After Coronavirus Shakeup, Dr. Woo Launches Skin-care Line
As the dust from the coronavirus pandemic fallout settles, tattoo artist Dr. Woo and business partner Miguel Garcia are prepping for the launch of Woo, the founder’s eponymous skin-care line.
The full line was initially slated for release earlier this year, but was postponed following the onset of COVID-19. Instead, Dr. Woo launched the line with a single product, Daily Gentle Soap, donating all net profits to the charity Baby2baby. The line will expand next week with a Gentle Hand Sanitizer and a Daily After/care Kit, which includes a soap and a moisturizer. Prices range from $10 to $42.
As Woo exclusively builds its direct-to-consumer channel on Projectwoo.co, industry sources predict the line to generate between $2 million and $2.5 million in retail sales by the end of 2021.
“From a business standpoint, it’s a matter of pivoting and finding solutions,” Dr. Woo said of the launch. One such pivot included Woo’s partnership with Hornitos tequila, which provided funds for the brand’s launch. He also said the philanthropic component, started by his partnership with Baby2baby, would continue to be a key priority for the brand.
Woo, which launched with two stockkeeping units, has rapid plans for expansion, including its first SPF out this fall. “For 2020, we’re looking at a lineup of six to seven products, and then we want to expand in 2021 to a full line for protective skin,” Garcia said.
The brand, which has been in the works for the past three years, isn’t just for those with tattoos. Garcia said he and Dr. Woo wanted to “start at a niche area that’s also big, although it’s small compared to the idea of what skin care can provide.”
“Roughly 60 to 65 percent of Millennials and Generation Z has at least one tattoo,” Garcia said. He also highlighted that Woo’s minimalist approach to formulating — the tattoo aftercare soap is made with a total of five ingredients — is good for all sensitive skin types, not just those with tattoos.
“We wanted to utilize that kernel of the aspect of tattoos, but bring it to a broader audience,” Garcia said.
Dr. Woo ultimately agreed a more pared-back ingredient list made for a more versatile product. “It was important for me to have an essential product. It wasn’t supposed to be targeted for one specific demographic. If it is clean and simple enough for helping and aiding in the recovery of a tattoo, it’s going to be amazing for everybody’s skin,” he said.
For more from WWD.com, see:
Beauty’s Creative Pros in the Time of a Pandemic
By the Numbers: Millennial and Gen Z Invest in Beauty
Credo Beauty Aims for More Shades in Clean Makeup With Private Label Launch
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