By Mark Grassick
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The founder of Peace Out Skincare tells us about his anti-acne discovery and his own skincare routine. Pick any skin condition and we can guarantee you that it comes with its own overwhelming range of specialist products, all supposedly essential.
Whether you’re one of the 60 million people in the US with acne or someone who spends their days trying to fight off the dry, red hallmarks of seborrheic dermatitis, we’re pretty sure you’ll have accumulated a bathroom cabinet stuffed with products that claimed to be your savior.
Enrico Frezza feels your pain. But his frustration with ineffectual or slow-working acne products led the LA-based entrepreneur to get creative, trying out different approaches until he finally found a magic formula that actually got to the root of the problem.
That approach, a combination of hydrocolloid bandages and anti-acne ingredients, became Peace Out skincare, an anti-acne product that has earned rave reviews and feels tailor-made for the millennial generation.
We caught up with Enrico for a few questions about Peace Out skincare and his own skincare regime.
A lot of people think about starting their own business or have a great idea for a product. What was it that actually made you follow through on your idea for Peace Out skincare?
I couldn’t find anything to help my breakouts and I got tired of trying everything under the sun. I got tired of letting my breakouts rob me of my self-esteem and happiness.
I made it my mission to create Peace Out Acne, which consequently turned into us creating a lifestyle brand that works to offer easy one-step solutions for skin imperfections.
We’ve built a powerful skin positive community within just one year of launching.
Was there a big career transition in starting your own company?
Yes, it was a super big change, a whole different industry and lifestyle. I used to work in computers so I had to totally rewire my brain to change to skincare.
How many products do you think you went through in your search for something to control your acne?
I basically have a mini beauty store in my house! I easily tried 200 products a month. I test everything on myself or my husband, but that involved me having to bribe him with grub hub.
How did you arrive at the idea to use hydrocolloid bandages?
After experimenting with trying hundreds of acne products, and mixing acne products with bandages of every type. It was the only product that really worked, and it was so easy and simple to use. I just knew it would be perfect for everyone’s skin.
You said you met with a lot of resistance from laboratories when you wanted to test the product. What was it that they were opposed to?
No one had ever done it before so the labs were very skeptical that it would actually work. It is not easy to mix hydrocolloid dressing with active ingredients, so there were definitely some big concerns, but I pushed and pushed. It took over 15 prototypes but we did it. Peace Out Acne was my first baby!
Where do you see the brand going in the next few years?
We are going to explode the brand in the next few years. We have a pipeline of super innovative products that are currently in development and that we are actively developing to take us into 2022 and beyond, our newest baby is Peace Out Puffy Eyes which in its first week is a best seller and in the #1 spot for patch treatments on Sephora.com.
Peace Out Puffy Eyes was developed from the most advanced bio-cellulose stem cellular technology to bring the ultimate emergency fix for puffiness, dullness and dark circles, in just 20 minutes!!!
We are launching in Europe and we’re building out our social media and lifestyle platforms big time to keep expanding our messages of skin positivity and being your true self.
Peace Out is a part of the Trans Cosmetic Donation Program, which we’ve been featuring on Dapper Confidential this month. What was it about this cause that led you to get involved?
It was a no brainer. At the brands core, Peace Out skincare is about promoting positivity, support and helping people be their best true self.
I am a firm believer that as you succeed you should always give back in ways that can help others succeed and feel powerful and beautiful.
Are there any brands that served as an inspiration for Peace Out skincare?
Absolutely. I admire other beauty brands like Glossier, Drunk Elephant, Tatcha and Deciem. I think what they are doing, from their packing to their products, is really inspiring. And Sephora of course!
What’s your skin routine like, apart from using Peace Out skincare, of course?
In the morning, I use a cleansing gel, toner, antioxidant serum, oil-free moisturizer and an oil-free SPF. Then at night I use cleansing gel, toner and oil-free moisturizer again and either glycolic serum or Retin A.
I alternate these every other week. And once a week I’ll use an AHA/BHA mask and a clay mask.
Learn more at Peace Out Skincare or follow on Instagram
Mark Grassick joins us with over 17 years' experience as a journalist covering pop culture in the UK and Ireland. He's interviewed everyone from Alan Rickman to Iron Maiden and is currently a bearded, music-mad father of two and husband of one residing in London, England.
