Things are looking bright for Westman Atelier’s skin care business, literally.
The brand, co-founded by husband-and-wife duo Gucci Westman and David Neville, is launching its second skincare range. This serum, called Suprême C, is made up of a single ingredient: 100% THD ascorbic acid, a type of vitamin C. It goes on sale Friday on the brand’s website for $325.
Westman said he first tried the hero ingredient many years ago and was drawn to both the texture and its effects and decided to bottle it. “Providing premium vitamin C at this level is very difficult and requires several steps,” she says. “Vitamin C is very difficult to work with, it’s not always easy to keep it stable, and it’s also very aggressive as an ingredient. It’s made in Japan, but it has a large molecular weight, so it’s actually an oil.
She started by researching her own skin concerns, including extremely sensitive skin and hyperpigmentation. Her goal was to create products that were as gentle as they were brightening her skin. “[Suprême C] Once it reaches your skin, your skin’s natural enzymes convert it into 100 percent L-ascorbic acid, transforming your own skin. That helped us stay calm,” Westman continued.
The packaging is similar in format to the brand’s first skin activator serum, which debuted last year, but in a metallic champagne shade. “We created an antique silver feel with pressed skin care powder. It’s luxurious, refillable, and comes in this beautiful champagne-colored container,” Westman said. “It’s not an over-the-top package, it’s part of your day, and it feels very unisex.”
Although this method is simple, it is expensive when considering raw material costs. Westman didn’t care that it was more important to push the envelope with innovation than to sacrifice performance to lower costs.
“We’re doing what we think is right for the brand, and it’s like an investment in the whole thing from us and our team,” she said. “We have this idea of creating things that have never been seen before, creating things that have never been seen before, and always improving what we do. I have no intention of doing so.”
Supreme C joins an assortment of brands that span a variety of categories, price points, and distribution. Earlier this year, the company further expanded its Sephora doors and introduced miniature sizes to its retail stores. The company recently launched its first lipstick for $50 each.
“It’s about Gucci’s curation. These tasks take a lot of time, but every product has an inherent seal of approval from Gucci,” Neville said. “We are obviously excited about what more we can do in skin care based on the performance of skin activators and how much it will contribute to our business.”
Industry insiders expect Supreme C to reach $2.5 million in wholesale sales in its first year on the market. The company wouldn’t comment on the estimate, but Neville said the brand’s skin care business has quickly grown to account for sales.
“We have continued to see strong growth year-to-date with key lipstick and new lipstick launches. Building on the positive reception of our skin activators, we will continue to strengthen our business and launch new skin care products. We would like to expand our product selection,” Neville said. “With the launch of Supreme C, the penetration rate of our skin care business is expected to exceed 10%.”
