When See New Skincare burst onto the subscription box scene in 2018, it quickly became known for showcasing performance-driven, vegan, and cruelty-free brands.
Inside its chic packaging, subscribers receive with an assortment of products from a singular line that work in a routine, allowing skincare fans to really get to know brands with a single delivery. My Subscription Addiction recently spoke with founder Bryn Gabriel to learn more about how the cult favorite box came to be.
A Beginning Rooted in Curiosity and Instinct
See New Skincare started with a gut feeling.
"We thought of the idea [for See New Skincare] in college and just fell in love with it, but then kind of stopped talking about it. Then we actually moved to Thailand for six months. [My partner Austin Trefts] had an internship there and just wasn't super into it. And we couldn't stop thinking about See New," Bryn recently told us.
"We were still in college when we started See New and we dropped out to do this and we are so happy that we did. It's been the coolest thing, but we really just didn't know a lot and we didn't really understand."
Realizing they had a lot to learn about skincare, Bryn and Austin quickly started visiting factories and soaking up all the knowledge they could to bring their idea for See New to life.
They shared a deep interest in holistic and natural products, and they were fully invested in the ritual of good skincare and mindful self-care. They soon realized what the market was missing: A skincare box that offered subscribers the chance to explore a brand via its full-size products.
When See New decided to include 4-6 full-size formulas from the same brand in each shipment, it was something that appealed to both the naturally curious and skincare-obsessed. Subscribers and brands loved it.
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A Mindful and Personal Product Selection Process
Since Bryn and Austin were already particular about the types of products they used themselves, they created a thorough vetting process for the formulas that would end up in See New.
Inside this box, you'll find offerings that are vegan, cruelty-free, and organized into a complete routine that spotlights the best the brand has to offer.
"We have a very strategic interview process with our brands and we completely go through the list of their ingredients which I think that we've done a really good job of. You can really tell a lot by just, you know, talking to someone and seeing what their core values are and just making sure that we can see the traceability and where ingredients are coming from, that's kind of the biggest thing. Just being transparent."
See New also keeps their broad audience in mind while selecting brands and products and places an emphasis on the formulas being appropriate for all skin types. And Bryn and Austin test-drive every single one before it ends up on your doorstep.
A True Small Business
When you sign up for a See New subscription, it would be easy to imagine a large-scale operation, if only for the totally polished experience of opening one of their boxes and their stunning website, but the reality is that See New is run by a small and very close team.
In addition to being a founder, Austin is also the shipping manager, and he packages and hand ships the boxes himself. "I'm in Seattle. Austin's in Denver. So he does all the shipping. He packages all of it, which is awesome," Bryan explained. "I'll go out there for little boxing parties."
Bryn has a background in marketing and moonlights as a photographer. Her expertly compositions can be seen across the entire See New site. And the beautiful handwritten notes packaged inside each box? Those are all lovingly written by Austin's mom.
"Our moms help so much with everything. It's unbelievable," Bryn added.
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Looking to the Future
What's next for See New? Well, for starters, a new shop on the site filled with hand-curated lifestyle, wellness, and beauty items.
"We're launching a store. All of our subscribers will get 20% off in the store for all products. It's going to be very lifestyle and wellness curated. So we're really excited," Bryn explained.
Want more See New? Check out their newly launched blog here.
About See New Skincare Box
The Cost: $47/box bi-monthly OR quarterly. Sign up here.
The Products: Full-size green, cruelty-free, and sustainably sourced beauty and skincare products.
Ships to: The U.S. for free
Check out our See New reviews & details to learn more!
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