THE NEW SKIN GURU: NICOLAS TRAVIS

Who he is: The founder (@nicolastravis_) of homegrown beauty brand Allies Of Skin, which has been receiving rave reviews for its smart, multitasking formulations. Why know him: It says something if since March 2016 (and with just four products), Allies of Skin has raked in a revenue of over $1 million, boasts stockists at Net-a-porter, Joyce, Barneys (a first for a Singapore brand) and Sephora, while receiving glowing recommendations from the likes of Allure and Wallpaper* (they loved the 1A All-Day Mask) – all without a fancy marketing campaign. The effort has paid off, and Travis’ pared-down, nutrientrich products are worthy of the hype. Not only do they work, they’re designed to take the hassle out of your daily skincare routine – seriously, who has time for a 15-step beauty regime? And now with a new trio of products – two cleansers (Fresh Slate Brightening Cleanser & Masque and Fresh Slate Purifying Cleanser + Masque) and an overnight blemish treatment (Promise Keeper Blemish Facial) added last month – there’s an end-toend solution, meaning devotees no longer have to look elsewhere for their beauty needs.

What’s next: Come 2018, there will be eight new products – bringing the range to 15 in total – aimed at “brightening, pore refinement and cellular repair”. Travis will also increase the already impressive stockist: The brand will retail at Bloomingdale’s in the Middle East and Harvey Nichols in Dubai. Not bad for a 29-year-old who launched with just one product.