Rosen Skincare Is Leading the Next Generation of Acne Care

If you've browsed the skincare aisles at Target or Ulta Beauty, you've likely spotted Rosen Skincare's products. The brand, known for its innovative and inclusive approach to acne care, is the brainchild of Jamika Martin. The founder's struggles with her skin throughout middle and high school laid the groundwork for Rosen, as it showed her early on how difficult it can be to find treatments that work for diverse skin. "I started breaking out between fifth and sixth grade and developed hyperpigmentation," Martin says. "I tried many things to combat my acne—from visiting an esthetician to trying Accutane—but it seemed like nothing was working long-term." 

Frustrated with the ineffective options on the market, Martin knew she had to create the solution she yearned for. "Although Rosen is for anyone, I created it for women of color," Martin explains. "I wanted to create something that makes women with acne and hyperpigmentation feel seen. Too often, we’ve been left out of the beauty conversation, and my goal with Rosen is to change that."

Martin began developing Rosen while attending the University of California, Los Angeles. However, it wasn’t until her last quarter of school that she started taking the business seriously. "I have to credit my mentor for seeing the work I was putting into Rosen," she says. "It was during one of our conversations that they recommended I look into Target’s Accelerator Program."

Martin applied and was accepted into the program in 2018. She says the Target Accelerator curriculum helped her learn how to position Rosen as a retail brand and understand the importance of scaling her business. Over the last four years, she's continued to put those lessons into practice. Case in point: This year, she secured a $2 million investment from the New Voices Fund, an initiative led by SheaMoisture’s founder Richelieu Dennis that supports WOC entrepreneurs. "Before I received capital, I had a clear vision of Rosen’s possibility, and I went for it," Martin says. "What the New Voices Fund did was help us with innovation and creating [an accessible] price point for our core audience."

Now backed by like-minded investors, Rosen is in a prime position to continue disrupting the acne care industry. With this in mind, Martin says she has her sights set on accomplishing several goals in the coming months, like streamlining marketing and surveying her community's needs. "I want to look at how Rosen can foster regional conversations in markets such as L.A. and [other cities in] the U.S.," Martin adds. "We want people to continue seeing the importance of women-owned brands led by people of color, especially in the skincare industry."

Beyond that, Martin hopes to continue changing the narrative surrounding skincare. "Our goal isn’t to make people feel like they have to have perfect skin," she shares. "I just want them to know there are products they can use to have healthy skin. It’s about health over perfection for us."

Ready to add Rosen Skincare to your routine? Read on to learn more about the brand's best products.