Marc Elrick has always been driven by a desire to change the way people see themselves through beauty.
Seven years after he created Future Beauty Labs in 2015—through which he launched category-leading brands across some of the world’s largest beauty retailers—the Glaswegian entrepreneur entered the world of skincare, and the now-cult skincare brand, BYOMA was born in 2022.
BYOMA aims to democratise skincare and brings conversations about the skin barrier into the mainstream. Ahead of the brand’s launch into Sephora Down Under, Marc took the time to share his beauty tips, tricks and memories with Cosmopolitan Australia.
Related: Drops of Wisdom With Hunter Schafer
drops of wisdom...
My first formative beauty memory is…
A moment that really stands out to me is the first time I visited a Sephora store. I was so inspired by being surrounded by brands that all worked towards the same vision of inspiring creativity and inclusivity—empowering consumers to be the most authentic version of themselves.
If I could tell my younger self one thing about beauty, it would be…
Expensive doesn’t equal effective! Efficacious products are the new luxury.
When I created BYOMA, I didn’t want price to be a barrier to great skincare. Everything we do as a brand is vertically integrated. We source our own ingredients, packaging, etc. which allows us to keep costs down so we can continue to be accessible and affordable.
In addition, we launch wide, leveraging our strong retail partnerships—like our relationship with Sephora—to help keep our brand affordable.
My cold-weather skincare MVPs are...
This is like asking me to pick my favourite child! BYOMA has so many great products for year-round but some of the ones I find myself reaching for in the colder months are:
- Hydrating Serum: such an amazing all-rounder that all skin types can
benefit from—it combines squalane and glycerin with our tri-ceramide
complex to deliver multi-level hydration, it feels amazing on the skin - Barrier+ Repair Treatment: the ultimate moisturiser for dry, irritated skin—it
combines Avocado Oil, Ectoin and Squalane to deliver instant relief and
lasting hydration while strengthening skin barrier - LIPTIDE Lip Mask: this is an ultra-hydrating mask infused with our peptide-rich LIPTIDE complex to repair & restore dry lips. Wear overnight or apply throughout the day to combat dry, cracked lips.
A good skincare regimen is...
A good skincare routine is one that works for you and most importantly, protects and maintains your skin barrier.
When creating BYOMA, I wanted to cut through the confusion people were experiencing when researching, buying and using skincare. I think we can all agree that while there’s more information out there than ever, it’s still hard to understand what are the right products to be using for your skin and when in your routine to use them. That’s why we created our revolutionary five step system, located right on our packaging—you’ll also see this system to help guide routine-building when discovering the brand in store and on our social channels:
STEP 1: Cleanse
STEP 2: Tone
STEP 3: Treat
STEP 4: Moisturise
STEP 5: Protect
We also decode our ingredients list on the side of our packaging, which is something that really excites me—so you know exactly what goes into our formulas as well as the function they serve. We really seek to empower the consumer by helping them to make smart, informed choices when it comes to skincare.
If you take one piece of skincare advice from me, let it be...
Stop over-exfoliating and over-treating for overnight results!
BYOMA was developed in 2022 when people were people were playing chemist at home, experimenting with actives and over-treating/over-exfoliating their skin—breaking their barriers for short term results.
What most people don’t realise is that things like dryness, redness, acne—these are all signs of a compromised skin barrier. At the same time, many people associate these skin concerns with the need to exfoliate.
With BYOMA, we want people to understand it’s possible to get targeted, clinically effective results while still protecting and strengthening the skin barrier. These things are no longer mutually exclusive.
One thing I wish more people knew about the skin barrier is...
That great skin starts with a healthy skin barrier! The skin barrier serves as a literal barrier between your body and outside world. It helps keep your skin healthy by preventing water from leaving and harmful aggressors from entering your skin. We can damage our skin barrier through improper or strong skincare, UV damage, harsh weather, pollution etc. This leads to symptoms like dryness, irritation, blemishes and skin sensitivity.
You will find a barrier building complex in every single BYOMA formula, so no matter if you’re using a cleanser, a toner, a treatment, a moisturiser or a LIPTIDE, you will get those amazing barrier building benefits we’re known for.
The best thing about running a beauty brand is...
I love beauty and my dream has always been to inspire positive change in the industry—that’s how BYOMA was born in 2022.
My goal for BYOMA from the start was to champion clinically proven science and innovation by democratising skincare, simplifying it and making it accessible to all. I want to empower all of YOU to make smarter, more informed and educated choices when it comes to YOUR skin, and BYOMA allows me to do that.
The career milestone I'm most proud of is...
Our launch with Sephora in Australia and New Zealand has been our biggest launch yet. Since BYOMA launched, we have been inundated with requests from our community to bring our science backed, clinically effective formulas Down Under. The response in just a couple of weeks since launch has been incredible and we’ve already received so much positive feedback—I can’t wait to continue empowering our community and boosting barriers in Australia and New Zealand.
The best skincare tip I've ever been given is...
Wear SPF every single day—rain or shine, it’s my absolute essential. SPF is your BFF!
If I could give aspiring beauty founders any advice, it would be…
Trust your vision! You have to believe in what you’re doing or nobody else will. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my passion—follow what feels authentic and good for you!
