Blemishes are a skincare concern that affects millions of Brits, and discovering the right products that deliver genuine results without causing additional complications can prove challenging. This was precisely the predicament faced by Nic Taylor, founder of 47 Skin, when he battled with breakouts that affected his self-esteem from approximately the age of 15.
I met with him to discover how his personal struggles with spots and blemishes inspired the creation of 47 Skin, which has been recognised as one of Britain’s fastest expanding privately owned companies by The Sunday Times 100 List for the second consecutive year. The brand has subsequently assisted over half a million individuals dealing with their complexion – and according to Nic, it all stems from a single gesture of compassion.
Nic had been grappling with spots and blemishes since his teenage years, explaining: “I remember times where I’d get ready for a night out, then look in the mirror and go ‘I can’t go out tonight because I’ve got big spots and blemishes’. And then I literally wouldn’t go out. With nights out where they’d photograph the clubs and then upload it on Facebook the next day, I really didn’t like the way my skin looked. This really started to impact me. Then I went to my first graduate job coming out of university and I always thought I’d take my career super seriously. I walked into a buyer meeting and the buyer turned to me and said: ‘Oh, I can see they’ve sent a baby to do their bidding’ – referring to the fact that I had spots and blemishes on my face. It completely knocked my confidence.”
Nic continued: “I remember things like not being able to wear white shirts because I had spots on my back and people would be able to see them. It was impacting me on a daily basis. The other thing about spots that people don’t talk about is that it actually physically hurts, so it’s not just uncomfortable or impacts your confidence, but it’s actually painful.
“At that point, I thought: Right. Enough is enough, I can’t have it impacting my career,” reports the Mirror. In his quest for clear skin, Nic tried everything from pricey high street products to clinical treatments, explaining they simply gave him “three different products”, all of which had names he “couldn’t pronounce”, with the added comment: “That’ll sort out your spots and blemishes.” The bill was around £300.
However, Nic found no relief and was left feeling ‘hopeless’ and in ‘agony’. That was until he received a package from his grandmother, who had been a nurse for 50 years. “I opened it and there’s a little pot of cream and it had a handwritten note and it said: ‘To Nick, this is a local formulation, apparently it’s fantastic for spots and blemishes’. I used it day and night and to my surprise, my skin cleared within four days. I was shocked that my skin had cleared within 4 days, but part of me still thought, well, they’ll come back, right? I continued to use it. The spots and blemishes never came back. My skin was soft and hydrated and kind of firm. It just completely transformed the condition of my skin.”
Following this remarkable find, Nic sought out and collaborated with the scientist who created the unlabelled pot’s formula using Silver Chitoderm. This ingredient is now found in everything from their top-selling Anti-Blemish and Scar Repair Serum to the Body Moisturiser.
Nic elaborates on how this unique component of 47 Skin works: “Silver is naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial. The chitoderm, which is bonded to the silver, is mucoadhesive, which means it’s sticky. Essentially, if bacteria lands on your face, the Silver Chitoderm will adhere to the bacteria and the silver will eliminate it. As long as you’ve got the serum on or any of the products, then you’ve got an antibacterial shield on your skin.”
Using his own funds, Nic established 47 Skin and the product range is stocked at Harrods, Boots, Amazon and on the 47 Skin website. The Anti-Blemish and Scar Repair Serum has accumulated over 5,000 five-star reviews, with one customer describing it as a ‘miracle in a bottle’.
Discussing the serum, Nic said: “I genuinely believe it is the best skincare product in the world. I have used it every day since I came across it when I was 26. I would always say try the serum. It will work for you or someone that you love, if it doesn’t, we’ll give you your money back.”
For those seeking alternatives, other blemish treatments available include spot stickers. This includes the CeraVe Blemish Barrier Patches, which cost £9 at LookFantastic. There’s also The Body Shop’s Skin Clearing Night Mask at £12, which utilises tea tree oil to help diminish the appearance of spots.
While spots and blemishes are commonly linked with adolescence, Nic highlights how 47 Skin benefits an incredibly wide range of people and “no one story is more important than another”. Describing the diverse feedback the products receive, he mentioned a mother and her 15-year-old son.
“One review was a mum and she was saying my son is 15-years-old,” he recalled. “He started suffering with [bad] skin. It’s been really impacting his confidence. He’s not been going out and he’s been using the serum and his skin’s completely cleared. His confidence is transformed.”
“I loved that review,” Nic confessed. “Because I had suffered with my skin from about 15 to about 26, so it cut that boy’s experience of suffering down by about ten years, assuming that he’d had the same length of it. So, grandma’s kindness has done that.”
He continued: “The second review was a lady in her twenties who said: ‘I’ve suffered with my skin since I was about 17 or 18. I’ve been with my partner for two years and he’s never seen me without makeup on. Thanks to 47 Skin, my spots and blemishes have gone, and I’ve seen him for the first time with no makeup, and it just feels amazing.'”
Nic shared another testimonial: “A lady who wrote I’m 71 years old. I’ve suffered with my skin all my life, never thought it would go, and thanks to using 47 Skin, my skin’s clear.”
When asked about his grandmother, Nic revealed: “Grandma was a nurse that helped for 50 years. It just shows one small act of kindness has gone on to a butterfly effect and we’ve helped well over half a million people. You hear all these stories and it’s all thanks to that one domino of her just being kind.”
47 Skin products can be purchased on their website.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
