Anna Martins
Entrepreneur and founder of SKINPOEM, Christine “Chin” Simpson, started her brand with the intention of centering gentle and kind living. Since creating her brand, Chin has done everything in her power to incorporate this philosophy into her daily life, in order to set an example for other women in the business world.
Growing up in a Filipino-Chinese household, Chin was always encouraged to be a housewife. She was taught that business is for men, and her job was to take care of her family. Despite this, Chin never let go of her entrepreneurial spirit. As a child, she sold stickers and notebooks to classmates, and, as she grew older, she recognized that business was something she was good at.
Chin was inspired to start her brand, SKINPOEM, after witnessing her brother struggle with his skin. Suffering from psoriasis, Chin’s brother was in constant pain and was not able to find products that helped him. Chin decided to take charge by researching skin care that would help, and eventually realized she had developed a true passion for skin care. She quickly got to work on creating a skincare line which works for different skin types and soothes pain that accompanies dry and irritated skin caused by psoriasis, eczema, and more.
In addition to quality skincare at an affordable price, Chin wanted her brand to encourage self-care. To accomplish this, Chin combined her passion for skincare with her lifelong passion for poetry, hence the name SKINPOEM. Each product the brand offers features a poem that reminds users to be gentle with not only their skin, but also their mind as they embark on a journey to a healthier life.
In creating a business from scratch, Chin faced many unprecedented obstacles. Balancing work with her personal life proved to be difficult. In addition, Chin hoped to create a workplace environment that was healthy for all employees, making everyone feel welcome and heard. Just last year, SKINPOEM had to take a break from certain operations due to Chin’s desire to ensure the well-being of her employees.
This situation taught Chin to surround herself with people who support her and look out for her well-being. She explains that in the world we live in today, where so many people are focused on the hustle and grind of business, it is important to not lose sight of your health, both mental and physical.
She loves to remind herself of advice she was given during the hard times of her business, “if it’s not your bread and butter, don’t treat it like your bread and butter.”
Through her business, Chin has realized she does not have to pick or choose between SKINPOEM and her family. She can have both as long as she sets clear boundaries for herself and takes care of her health. Starting 2024, she has more balance in her daily life. She takes each morning slowly, enjoying her walks and her coffee. She also visits the office each day to take meetings with her team and check up on the work being done.
Although SKINPOEM means a lot to Chin, she is adamant about not losing sight of her family and passions outside of work. She picks her kids up from school, cooks for her family, something she has always loved to do, and spends time with those she loves. She explains SKINPOEM has already been a great success, more than what she could have ever imagined, so now she is focused on continuing to create quality products while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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