunity]

Robinson’s viral posts help consumers understand skin care

For Robinson, social media remains a key platform to both share his beauty expertise and grow the business. His Instagram account @ronrobinsoncosmeticchemist has more than 43,000 followers who trust him for honest skin care advice and objective information. “I talk about other brands and ingredients with a goal to provide education,” he said. Robinson also consults with a select portfolio of brands.

One of his Instagram followers was Hailey Bieber, who direct-messaged him in 2020. Bieber was a fan of Robinson's Universal C Skin Refiner Serum. She asked him to work on her skin care line, Rhode Skin, which has quickly become a hit known for selling out in days.

Based on his track record, Robinson is often asked for advice. “Make sure your concept is really unique. Get objective feedback because it is a super competitive industry. The barrier to entry is low, but the barrier to building a customer base is tough. Have a team around you who tell you the hard truth,” he said.

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