Allies For Life

You are what you surround yourself with, so naturally, skincare extraordinaire Nicolas Travis only makes room for the best, as Jolene Khor finds out

It is never polite to stare, but with Allies of Skin founder Nicolas Travis seated across from me, looking anywhere else but straight ahead was an effortful task. Was it possible that the 28-year-old did not actually have pores? Certainly not, but his flawless skin suggested the impossible. So perfect was his complexion, it was hard to believe he suffered from chronic acne as a teenager. Instead of scars, they left him with an idea. His arduous experience going through brand after brand of salves would later fuel him to create products with multiple benefits that not only work, but also work overtime. Last year, he launched the 1A All-day Mask, a day and night hydrating, firming and anti-pollution mask that can be layered under sunblock and make-up, to rave reviews and mentions in WWD and soon, The Wall Street Journal. Since then, two more products have been developed, with more up his sleeves.

How did you arrive at the name, Allies of Skin?

The way all good ideas come to me—when I was brushing my teeth. I’ve always gravitated towards the word “ally” because it’s so powerful. You’re only as good as the things you surround yourself with. It’s fundamental that our customers feel that we are there with them in their journey to great skin. The brand and our products are their allies.

What gave you the idea of an all-day mask?

I only wanted to create specific

products that are missing in the marketplace. I realised that the days when I need to mask most are the days when I drank too much the night before and I have to be up early for a meeting with zero time to care for my skin. I needed a mask that works under sunblock and make-up, without making me look like a grease ball. Two years and 10 revisions later, here we are.

A multitasker for a multitasker?

Essentially. It’s the core of all our products. For instance, the mist is just as much a mist as it is a toner, a liquid moisturiser and an anti-acne treatment. I get stress breakouts. For that, I pumped the mist full of antioxidants such as acai berry. Clinical studies show that it reduces acne by 42.7 per cent. And I love the sun—to prevent inflammation and irritation, I put juniper berry and cucumber in it as well.

What has been your biggest beauty faux pas?

When I was living in Seattle, I went to the tanning salon