Source: Impact PR for Healthy Skin Lab
A New Zealand skincare start-up is set for a multi-million dollar export expansion after one of its products was named the “holy grail” of tinted sunscreens by a leading United States beauty reviewer.
Healthy Skin Lab, founded by internationally recognised skin cancer doctor and best-selling author Professor Sharad Paul, is seeking a $4 million strategic investment to scale its US operations, increase manufacturing capacity and support the rollout of new science-led skincare products.
Its tinted SPF 50 moisturiser, Protect, is believed by the company to be the first sunscreen formulation developed by a New Zealand skincare business to be registered with the US Food and Drug Administration as an over-the-counter drug product.
The registration is commercially significant because sunscreen is regulated as an over-the-counter drug in the US, rather than as a standard cosmetic product. The company says this creates a pathway into brick-and-mortar distribution through major pharmacy, healthcare, wellness and retail channels, including potential retailers such as Walgreens and Whole Foods.
The business also plans to use its US expansion as a platform for broader international growth, following early sales into the UK and Europe. It wants to build the inventory and logistics capability to hold stock in key offshore markets, including Germany, France and Italy, reducing delivery times and supporting local retail and ecommerce channels as demand grows.
The capital raise follows strong organic growth for the tinted moisturiser, which was first launched into the US through Amazon as a test market, without marketing support, paid influencer activity or a formal advertising campaign.
Despite this, the company says cumulative sales have reached over $2 million over two years, driven by word-of-mouth, independent reviews and repeat customer demand.
It now has more than 2,000 Amazon subscribers. The product has also sold out repeatedly, including after it was reviewed by Angie “Hot & Flashy”, a US beauty and skincare reviewer with an audience of more than 1.5 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook.
The mineral sunscreen has also been listed as the number one “Most Wished For” product on Amazon in the facial tinted moisturisers category.
The company says product shortages have been driven by manufacturing lead times and stronger-than-expected repeat ordering following the US review.
Professor Paul says the US launch was initially designed to test whether there was consumer demand for the New Zealand-developed formulation.
“The original idea was to put it on Amazon and see whether the product had a market. There was no major marketing campaign behind it, no influencer programme and no large team driving it,” he says.
“What has been significant from a business perspective is that customers found it, reviewed it and kept buying it. That level of organic validation has given us confidence that there is a larger commercial opportunity if the business has the capital and infrastructure to scale.”
Healthy Skin Lab is seeking $4 million in primary growth capital. The capital raise follows an independent valuation which placed the company at around NZ$8.4 million.
The primary growth capital would be used to appoint a CEO and operational team, expand manufacturing capacity, increase inventory, support Amazon and direct-to-consumer growth and build the commercial capability needed to pursue wholesale and physical retail distribution.
It would also support the plan to hold stock in key international markets as the business moves from a single-market test into a broader export platform.
Professor Paul says the company is seeking a strategic investor who can bring commercial capability and market access, rather than passive capital alone.
“The business has reached the point where the limitation is no longer whether there is demand. The limitation is whether we can manufacture enough, hold enough inventory and build the team needed to support larger channels.
“The right investor is likely to be someone who understands the US market, consumer health, pharmacy, ecommerce or retail distribution,” he says.
While the formulation was developed from New Zealand-based research, the product is manufactured in the US to meet regulatory requirements and supply its largest market more efficiently.
The company currently operates an eight-product portfolio spanning sun protection, anti-ageing, brightening and skin barrier repair. It is also progressing a second mineral SPF product through the FDA OTC registration process.
Professor Paul says the regulatory status gives the business a stronger base for expansion into health and retail channels.
“In the US, sunscreen sits in a regulated category. That makes the process more demanding, but it also gives a product greater credibility when it meets the required standard,” he says.
“For us, the FDA registration creates a platform for conversations beyond e-commerce. It gives the company the ability to look at pharmacies, dermatology clinics, healthcare partnerships and larger retailers that require properly registered inventory.”
Investor material forecasts revenue growth from around NZ$980,000 in FY26 to NZ$16.5 million by FY31 under its funded upside scenario, supported by capacity expansion, channel diversification and new product development.
About Dr Sharad Paul:
Dr Paul has treated over 100,000 skin cancer patients and is a world leader and academic in all aspects of skin cancer treatment and research into sunscreens and UV damage. Based in New Zealand, he has lectured and published widely on skin cancer medicine and surgical procedures. He is the author of popular bestsellers, Skin, A Biography (4th Estate) and The Genetics of Health (Simon and Schuster), and has a feature TED talk. He was awarded the New Zealand Medical Association’s highest honour, only awarded to one doctor across all specialities at any one time. He was also a finalist for the New Zealander of the Year Award, and has featured in TIME magazine.