By summer 2022, Camille Martin had managed to raise three million dollars to fund breakthrough advancements in skin care products designed with women of color in mind.
As she enters a space now dominated by celebrity owned or endorsed products, Camille is staying focused on her mission to provide safe, luxury skin care for women of color––products that could change the face of skin care.
My interview with Camille Martin, CEO of Seaspire Skincare, below:
Roderick Thomas: Camille, thank you so much for speaking with me
Camille Martin: Thank you, happy to be here.
RT: How did you get your start in skin care?
Camille Martin: At Northeastern University. My colleagues and I were conducting research on how octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish achieve camouflage.
Camille Martin: Our research was producing interesting results, and I knew we had something remarkable. The next step was how to apply our findings to something for the public.
RT: How did you make that transition?
Camille Martin: After we knew the research finds were solid. I joined a program by the National Science Foundation to teach students how to take ideas from the lab to the marketplace.
Camille Martin: At first I thought about color changing lipstick and other cosmetics.
RT: Color Changing lipstick, that sounds like something from Harry Potter.
Camille Martin: [Laughs] It’s science I swear. However, we pivoted from lipstick to sunscreen.
RT: What did you learn when you pivoted from beauty to skincare?
Camille Martin: We pivoted to skincare and focused on creating sunscreen as our first product. I learned about how sunscreen is negatively affecting marine life, so merging our ambitions with environmental responsibility became a top priority.
RT: How is our sunscreen negatively affecting marine life?
Camille Martin: Research has linked some chemicals in sunscreen to the bleaching of corals. In 2018, Hawaii banned the sale of certain sunscreens. And In 2019, the American Medical Association found that some of these ingredients in sunscreen pose a threat to humans as well.
RT: How are these ingredients still being used and sold in products then?
Camille Martin: Big companies often know when their products aren’t perfect for you, but they also know they can get away with it under current FDA policy..
Camille Martin: Policymakers and companies have to care. It’s not just a data based decision.
RT: What has been the most challenging part of starting your business, Seaspire?
Camille Martin:The most challenging part has been trying to figure out what is the right market, for safe products and how to navigate regulatory constraints to bring products like this to the marketplace.
RT: You’ve raised a significant amount of money, let’s talk about that.
Camille Martin: It’s not a cakewalk,but there is a need for safe products, and skin care products that help people, women of color especially. We’ve started our journey toward raising money for our c round. It took so many conversations and meetings to get investors to believe in and fund Seaspire.
RT: Recently, you participated in a broadcast with Kerry Washington and Johnson and Johnson. How was that?
Camille Martin: That was exciting! It was for Johnson and Johnson’s J lab innovation. We received the lab quick fire challenge grant of 25k and they called on me to participate! I can’t forget that experience.
RT: You mentioned specifically addressing the skin care needs of women of color. Why have you made that a priority as well?
Camille Martin: I’m a Black woman who is in a position to influence skincare options for women of color, if not me, then who? Raising three million dollars is wonderful, but when you realize how much money is given to other businesses and startups, you’ll understand how much more is possible. Black women are not raising the same amount of capital in this industry.
RT: Why are Black women not given the same opportunities in the industry?
Camille Martin: In general, there could be a lot of biases. However, Seaspire is going to disrupt the industry, if you are too hung up on my appearance you’re missing out on a major opportunity.
RT: Reminds me of companies that are following Fenty, and only now offering makeup for several skin tones.
Camille Martin: Why did it take so long? Brown girls, dark skinned women are consumers as well. That’s why we are making it a priority to create a luxury skin care brand for women of color to confidently use. Women of color shouldn’t be an afterthought.
RT: What are your goals for your business, short term and long term?
Camille Martin: Short term, developing and launching our breakthrough consumer product line and outperforming what’s in the marketplace. Long term, our ingredients become a new standard, and get adopted by other products.
Camille Martin:We really want to continue to create products that are safe for all people and the environment. For us sustainability is how we are influencing the environment beyond recycling.
RT: Advice for other entrepreneurs, Black women especially?
Camille Martin :Don’t take naysayers or even investors comments personally, keep pushing, don’t let these no’s keep you from your yes moment.
RT: when are you officially launching?
Camille Martin: We’ll be launching in 2023
RT: Last question, any skincare tips that we can all implement today?
Camille Martin: Moisturize daily, and wear sunscreen everyday even inside. And keep your skin clean.
RT: Camille, It’s been a pleasure, thank you.
Camille Martin: Thank you!
Keep up with Camille and Learn more about Seaspire by visiting Seaspire.com and @Seaspireskincare on Instagram.
Roderick Thomas is an NYC based writer, filmmaker,
Instagram: @Hippiebyaccident
