Entrepreneur-led Investment growth partner Silvertree Holdings has invested growth capital and operational resources in South African skincare brand SKOON.
SKOON. is- a successful natural skincare collection that uses best-in-class, natural and non-toxic ingredients in scientifically lab-formulated combinations.
SKOON. sells its products to a local customer base via its own website, skincare salons, as well as leading retailers, such as Faithful to Nature, Wellness Warehouse and Superbalist. It is the fastest-growing skincare brand on Faithful To Nature and ranked in the top 5 best-sellers on the site.
In the month of October, SKOON. will launch in three Edgars Beauty stores, housing their own consultants, with further planned nationwide roll-out in the coming months.
The R27 billion beauty industry has been going through a boom in recent years. South Africa’s skincare market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 7.4% from 2019 to 2024, while online skincare sales are projected to grow 8.2% a year in the same period.
SKOON. has a mission to be the skincare authority and destination both online and in-store, offering sustainable and non-toxic solutions for all skin problems. The brand identity is honest, transparent and pure – living up to its Afrikaans-derived name – and is formulated with a clear conscience.
Founded by South African engineer, Stella Ciolli, SKOON. is made on a farm outside Stellenbosch. The range is focused on individual skin needs, and deeply respects the lives of all sentient beings (with a vehement opposition to animal testing) and is light on the environment.
“Kindness and consciousness are key pillars in the business,” says Stella.
“We do not accept that good, effective skincare needs to contain parabens or any other toxic ingredients procured at great expense to the environment – or at the expense of women’s health and well-being,” says Ciolli.
“Where possible, we encourage local production of raw ingredients by supporting those producers who can supply us with superb quality actives.
“Invention and inventiveness keep us going. We love trying new ingredients, experimenting with potent natural actives, and making products that are not only both effective and ethical, but are also truly delightful. Our packaging speaks of that aspect of our brand essence – and consumers can look forward to an ever-growing harvest of delight from the SKOON. team.”
The partnership with SKOON. is an early example of Silvertree’s expansion into the consumer product space. Silvertree’s operational support for SKOON. will include contributions from Silvertree’s 25 operational employees, with brand vision builder Thandi Mbulaheni being the lynchpin on the operational front within SKOON.
Says Mbulaheni, “I’m super excited about this journey. In the David vs Goliath world of cosmetics, SKOON. has, over the past 4 to 5 years, made its David-like presence felt, already. Now we’d like to see next-level take-up of the brand by a broader base of consumers. Silvertree is building on the brilliant foundation laid by Stella Ciolli and her team, and we’re ready for lift off. Our strategy is aiming for a rocket launch!”
Mbulaheni’s enthusiasm and team focus are the perfect glue for a brand such as SKOON.
Clayton Wiggill, Investment Associate for Silvertree adds, “We had been scouring the personal care space in South Africa, and believe that SKOON. is perfectly placed to benefit from growth capital and access to our support platform. They have achieved an organic >100% annual growth rate over the last 4 years, with little to no marketing spend, which speaks volumes to the love that customers have for the brand.”
