Dr Courtney Rubin of Fig.1 co-founded her brand in 2021 after multiple requests from her in-clinic patients. Now the affordable, efficacious label has gone global, counting itself as one of the newest brands to land at Mecca.
As a beauty editor, it feels like a new skincare range lands on
Some are lovingly blended by hand in kitchens and produced in small batches, while others are laboratory-tested for years before winding up on the shelves at a big-name department store.
Then there are others still, that utilise the latest innovations in skincare but won’t cause you to take out a second mortgage when it comes time to pull out your wallet.
This is precisely the space that Fig.1 plays in — affordable yet efficacious.
As one of the newest brands to land at Mecca stores across Australasia this month, the female-founded skincare line is headed up by Dr Courtney Rubin, a Harvard dermatologist who sought to develop a selection of skincare that included ingredients she knew and trusted from her time at a clinical practice.
What culminated was Fig.1, a line of science-backed skincare which sees performance-driven formulas housed in playful packaging, and priced from $41. But is it any good? Trust us, we’ve tried it.
In this Viva exclusive, Dr Courtney Rubin of Fig.1 shares how she takes on consumer feedback when dreaming up her next product, the thought process behind her three-step retinol system, and why she believes there’s room in every medicine cabinet for Fig.1.
ASHLEIGH COMETTI: One of the things that strikes me about your brand is your efforts to democratise beauty. Why was it so important to you to formulate a line of skincare that was both accessible and efficacious?
DR RUBIN: As a dermatologist, I answer questions about skincare and skin concerns every day. What I noticed in my clinical practice was a big gap between my patients — who are looking for affordable and efficacious skincare — and the many “professional” skincare brands with great formulations, but at a really prohibitive price point. I want my patients to have access to skincare that actually works, at an affordable price that doesn’t mean saving up multiple paycheques.
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Advertise with NZME.I know skincare can work when it’s formulated with ingredients that I know and trust, with clinical data to back up the claims. Fig.1 was born from the realisation that I wasn’t finding anything like this in the market, and I wanted to fill the gap.
AC: There are two people to thank for the smooth running of Fig.1 — yourself, along with Kimmy Scotti. How did the two of you meet and where did the drive to work together stem from?
DR: I was introduced to Kimmy after I started networking; I got the word out that I was interested in utilising my clinical expertise in the skincare arena. I was lucky to learn that Kimmy was looking for a potential partner with expertise in skincare and skin physiology.
She wanted to reimagine the kind of quality that could be delivered in the affordable skincare space, and once we met we immediately clicked — we’d both identified the same white space in the market and had the same dream of creating a technical, performance skincare brand at an accessible price point.
From there, it was off to the races! We built the brand and developed the formulations (all from scratch) together during Covid (an experience filled with its own challenges and learnings) and launched in June 2021.
AC: Fig.1 is completely refillable. Do you believe this is the future of skincare? If brands don’t innovate and adopt a refillable model moving forward, do you believe they’ll be left behind?
DR: I believe that environmentally-conscious packaging is the future. It’s no secret that the environmental impact of single-use packaging, packaging waste and global consumerism has landed us in a bad spot. Luckily, I see many brands (Fig.1 included) moving towards new packaging innovation in an effort to reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills.
Much of this innovation is driven by consumer behaviour — consumers want to support brands that are trying to reduce their environmental footprint and make planet-friendly decisions. There’s no perfect solution.
I’m hopeful consumer interest will put pressure on suppliers and brands to do more research in the sustainability space, and we will see more innovation and creativity in material science. Ideally, skincare packaging will truly leave nothing behind.
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Advertise with NZME.AC: How involved are you in the product development process these days? Where do you find inspiration when dreaming up the next product to add to your range?
DR: I am involved in every aspect of the product development process, from brainstorming the Fig.1 product pipeline, to honing product briefs, identifying molecules of interest, testing and revising lab samples, developing protocols for clinical testing, and educating the team and our partners on how products should be used by consumers. I am intimately involved with our formulas from start to finish, which both ensures that our products meet a high threshold for excellence in quality, and also makes our brand really unique.
My inspiration for new products usually comes from my clinical experience with my own patients. I’m lucky to have an active clinical practice where I get to hear from patients directly about their skincare goals, concerns and frustrations. This really keeps my finger on the pulse of where there are big gaps and unmet needs in the skincare market — there’s nothing more gratifying than hearing the same frustration over and over again, and then creating a product to solve it.
