From Korea, With Love
We’re Kayla and Lisa, two friends who started Soon Skincare to bring the excitement and innovation of Korean skincare to everyone. In Korean, soon means smooth and pure, which perfectly describes how we want our products to make your skin feel. It also happens to be Lisa’s grandmother’s name, a woman born and raised in Korea and completely dedicated to her skincare routine.
Our journey to become Soon Skincare started before we even knew. Growing up, Kayla suffered from severe cystic acne, which introduced her to professional skincare at a young age. As she got older, she began to care more about using clean, high-quality ingredients in her routine.
Flash forward to a trip to Puerto Vallarta years later. A few of our girlfriends joined us, and Kayla researched Korean sheet masks to bring for a relaxing girls’ night. What we got was bad smelling, poorly fitting, confusing masks that slid off our faces. The experience, while hysterical, left much to be desired…especially when it came to results.
We knew we could do better and that women wanted more from their masks. After continuing to research, Kayla paired her ingredients know-how and personal experiences to come up with Soon Skincare. Korean skincare is on the forefront of innovation and with family ties to the region Lisa was immediately on board. Countless trips to Korea later, we’ve created a line of products that unites accessible skincare with visible results.
Now, we spend our days dividing and conquering to bring the beauty and culture of Korean skincare to women all around the world. Lisa manages our strategic partners at home and abroad and oversees our customer service team, so you always have a great experience with Soon Skincare. Kayla manages the day-to-day operations, our team of chemists and research and development, formulating with ingredients that your skin loves and you can feel good about using. Because to us, skincare isn’t just part of a routine. It’s an act of honoring your body.
XO,
Kayla and Lisa
Meet Kayla & Lisa:
Kayla Bertagna
Co-Founder of Soon Skincare
Why did you start Soon Skincare?
I had the worst cystic acne when I was younger. That made me learn quickly that good skin and good skincare REALLY make a difference in life. I have always been aware of skincare trends and new products, so when I planned a girls' trip with some friends I knew I wanted to try out some Korean sheet masks. I had heard so much about Korean skincare: the new technologies, the amazing ingredients, and their innovative, groundbreaking ideas. When our experience was complicated and didn't live up to the hype, I knew that I could make a product that hit those targets. So we took a leap and now we have Soon: Korean skincare blended with clean, clinical-grade ingredients and the best of Korean technology. Simplified.
What are your day to day responsibilities with the company?
I oversee all operations: all research and development, our chemists and product development teams, the finance team and supply chain. What that really means is I answer a lot of emails, attend a lot of meetings, and test out a lot of new product!
What is the best beauty advice you've ever received?
SUNSCREEN, one that is a Broad Spectrum SPF of at least 30.
What do you care about most when developing products?They must contain the highest quality, skin-loving ingredients and keep with our philosophy that maintaining a skincare regimen does not have to be complicated or a lot of steps to be effective. They should fit into the reality of everyday life. That's why paying attention most to the little details (such as designing our sheet mask with slits on the side to easily adapt to the curves and nuances of individuals faces and actually stay on) is so important. Ingredients, delivery systems and practical application/function all working in combination with one another - this is my obsession with product development.
What's an ordinary day outside the office for you?
Honestly, an ordinary day outside the office might be busier than a full-time day with Soon. I get woken up by my 5 year old somewhere in the 4-6AM range. (Nothing like our Golden Eye 24k hydrogel eye patches to keep those under eye bags away)! Then, I make 5 different breakfasts for my 5 kids who each have very *specific* tastes. After doing 5 little heads of hair, liberally applying sunscreen to 5 little faces and bodies, and packing enough snacks to feed a small army, my kids and I love to get out of the house. We go on hikes, bike rides, swimming (pool or ocean- we're not picky), petting zoos and parks, and trips to try the yummiest new treat. I've even taken all 5 of them skiing by myself. When we're not outside we're inside practicing reading, doing math worksheets, practicing the piano, and playing dress-up. After a crazy day full of laughter, conversations, sharing, some yelling, and a likely few tears, it's dinner, bath time, books, songs, and bed. Oh, and the kids have a nighttime routine too ;)
Lisa Ballstaedt
Co-Founder of Soon Skincare
What are your day to day responsibilities with the company?
One of the best things about being a startup is roles are always evolving and changing. Currently I oversee our business collaborations, and the customer experience, more specifically making sure it's a positive one. I do that along with filling any other gaps that need to be taken care of. There is something very rewarding about starting this company with Kayla, and as we grow, adding new people to our team who bring their own experience and talents. I love seeing how they grow a role that was initially filled by one of us.
What is Soon's skincare philosophy?
We want people to feel confident and beautiful in their own skin, and to do so in a way that fits into the practical multi-tasking, on-the-go lifestyles we all have. Skincare does not have to be complicated, complex and a lot of steps to be effective. And it should be fun. Packaging that you gravitate towards, that says "pick me! use me" because we know the best products (with clean, cruelty-free ingredients) are the ones that you use consistently.
What is your advice to someone to help stick with a skincare regimen?
Just like a lot of the best things in life, with skincare you get out of it what you put into it. When I think of skincare more as a lifestyle that I'm committing to, it helps me stay consistent. Also once you start seeing the results from continuous use, it makes it so you never want to stop!
What's an ordinary day outside the office for you?
A day outside the office is one where I get to hang out with my kids and get things done around the house so I'm ready for the week. If there is some kind of outdoor activity and a tasty meal mixed in there it's even better.
What is the best beauty advice you've ever received?
The best beauty advice I've received wasn't spoken, it was observed. My paternal grandma, Soon, who both I and our company are named after (my middle name is Soon) always took care of her skin. For any birthday or holiday gift she would ask her kids to jointly buy her favorite skincare products. She would rather get one high quality product, than a few ones that weren't as effective. She was also very good about staying out of the sun, and it showed! As she aged, she did so gracefully, right up until she passed away. I know she would be thrilled to have a skincare line named after her. My grandpa once told me that when he misses her, he just looks at me and he sees her in me. If I look half as good in my 60s as she did, I'll be happy!
