HUE, an inclusive skin care brand designed for people of colour (POC), has raised £250,000 at a £2.5m valuation ahead of its official launch next month.
The brand, which stands for ‘Here U Exist’, was co-founded by British-Somali medical doctor Hani Hassan and British-Arab architect Mona Haidar.
It claims to combine strong scientific methodology with a rich sensory experience.
Hassan, a doctor in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), is also a skin care YouTuber, where she racked up millions of views demystifying POC skin care.
In creating the three-years-in-the-making HUE, the founders also interviewed more than 100 people with accessibility needs to learn how their access requirements could be better met by skin care brands.
HUE’s angel investor group includes Matteo Bozzo – the founder and CEO of buy now, pay later company HeidiPay and a former exec at investment firm KKR – as well as entrepreneurs and private equity executives from Europe, the US and Africa.
The funds will be invested in R&D and the marketing of HUE’s debut hyperpigmentation serum Supra-Fade, launching in December, which has a waiting list of more than 6,500 people.
“The current skin care market largely produces skin care that does not cater to the needs of people of colour,” said co-founder Hassan.
“Yet, the science of skin is unambiguous in that ethnic skin is structurally and biochemically different to white skin.
“HUE products are designed and formulated to address the specific needs of skin of colour, while undermining the false binary between science and beauty.”
“I am really excited to back Hani and Mona in their journey to build HUE,” added lead investor and HUE board member Bozzo.
“Together with our angel investor group, we see in them a rare combination of genuine vision, rigorous medical approach to the product and entrepreneurial drive.”