How a Northern skincare brand grew from one small discovery into a global success

Sometimes, the next big thing in beauty doesn’t come from a major lab or multinational – it comes from an unexpected breakthrough, a local market stall, and a founder determined to do things differently.

It’s not every day that a major skincare breakthrough comes out of the North, but for Nic Taylor, founder of 47 Skin, the journey from personal struggle to business success began with a pot of cream in the post—and an unshakeable hunch that something big was hidden inside it.

“I’d had skin issues for most of my adult life,” Nic explains. “When I was younger, I didn’t think too much of it, but by the time I was working in my first job after university, it really started to affect my confidence. I was constantly trying to hide my face, and I just couldn’t find anything that worked long-term.”

That changed thanks to an unexpected intervention from his grandmother, who sent him a locally made product she’d picked up on a Huddersfield market stall. “She popped it in the post with a handwritten note,” he says. “It wasn’t in branded packaging or anything, and I didn’t think much of it at the time. But when I finally used it, the results were pretty immediate. My skin felt calmer, more hydrated—and it looked healthier than it had in years.”

That cream contained what would eventually become 47 Skin’s trademark ingredient: Silver Chitoderm®. Developed by Yorkshire scientists during a water purification research project, the compound was originally designed for entirely different purposes. But when mass production proved impractical, the formula was quietly shelved—until Nic discovered it could have game-changing effects in skincare.

The product’s impact on his own skin was so transformative, he spent the next year trying to find its creators. “At first, I thought it must have come from overseas,” he says. “But then I discovered the scientist who’d created it was based just a couple of hours away. We met up, and the more I learned, the more I knew this had huge potential.”

Together, they patented the formula and began developing what would become 47 Skin—a direct-to-consumer skincare brand with a mission to offer high-performance, simplified routines for real people.

The brand launched in 2018 and has grown steadily through a combination of product effectiveness, word-of-mouth advocacy and a highly engaged customer base. “It’s been entirely bootstrapped,” Nic notes. “No huge marketing budget, no celebrity backing. Just real people using products that work for them.”

That authenticity appears to be paying off. In 2024, 47 Skin was named one of the UK’s 100 fastest-growing companies in The Sunday Times list—a rare honour for a business still independently owned and rooted in the North.

“It was a real moment for us,” Nic reflects. “When you’re in the day-to-day of building a business, especially outside London, it’s easy to feel like you’re under the radar. That recognition showed us we were doing something right.”

At the core of 47 Skin’s offering is a streamlined selection of skincare staples—cleansers, serums and masks—all featuring Silver Chitoderm®, a compound that is both antibacterial and hydrating. Clinical testing has shown it to be effective in neutralising skin-disrupting bacteria while helping to restore balance and comfort across different skin types.

Nic is quick to note that 47 Skin avoids overpromising. “There’s so much noise in the beauty space,” he says. “Our philosophy is: use good science, make it simple, and stay transparent. People don’t want ten-step routines—they want something that works and fits into their day.”

And people do seem to be sticking with it. The brand regularly receives unsolicited praise from its loyal customer base. “We get messages every week from people saying they’ve tried everything else and finally found something that helps,” Nic adds. “That’s what keeps us going.”

As for the Northern connection, Nic sees it as part of the brand’s DNA rather than a marketing tool. “We’re proud of where we started,” he says. “The science behind the product came from here, I’m from here, and the company is still based here. But ultimately, our mission is about helping people feel comfortable in their skin—no matter where they’re from.”