Meet Rebecca (Becks) Spencer, an entrepreneur making waves in the local beauty industry. With two decades of experience under her belt—from skin therapy to freelance beauty writing—she is the founder of Biome Skin and Beauty, a clinic located in Titirangi, Auckland. A testament to her passion for skin, Becks has dedicated the past seven years to meticulously developing her first product, the recently launched Biome Perfecting Oil, proudly made in New Zealand.

Ahead, we talk to the self-confessed ‘beauty geek’ about her journey in the industry and latest venture.

PC: You have over two decades of experience in the beauty industry. Can you share your career journey with us? Have you always had a passion for skincare?

Becks: After struggling with acne as a teenager, I developed a deep fascination with skincare. Choosing not to complete my BA, some soul-searching led me to enrol in beauty therapy at Wintec. I then enjoyed various roles as a spa therapist, skin therapist, and skincare educator for Dermalogica, before being drawn into the world of superyachts. After this experience, I opened a skin clinic just outside of Nelson, later becoming pregnant with my daughter, Billie. To keep our family together, we followed Billie’s dad onto a superyacht in Sweden, where I began to work on my long-held dream of developing my own skincare product. After returning to New Zealand, I worked in a skin clinic in Papamoa, dedicating one day a week to what would eventually become Biome Perfecting Oil. Life then brought me back to Auckland, where I took on a role at Dermalogica’s head office for a period before opening my own clinic, Biome Skin and Beauty, three and a half years ago. With the support of my incredible community, I launched Biome Perfecting Oil just over a year ago—a project that took seven years to bring to fruition!

Congratulations on the debut of your first product, Biome Perfecting Oil! What motivated you to create this formulation?

Thanks so much! It feels pretty incredible to have finally brought Biome Perfecting Oil to life. As skin therapists, we often forget that many people are mystified by the world of skincare and feel overwhelmed by the multitude of options available to them, which is why I wanted to simplify my clients’ routines with a single product. I also aimed to make great skin accessible, enabling people to achieve real results with home care alone, while creating an easy yet luxurious ritual. When it came to ingredients, I fell in love with granactive retinoid, a topical form of vitamin A, after witnessing its success on my clients’ skin over the years and its ability to address a multitude of skin concerns ranging from age-related issues to acne. By blending non-irritating yet active vitamin A with nourishing organic plant oils, Perfecting Oil is a multi-purpose clean cosmeceutical formula that can be used on its own to tackle several skin issues in one beautiful step. It’s also designed for women like myself who want to feel good in their skin, but for whom time and/or budget are significant considerations.

Can you explain what a granactive retinoid is and why you chose this particular form of retinol?

Traditionally, retinol products have to be gradually introduced to the skin as it acclimates to their activity, and many people simply can’t use them comfortably. Because I wanted Perfecting Oil to deliver results while remaining easy to use and gentle on the skin, granactive retinoid (or hydroxypinacolone retinoate) was the perfect hero ingredient and integral to the success of the product.

Known as a next-generation retinoid, granactive retinoid offers all the benefits of traditional retinol, such as smoother skin texture, increased collagen production, a more even skin tone, and reduced congestion and breakouts, but with significantly less risk of redness and/or peeling.

Granactive retinoid is a type of retinoid ester that is chemically structured to be both less irritating and more stable than other forms of retinoids. It can bind directly to vitamin A receptors on skin cells, whereas retinol must undergo a multi-step conversion process before working on the receptors, which can cause irritation along the way.

I have clients with significant eczema who can use Biome Perfecting Oil every single night without any issues, so it’s been fantastic for those who have struggled to use retinols. As an added bonus, the direct action on skin cells means that granactive retinoid works faster than traditional retinol, enabling people to see results quickly.

After seven years of development, could you tell us about the journey it took to create this product?

As many like me have discovered, creating and launching a skincare product is no easy feat, and there were many stops and starts along the way due to professional and personal circumstances.

When I made the decision to turn my product dream into reality while aboard the yacht in Sweden, my first step was to enrol in a small online business course so that I could chip away at my studies while my daughter napped.

Simultaneously, I researched ingredients and searched online for skincare manufacturers, cosmetic chemists, and guidance, but had little luck. There was next to no information available, but I was determined to keep moving forward. I gathered what information I could find in an A4 notebook, which I love to look back on to see how far I’ve come!

When I returned to New Zealand as a solo mother, I continued to work on my product in the limited free time I had. I found a manufacturer and began the sampling process. After some difficulties with that manufacturer, I engaged with an alternative company, but they also didn’t understand my vision, and I felt pressured to ‘sign off’ on a product that I knew wasn’t right. When an industry contact introduced me to my amazing current manufacturer, it felt like a stroke of luck!

After countless rounds of samples, I finally had my little bottle of gold. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, so I did the scary thing and ordered the granactive retinoid to be shipped to my manufacturer.

A graphic designer friend of mine created the stunning bottle and box, and then it was finally time to order 500 units. When the cartons arrived, filled with beautiful pink boxes, it was a very emotional moment!

New product development (NPD) often comes with unexpected obstacles. What were some of the challenges you encountered along the way?

