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How Dermazen Grew from a DIY Serum to Nearly 8 Figures by Overdelivering to Their Niche
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What if the secret to an iconic beauty brand lies in a Reddit post, a few failed experiments, and a relentless drive to serve a community?
In this episode of Beauty and the Brand, Aggie sits down with Austin Beals, co-founder and CEO of Dermazen, a DTC skincare brand born out of a decade-long battle with seborrheic dermatitis. Austin shares how his personal skin struggles led to a breakthrough product, and how that formula—originally posted for free online—sparked a movement and a business now on the cusp of 8-figure growth. You’ll learn how Austin used customer feedback loops, educational marketing, and biofilm-busting skincare science to build a loyal base of raving fans (without big ad budgets or fancy labs). Whether you're DIY-ing your first formula or dreaming of becoming a category leader, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways for founders ready to grow with intention, impact, and innovation.
Chapters:
- 00:00:00 - When Ads Actually Work: The Power of Raw, Real Moments
- 00:01:22 - Meet Austin Beals: From Digital Marketer to Dermazen CEO
- 00:02:30 - 10 Years of Flare-Ups: My Battle With Seborrheic Dermatitis
- 00:05:23 - A Kitchen Breakthrough: The Formula That Finally Worked
- 00:18:39 - How a Skin Crisis Sparked the Dermazen Mission
- 00:25:54 - From Free Samples to a Fast-Growing Brand
- 00:32:54 - Why You Need 30+ Versions of the Same Ad
- 00:34:46 - Emails That Convert: Dermazen’s Retention Engine
- 00:35:45 - Trust First, Revenue Follows: Our Customer Philosophy
- 00:37:46 - Vulnerability Converts: What We’ve Learned About Authentic Ads
- 00:43:17 - Speak to Their Pain: Messaging That Builds Movements
- 00:47:45 - Scaling Without Compromise: The Growth Journey
- 00:53:05 - The Product That Took 20 Iterations to Get Right
- 01:02:29 - What’s Next: Partnerships, Products, and Serving More People
- 01:04:59 - Final Words for Founders: Start Messy, Stay Focused
Links and Resources:
- Website
- Austin on LinkedIn
- Aggie on LinkedIn
- AB Creative
- Aggie on Instagram
Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!
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