One of the best examples of this is our Ceramide Moisturiser. I always hear from my acne-prone patients that their moisturisers are too sticky, heavy or occlusive. But, acneic skin needs moisture. Our Ceramide Moisturiser is formulated to achieve 24-hour hydration, while being extremely fast-absorbing and lightweight, and layering easily under makeup and SPF without pilling.
AC: You’ve aligned Fig.1 with a board of dermatologists. Why was it important to you to connect with these key opinion leaders?
DR: Because formulation excellence and quality have always been at the heart of our brand, I knew from the start that I would build a board of dermatologist KOLs (key opinion leaders) to help support me and the brand as we grow.
Our KOLs are recognised as world-class dermatologists and come from some of the best academic institutions in the US - UPenn, Harvard, and Stanford, for example - where they are actively involved in research, innovation and shaping the future of our speciality.
One of our KOLs, Dr. Susan Taylor, has recently been elected as president of the American Academy of Dermatology, the biggest, most influential dermatology professional organisation in the country. Many of these KOLs have been my personal mentors from when I was a trainee, and I am so grateful for their support and insights that have been an integral part of shaping our formulation strategy.
AC: We’re so excited to experience Fig.1 when it launches at Mecca. What makes your brand stand out in a cluttered skincare market?
DR: We believe that performance skincare, priced for everyday use, is the key to efficacy, beginning with our Retinol Night Cream Level-Up System. Retinol is the holy grail of performance skincare because it helps to soften, smooth and brighten the skin. But at higher concentrations, it can cause “retinisation,” which looks like dry, red or irritated skin. Our unique system offers multiple different concentrations of retinol, which allows customers to customise their retinol journey and gradually increase their tolerance without any pesky side effects. Minimise irritation, maximise results!
Retinol Night Cream No. 1 contains 0.15 per cent encapsulated retinol, the perfect introductory level for those who have never used retinol or other vitamin A derivatives before. Retinol Night Cream No. 2 contains 0.3 per cent encapsulated retinol, which is an intermediate level of retinol, and Retinol Night Cream No. 3 features our highest concentration of retinol yet at 0.6 per cent (which is equivalent to a prescription-strength retinoid).
We believe this is the first consumer-friendly retinol system on the market; it’s available in retail and price-accessible, and is clinically proven to show anti-ageing and firming benefits.
AC: What’s been one piece of business advice that has carried you through your entrepreneurial journey so far?
DR: “Remember why you started.” Whenever we have a tough decision to make, it has always been helpful to remember that our first priority has
- and always will be - meeting the needs of the consumer and giving them the quality and accessibility they deserve.
AC: Viva readers always love to know which products brand founders actually use themselves, can you talk me through your daily skincare routine?
DR: This is a great question because I ONLY make skincare products that I want to use on my own skin, and my routine is pretty much entirely Fig.1.
In the morning, I cleanse with the Gentle Cream Cleanser, apply the Vitamin C 15% Treatment and follow with the Ceramide Moisturiser and Vitamin C Eye Cream to lock in all my active ingredients. I always, always finish with an SPF 50 mineral-based sunscreen.
In the evening, I remove my makeup and sunscreen with a double-cleanse: the Micellar Oil Cleanser followed by the Clarifying Gel Cleanser. I then use our Retinol Night Cream (Level 3!) and Pro-Retinol Eye Cream. Like everyone else, I started with Level 1 and worked my way up to Level 3.
I like to customise my skincare to the seasons, too. In the winter, I’ll also add in the Hydrating and Balancing Toner when I need an extra shot of moisture. In the summer, if my skin is feeling really oily or congested, I’ll add in the Glycolic Glow Treatment one or two nights per week.
AC: Looking ahead now, what’s next for the Fig.1 brand in 2025 and beyond?
DR: We are a relatively young brand and there are still lots of people who haven’t met us yet! I’m really excited for Fig.1′s expansion, both globally and into different retail channels.
I’m confident that there is a place for at least one Fig.1 product in almost everyone’s medicine cabinet. Once you try our products, I know you’ll fall in love with the effectiveness of the formulas, the way they seamlessly integrate into your existing skincare routine, and how beautiful and innovative our packaging is.
Fig.1 is available exclusively in Aotearoa from Mecca, or online at Meccabeauty.co.nz.
Ashleigh Cometti is an Auckland-based beauty journalist with more than 12 years’ experience in the industry. After joining the Viva team in 2018 and being appointed as beauty editor in 2020, Ash has fine-tuned her skills at sniffing out new fragrance launches, discovering the next generation of talented makeup artists, and writing about all things that feed her obsession as a skincare fanatic.
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