Founder & CEO of Fresh Chemistry takes performance skincare to a whole new level
Nisha Thomas Dearborn had been thinking about skincare since she was a kid. Her mom is a retired dermatologist so she spent summers in her office and traveled to dermatology conferences in high school. Her first job was an internship at Estée Lauder, and she spent nearly a decade climbing the corporate ladder at Johnson & Johnson, as marketing director and brand manager for preservative-packed skincare products like Aveeno and RoC.
In 2016, she made a family move to Maine which inspired a lot of healthy lifestyle changes. She realized that just like we demand high quality, fresh ingredients in our food, we should demand high quality, fresh ingredients in our skincare. Ingredients are at their peak when they are first mixed together and activated. The sooner you can use a product after it is activated, the better it is for your skin.
“That’s why I created Fresh Chemistry: a revolutionary approach to skincare that puts fresh, potent ingredients — and the power to activate them — in your hands.”
Tell us a bit about your company
Fresh Chemistry is high performance skincare with fresh, clean ingredients that you mix in and shake to activate for the potency & power your skin deserves.
What inspired you to start your business / what opportunity in the market are you seeking to address?
Just like we demand high quality, fresh ingredients in our food, we should demand fresh skincare because ingredients are at their peak when they are first mixed together and activated. Most skincare companies take months and months to get their product into your hands — and during that time the ingredients are breaking down, getting weaker and more stale before you even buy it. Our founder, Nisha Dearborn, is the daughter of a dermatologist and has always believed that women deserve better than the status quo of weak, shelf-stable skincare. After spending nearly a decade in the beauty industry, she set out to find a way to take active skincare to a whole new level, and Fresh Chemistry® was born.
What is it about your personal background, experience, or perspective that fuels your passion for this venture?
I’ve thought about skin care since I was a kid. My mom is a retired dermatologist, so I had the unique experience of spending summers in her office, and traveling with her to dermatology conferences in high school. My first job was an internship at Estee Lauder and then I went on to spend almost a decade in the beauty industry.
Then in 2016 we made a family move to Maine, which inspired me to make a lot of healthy lifestyle changes, including thinking about the food I made for my family and choosing fresh ingredients whenever possible. This is when I had my lightbulb moment — just like we demand high quality, fresh ingredients in our food, we should demand high quality, fresh ingredients in our skincare because ingredients are at their peak when they are first mixed together and activated. The sooner you can use a product after it is activated, the better it is for your skin. Other skincare companies can take nine months or more to get their product into your hands, and during that time the ingredients are breaking down, getting weaker and more stale before you even buy it. Once I saw this problem I couldn’t “unsee” it. I have always believed that women deserve better than the status quo of weak, shelf-stable skincare. I believe women deserve the best. That’s why I created Fresh Chemistry: a revolutionary approach to skincare that puts fresh, potent ingredients — and the power to activate them — in your hands.
What are one or two of the biggest wins or most encouraging experiences you’ve had so far?
QVC found me at a trade show and asked me to come on the show! I was a finalist for one of their Beauty Awards.
What is an obstacle that you are grappling with as you continue to build this venture?
Many women do not realize that they can have skincare that is more powerful and potent than the stale products they are used to buying. Making sure they understand that takes time and careful messaging.What surprises have you encountered as an entrepreneur? Something out of left field?
Check out Fresh Chemistry here!
