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The Unseen Vision Podcast with Dr. Natasha Henry
A podcast for doers, dreamers, and entrepreneurs ready to take action.
Join Dr. Natasha Henry as she sits down with industry experts, founders, and creatives to uncover the raw, unfiltered truths of building and growing a business.
From early-stage startups to game-changing brands, every episode delivers real strategies, inspiring stories, and a playbook for success.
Whether you're just starting out or leveling up, this podcast is your go-to guide for turning ambition into action.
The Unseen Vision Podcast with Dr. Natasha Henry
Ep 4.How to Formulate Iconic Skincare Products and Build a Cult Following| Dr. Tracey Hicks
In this powerhouse episode of The Unseen Vision Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Tracey Hicks-Kearse, chemical engineer, product development expert, and founder of Ready to Launch, for a raw, in-depth conversation on what it really takes to build iconic skincare and beauty brands from scratch.
With over 21 years of experience, Dr. Tracey pulls back the curtain on her journey from formulating products in R&D labs to working with leading brands like Topicals, Curl Days, and StriVectin. She shares exactly how product ideation moves from a hundred-gram bench sample to mass-market scale, and why so many brands still get it wrong.
This episode is an unfiltered masterclass in beauty product development, especially for founders passionate about creating inclusive skincare for deeper skin tones. Dr. Tracey breaks down how brands can build from white space, do real market research, and develop efficacious products that solve actual consumer pain points.
You’ll also hear the truth about manufacturing minimums (MOQs), finding the right chemist or lab, and the red flags to avoid when sourcing a manufacturer.
Plus, get a sneak peek into Dr. Tracey’s own brand, Acare, a microbiome-focused skin and scalp care line rooted in science and storytelling.
If you're a beauty or skincare entrepreneur, or simply obsessed with how great products are made, this is the episode you cannot skip.
Chapters
00:00 The Journey of Dr. Tracey Hicks-Kearse
02:58 Educational Pursuits and Career Transitions
05:56 Product Development Insights
09:02 Working with Topicals and Inclusivity in Skincare
11:54 Understanding the Fitzpatrick Scale
15:06 The Complexities of Product Development
17:58 Challenges in the Skincare Industry
20:54 Navigating the Beauty Industry
24:04 The Importance of Market Research
26:57 Mistakes Brands Make in Skincare
30:04 Inclusivity and Diversity in Color Cosmetics
36:59 Empowering Black Beauty Brands
40:44 Innovative Manufacturing Solutions for Indie Brands
46:58 Navigating the Manufacturing Landscape
52:52 Marketing Strategies for Emerging Brands
01:01:31 The Science of the Microbiome in Beauty
01:05:50 Advice for New Entrepreneurs in Product Development
Follow Dr. Tracey: @ready_to_launch
Follow Dr. Natasha Henry @drnatashahenry