I’d say the first challenge was dismissing the naysayers, and then there was not knowing where to start. I had no experience in business, let alone in navigating the creation and marketing of a skincare product. I didn’t know anyone who had done it before, so I also had no access to advice or a network, and finding information on the process was near impossible.

Funding was another challenge. There are many costs to consider outside of the product itself, including packaging, marketing, and website development. I was able to fund some of that after opening my clinic, but there were tough moments, especially when faced with minimum order quantities for a product.

Finding the right manufacturer is also no easy task. The first one I worked with closed down their factory for six months without informing me, and the second didn’t seem to understand the level of detail I required. But when I finally found the right one, it took just two samples to develop the perfect formulation.

I discovered that packaging can take longer than expected, especially since mine came from China (the formulation is made in New Zealand). A costly mistake resulted in 500 products with a spelling error. Though I could have sent them out, it didn’t feel right after the effort I put in!

Finally, marketing is an absolute beast, particularly in the skincare industry, where things move quickly and competition is fierce. For someone who barely knew how to use their personal Instagram account, it has been a huge learning curve. Although I still find it very challenging to keep up with the larger brands, I’m proud of all I’ve achieved as a one-man band. That said, I’ve learned to outsource certain marketing tasks that I’m not skilled at and don’t have time for, especially while running a skin clinic.

What has the response been like so far to the Perfecting Oil?

I knew people would enjoy using Perfecting Oil and that it would deliver great results, but I’ve been blown away by the positive experiences people regularly share with me. People love the way their skin feels after just one use; then, after a couple of weeks, they often notice a dramatic change in their skin texture, thanks to the granactive retinoid. I receive the loveliest messages from people saying they’ve finally found something that works for their skin, and they can’t believe how easy their new regime is. I’m often told I’m not allowed to stop making Perfecting Oil… ever, and I just love that! This product is very personal to me, and it’s been the most touching experience to have so many people on board with my dream.

Can we look forward to more products from you in the future? If so, what insights will you carry into the early stages of NPD based on this first launch?

I’m currently in talks with my manufacturer about another great daytime product that I have in mind, and I’m anticipating a much shorter process thanks to my learnings from this time around. As the response to a multitasking product like Perfecting Oil was so positive, I will again be looking to create something that ticks a few boxes and helps to streamline people’s skincare regimes. Having my excellent manufacturer on board from day one will make all the difference. I’ll definitely get the ball rolling with packaging earlier than I did the first time as well, and rather than trying to figure things out on my own, I’ll be much quicker to outsource.

In your clinic, you utilise products from Dermalogica and The Beauty Chef. How did you decide on these brands for your practice?

I have a long history with Dermalogica, having been an educator for them many years ago. I have used other product ranges over the years, but I always return to Dermalogica as I truly trust their formulations. They work, people love using their products, and they keep up to date with new technology, so their skincare just keeps improving. Not only do their products deliver, but their business support and continuing education are second to none. To achieve optimum results, you need to consider things holistically, and Beauty Chef focuses on the strong link between our gut microbiome and skin vitality. The formulas are packed with bio-fermented whole foods to create not only a healthy gut function but also support healthy, strong skin cell production. The ingredients are, of course, efficacious, but all of the Beauty Chef products also taste amazing, which is incredibly helpful when trying to make a supplement part of your routine! I actually met the wonderful founder, Carla Oates, in Sydney recently, and she is just gorgeous inside and out, radiating vitality and positivity—such an inspiration!

What trends do you anticipate will be big for skincare in 2025?

I love the direction skincare has taken, with more emphasis on keeping things authentic and value-driven while using technological advances to create our healthiest skin.

I think we’ll see more of the following;

Skinimalism – This trend encourages people to reduce the number of products they use on their skin and to focus on carefully chosen multitasking products, such as a moisturiser that includes skin-loving actives and an SPF. I love this idea as it’s easier on both people’s schedules and budgets, which is particularly apt at this time.

Embracing Ageing – I stopped using the term ‘anti-aging’ a long time ago as it portrays such a negative feeling towards a natural and beautiful process. I feel as though many skincare brands have moved away from this way of thinking too, which implies that ageing is something to fight, and are instead focused on ageing in a healthy way and feeling great from midlife and beyond.

Education is Key – With information on skincare being so accessible, especially on social media platforms, I think education will be embraced even further in the skincare world. Consumers are incredibly skin savvy nowadays; they don’t just want to be sold to, they want to be informed, and this will motivate brands to carefully consider their ingredients.

Sophisticated Sunscreen – I think we’ll see even better SPF products become available. We’ve already begun to see more invisible, lighter-weight versions of mineral sunscreens, and I believe these formulations will continue to improve in both look and feel. People have also come to expect more from their sun protection, so I predict that more SPF products will include skin-improving actives such as brightening peptides, soothing ingredients, and protective antioxidants.

Exosomes – A new breakthrough in age management, exosomes are tiny vesicles released from cells (usually plant-derived) as a form of communication. They improve skin behaviour by activating collagen production and tissue repair, making them a very promising new addition to the world of skin treatments!

To learn more, visit biomeskinandbeauty.nz