Influencer Editorial Team
Chin Simpson, the entrepreneur behind Skin Poem, used positive affirmations and self-love as the forefront of her business. Although her brother dealt with a severe case of psoriasis away from his family and she experienced the tribulations of COVID in the Philippines, poetry kept her passion for business alive.
By Taylor Spill @taylorespill
For most, a global pandemic and a loved one struggling with a painful skin condition on the other side of the world would be a breaking point. However, this is exactly what inspired businesswoman Chin Simpson to spread poetry full of love and positivity. Skin Poem was the product of Chin wanting to care for her brother and her calling as an entrepreneur. After collaborating with myriad chemists and dermatologists, Skin Poem was created to alleviate the pain of skin conditions while also including messages of self-love.
Part of what inspired Chin to create her own business was social distancing regulations. Living in the Philippines at the time, she was subjected to strict lockdowns, spending ample time at home. She reflects on her experiences in 2021, when she began her business, “The main inspiration was during COVID, I felt like the world was shifting to a very different energy […] we were all able to slow down and focus on what really matters, having so much time for ourselves.” What mattered to Chin at the time was supporting her family, especially her brother. From sharing positive affirmations to sending developing products, she made sure to be there for her brother, despite her inability to leave the Philippines.
“It was finally time for me to take this next step. I took a leap of faith starting this business, even though I had no background in skincare,” Chin says when talking about what inspired her to translate her passion for helping people find love for themselves into a business.
Skin Poem was built on healing one’s relationship with their skin, in both a literal and metaphorical sense. Each product aids in healing skin impacted by different skin conditions in addition to containing a unique verse of poetry containing affirmations and positive messages. In addition, all products are FDA-approved, ethically sourced, and high-quality, and Chin tries her best to make them as affordable as possible.
Although Chin had the vision, starting her own business was nothing short of a challenge. “I come from a family of businessmen, but not women. I mean, we’re a Filipino-Chinese family. So I wasn’t really trained in the business world.”
She was persistent in starting her own business; however, she had the pressure of being a woman in a man’s world. The advice she offers to those in her shoes, is, “for those young people to surround themselves with good people who will always have their best interests in mind.”In her case, her family was her inspiration to break barriers.
Chin’s values also inspire the outlook for Skin Poem: “Always be true to who you are, and be considerate of others. Treat people how you would want them to treat you.” Chin is constantly improving her business, valuing the feedback from her customers in order to create products that are both accessible and high quality. Feeling comfortable in one’s skin is also the forefront of this business. She emphasizes embracing the skin one’s in, because it is a part of who a person is.
Loving yourself is loving the skin that you’re in. Chin hopes that the poetry and messages she conveys through her products can help her customers love themselves and heal their relationship with their body, especially their skin.
While envisioning the future of the brand, Chin states, “Hopefully Skin Poem will be a global brand that is well loved. We will always have customers in mind every time we create a new product.”
She is currently working on rebranding so her products become more affordable, but also remain ethically sourced and sustainable. Skin Poem is unique in that it helps to relieve pain and discomfort caused by skin conditions but also inspires users to love themselves as they are. And Chin hopes to continue spreading messages of positivity, even including uplifting poetry as a part of Skin Poem’s website.
