Healthy Skin Lab seeks NZD $4m to fuel US expansion

Healthy Skin Lab is seeking NZD $4 million to expand its export business in response to rising demand in the United States.

The funding would support US operations, increase manufacturing capacity and back the launch of new skincare products. The company also plans to use the expansion as a base for broader growth in the UK and Europe.

US expansion

At the centre of the push is Protect, its tinted SPF 50 moisturiser. Healthy Skin Lab said US beauty creator Angie "Hot & Flashy" reviewed the product and described it as the "holy grail" of tinted sunscreens. It later became the top "Most Wished For" item in Amazon's facial tinted moisturisers category.

Healthy Skin Lab was founded by Professor Sharad Paul, a New Zealand skin cancer doctor and author. Protect was developed in New Zealand and is manufactured in the US to meet local regulatory requirements and serve its largest market.

The product was first introduced to the US through Amazon as a market test, without paid marketing or an organised influencer campaign. Cumulative sales have passed NZD $2 million over two years, and the listing now has more than 2,000 Amazon subscribers.

Stock shortages have been a recurring issue. The tinted moisturiser has sold out several times after stronger-than-expected repeat orders and increased visibility following the US review.

Regulatory path

A regulatory milestone is also part of the company's pitch to investors. Healthy Skin Lab said Protect is believed to be the first sunscreen formulation from a New Zealand skincare business to be registered with the US Food and Drug Administration as an over-the-counter drug product.

That status matters in the US because sunscreen is regulated as an over-the-counter drug rather than a cosmetic. The registration opens a path into physical retail and healthcare channels, including pharmacies, wellness outlets and dermatology clinics, according to the company.

Healthy Skin Lab said it is looking for a strategic investor rather than passive backing. The funding would be used to appoint a Chief Executive Officer and operational team, raise inventory levels, support direct-to-consumer and Amazon sales, and build the internal resources needed for wholesale and store distribution.

It also wants to hold stock in offshore markets including Germany, France and Italy. The company said this would shorten delivery times and support both retail and eCommerce channels as overseas demand develops.

Professor Sharad Paul said the original US launch was a limited test of consumer appetite.

"The original idea was to put it on Amazon and see whether the product had a market. There was no major marketing campaign behind it, no influencer programme and no large team driving it," said Professor Sharad Paul, Founder, Healthy Skin Lab.

"What has been significant from a business perspective is that customers found it, reviewed it and kept buying it. That level of organic validation has given us confidence that there is a larger commercial opportunity if the business has the capital and infrastructure to scale," said Paul.

Growth plans

An independent valuation cited by the company placed the business at about NZD $8.4 million. Healthy Skin Lab is seeking primary growth capital to move beyond what it described as a single-market test and build a broader export platform.

Healthy Skin Lab currently has an eight-product range covering sun protection, anti-ageing, brightening and skin barrier repair. It is also progressing a second mineral SPF product through the FDA over-the-counter registration process.

Paul said the next challenge is operational rather than commercial validation.

"The business has reached the point where the limitation is no longer whether there is demand. The limitation is whether we can manufacture enough, hold enough inventory and build the team needed to support larger channels.

"The right investor is likely to be someone who understands the US market, consumer health, pharmacy, eCommerce or retail distribution," said Paul.

Revenue outlook

He also pointed to the regulatory framework as a factor in the company's plans for broader distribution.

"In the US, sunscreen sits in a regulated category. That makes the process more demanding, but it also gives a product greater credibility when it meets the required standard," added Paul.

"For us, the FDA registration creates a platform for conversations beyond eCommerce. It gives the company the ability to look at pharmacies, dermatology clinics, healthcare partnerships and larger retailers that require properly registered inventory," added Paul.

Investor material cited by the company projects revenue rising from about NZD $980,000 in FY26 to NZD $16.5 million by FY31 under a funded upside scenario.