The Interview: KEATS founder Lucinda Hart promises to 'flip the script on skincare with one unshakable principle: radical transparency!'
After 10 years working in research and development for some of the beauty industry's biggest brands - including Estée Lauder, Beauty Pie, and Huda Beauty - Lucinda Hart has put on on her brand founder hat to launch KEATS, a new skincare line that she promises will "flip the script on skincare with one unshakable principle: radical transparency".
Created to "cut through beauty’s vague claims and marketing fluff", KEATS claims to offer minimalist, potent, evidence-led formulas designed for real results - all under £30. In this exclusive interview with TheIndustry.beauty, Hart takes us inside the launch of KEATS and shares her plans for its future.
Tell us about your background. Have you always been in beauty?
I have! I started by training in cosmetic science and formulation in Paris, and then have spent the bulk of my career in Product Development. I’ve been lucky to work for some really amazing brands e.g. Huda Beauty, Beauty Pie and Estée Lauder Companies and learn from some truly inspirational founders.
I really love our industry because of the impact it has on everyone. Everyone interacts with beauty products on a daily basis, some way or another, and they really have the potential to make people feel the best version of themselves.
Lucinda Hart
We're here to talk about the launch of your brand, KEATS. Tell me about it and its positioning in the market.
Absolutely, I’m so excited to talk about it because it really is the brand I’ve wanted to create for so long, the brand I wished existed both as a developer, chemist and consumer. Our USP is that we always add our key actives at efficacy percentages i.e. their optimal level for performance. And then we share this rationale with the consumer by providing them access to data sheets, test results etc, to give them that peace of mind that this product is going to work. Behind-the-scenes, this terminology is part of everyone’s lingo. It’s often the first thing brands consider when conceptualising a product, but often (for a number of reasons) it may not be added at this level. We want to make ‘efficacy %’ mainstream and a part of everyone's vocab. Not just limited to those in lab coats, behind closed doors.
The brand is minimalist in its packaging (which I personally love) and very transparent with its information. Did this come from a customer need or a personal motivation?
Thank you! A bit of both, to be honest. Personally and professionally, I found I was getting lots of questions from friends and consumers about what a product or ingredient does, when they should use it, how it works, I could go on! So I thought it would be helpful, and kind of essential to be honest, for a brand to give a who, what and why on packaging, so that any one who picks it up has immediate clarity. Skincare can be SO confusing, and we want to simplify it.
The products are packed with efficacious, powerhouse ingredients - so much so that I’d expect to see a higher price tag. Can you tell me about the decision behind your pricing strategy?
Transparency is such a core part of KEATS, so we really want to reflect this by offering fair pricing. The beauty industry is just SO full of inflated pricing and huge markups. When we started KEATS, we knew it was a non-negotiable to formulate internally i.e. not taking ‘white label formulas’ from a third-party lab. This way, we get control over sourcing of ingredients, so we can choose the best actives at optimal efficacy percentages, without the third party lab margins, AND we can cut out unnecessary filler ingredients, and their cost, and then pass this saving on to our community.
KEATS launches with two products. Tell us about them and why you chose those SKUs.
We’re launching with The Hydrating Serum and The Moisturising Cream. For us, these were 2 essential products that are also super easy for everyone to use and to integrate into their routines. We wanted to tackle two really common problems too. First up, hydration with The Hydrating Serum. Everyone, especially in the UK, suffers with skin dryness at some point. So we chose an amazing Triple Hyaluronic Acid at 1% and Snow Mushroom at 0.2% (both efficacy %, of course!) for their amazing water attraction and retention benefits. Then, skin barrier health with The Moisturising Cream. A compromised skin barrier is responsible for so many skin issues, so we wanted to help solve this problem by adding 3% Triple Ceramide Complex to strengthen and 1% Phyto-Lipids to reinforce.
What is the next product in development?
First up is an incredible cleanser called The Balancing Cleanser, launching at the end of the year (in October). We’ve added some patented ingredients with a focus on sebum balance and microbiome health. We have some SPFs in the pipeline too, and some eye products with some really innovative and efficacious ingredients (think NAD+, NMN and PDRN). We really want to involve our community in the product development process too, so we’re planning to document everything on our socials and give people the chance to weigh in on ingredients and want to see from us next.
As an ingredients-focused skincare brand, there’s a strong trend right now for bodycare to be equally efficacious. Would you consider moving into bodycare?"
Absolutely! We’d love to expand into other categories and it’s very much a part of our long term strategy. Your body definitely deserves the same results as the skin on your face!
What is the sustainability strategy and values of KEATS?
Sustainability is baked into everything we do as default, especially as a new brand we want to set ourselves high standards from the get-go. In terms of packaging, we use glass, as it’s widely / easily recycled. For tube packaging (e.g. for our upcoming launches), we incorporate PCR (minimum of 25%) to avoid the use of virgin materials. Our cartons are made from FSC board and made in a certified B Corp manufacturing facility. Eco / soy-inks are used. Our formulation strategy focuses on fewer, but better, ingredients. We use ingredients when we feel they are truly necessary. We’re also vegan!
As part of our wider sustainability strategy, we commit to planting 200 trees per month with TreeApp. On a consumer level, we have also integrated TreeApp into our checkout process, allowing you to plant a tree for £1.
Talk to me about the customer. Who is the target and what are your marketing plans to reach them?
We are definitely consumer-obsessed as they are the reason KEATS exists. We’re here for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by skincare, just as we’re here for the self-proclaimed skincare nerds (like me!) who want to learn more about ingredients and formulations. In terms of plans, we want to really focus on reaching our community via our socials. We want to be a hub for people looking for skincare education. We’re working on some exciting content with the ‘next gen’ of cosmetic scientists, for example, which will be a rolling segment for us. In general, we want to peel back the curtain on what has, historically, been a super secretive industry, and let people in behind the scenes.
Let’s talk retail. I see you’re starting with DTC. Was this a conscious decision and are there retail partnerships planned?
We’re launching DTC because we have some features on our own site that we really want consumers to experience as part of their first encounter with KEATS. E.g. on our product pages, there’s access to efficacy % ingredients’ data sheets, and also a really cool feature on the INCI lists where you can hover-over and see what an ingredient does, and why it’s in there! But we have been in some talks with retailers and it’s very much on our roadmap for the near future. Watch this space!
Finally, what does the future hold for KEATS?
Ooh gosh, we have big goals! We want to focus on nurturing and building our community, not only through socials but also via some in-person events and experiences. Also, as mentioned, expanding into other categories and markets is a major goal for us. We’re very excited for the future!
KEATS is available from 09.06.2025 at keatsbeauty.com
