01-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Skincare brand Allies of Skin was inspired by a serious accident – now, it's drawing attention worldwide with its groundbreaking products using growth factor serum, Singaporean founder Nicholas Travis
Nicolas Travis' determination to succeed is born out of personal tragedy. At 19, a traumatic accident at home left him with severe facial injuries. Then came infections following the reconstructive surgery, all of which led him to attempt suicide.
Intensive therapy eventually helped him recover. 'I had always hated myself, and I realised that if I could somehow channel that pain into helping other people feel more confident or even more fearless in their own skin, then this would have been worth it,' he says.
Travis studied biomedical science for two years and pharmaceutical science for another two to learn how to formulate
skincare products . He then went looking for innovative ingredients, ultimately alighting on growth factor serum, made with substances that encourage healing in the body.
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The One SPF50 Invisible Sunscreen Gel took six years to perfect. Photo: Handout
When the company he founded, Allies of Skin, launched its own growth factor serum six years ago, the active ingredient was mostly an insiders' secret and typically found in
medical-grade dermatological products
'Nobody was really talking about it,' recalls the Singaporean of the biotechnological ingredient, said to have skin repair and anti-ageing benefits.
Despite being under the radar, the Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum became a bestseller, cementing the brand's niche in advanced, results-driven beauty.
Then there's The One SPF 50 Invisible Sunscreen Gel, one of the brand's most recent products, with a formulation that took six years to perfect. Made with aloe vera gel, this
broad-spectrum sunscreen is transparent, leaves no white cast, suits all skin types and doubles as a primer compatible with make-up and beards.
Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum. Photo: Handout
These days, growth factors are a beauty buzzword, with brands like The Ordinary launching high-profile campaigns to promote their own serums. Despite more affordable versions being available, Allies of Skin's growth factor serum continues to sell out quickly and customers often have to be wait-listed for fresh stock.
Travis sees this as validation of the pioneering work his brand has done. 'Now, many brands are zooming in on growth factors. I am really happy because this megaphone only creates a halo effect on this ingredient. I think this actually helps indie brands like ours,' he says.
