With a historical lineage and modern look, Halifax, Nova Scotia-based skin care brand Skinfix is moving into US territory. And Amy Gordinier-Regan is taking it there; she spotted the 100-year-old healing balm in her hometown of Halifax and saw potential.

Channeling her experience working for companies like L’Oréal, Coty/Lancaster and Jo Malone, in addition to founding a start-up beauty boutique in Germany and building the marketing department of a private equity-owned chain of beauty boutiques in the UK/Ireland, she purchased the line in 2012. She and a team of trusted advisors re-positioned the property, rolling it out across Canada in October 2013. Now, Skinfix has its sights on the US market, having inking via an exclusive partnership with Target (all 1,800 doors) and Target.com.

Skinfix formulations, which use a blend of vitamins, minerals, botanical oils and plant extracts, trace their lineage back to 1850 Yorkshire, England when a compound chemist named Thomas Dixon crafted a “miracle balm.” When Dixon's relatives emigrated to Canada, the family continued to make and sell the product in Atlantic Canada. Dixon's great-great-great granddaughter created the Skinfix company in 2006.

To be ready for the US market, Skinfix “worked closely with Target to co-create product packaging that highlighted the unique equities of the product vis-a-vis competitive brands,” said Gordinier-Regan.       

“The Target buyers were extremely helpful in helping us position the products to appeal to the needs and desires of their guests—and to highlight our points-of-difference,” she said, boasting about its zero percent water for concentrated relief, natural ingredients, no steroids and 2% colloidal oatmeal.

The line’s hero product is Body Repair Balm, which Gordinier-Regan considers the anchor for the line. It is based on the original formula created by Thomas Dixon. Skinfix’s new Hand Repair Cream is capturing attention too, noted Gordinier-Regan. Clinically proven to improve skin's moisture levels by 110% in one week, it is a rich, emollient cream that contains 1% colloidal oatmeal, plus other natural ingredients such as sweet almond oil and shea butter to treat dry, cracked skin on contact and to keep hands feeling smooth and hydrated for hours.

All of the Skinfix products have a clear point of difference, according to Gordinier-Regan.

 “Skinfix is the first clinically-proven, dermatologist-recommended natural brand. Most natural products are not formulated for irritated skin. Skinfix is the first brand to take natural to a whole new level of purpose and efficacy,” she said.

The Skinfix look seems to be in sync with today’s aesthetic too.

“The speech bubble is a nod to the word-of-mouth heritage of the brand,” she said. “Skinfix customers are often so relieved to find something that actually works to treat their dry, cracked, irritated skin—that they tell everyone they know. The branding is intentionally contemporary and approachable, as a stand out against the often dull, medicinal-looking brands in the category. Just because you have dry skin or eczema—you should still be able to use a gorgeous-looking product.”

Skinfix generated $7 million in retail sales in its first year, according to Gordinier-Regan. For 2015, she’s predicting “exceptional growth for the brand as we launch into the US and introduce a range of new SKUs that create daily regimens for treating dry, eczema-prone and irritated skin conditions.”

The firm’s robust marketing should help. It includes print advertising, digital advertising, social media and sampling. In addition, Skinfix will also benefit from being part of Target's Beauty Beacon end-cap promotion that runs through March 1 as well as Target circular and digital advertising. 

Skinfix was one six natural brands featured in Target's Naturals Beauty Box which sold out in one day, according to Gordinier-Regan.
“We are getting the word out,” she said.  “We believe that once a consumer tries Skinfix, they will be hooked. Skinfix works.”