How Skin Control turned pimple patches into a mass-market must-have

Skin Control founder Michael Porter didn’t just spot a gap in the skincare market, he helped create an entirely new category in Australia. What began as a personal search for an effective, affordable acne solution has evolved into a fast-growing mass-market brand, bringing globally trending “patch” technology into the local mainstream. In this interview with Inside FMCG, Porter reflected on the early challenge of building awareness from scratch, what it really takes to win over major retailers and how staying relentlessly close to the customer continues to shape both product innovation and brand strategy. As competition intensifies across mass beauty, he also shared his perspective on what separates fleeting trends from lasting brands – and what “winning at shelf” looks like in 2026.Inside FMCG: When you first came across patch technology… what convinced you it would resonate? What were the biggest hurdles?Michael Porter: When I first came across patch technology, it immediately clicked because it solved a very real problem I had personally experienced growing up. I was looking for a solution to treat acne that was effective, affordable and actually worked! At the time, most solutions were either harsh or expensive. The idea of a simple, wearable treatment felt intuitive, and more importantly, it delivered results quickly.What convinced me it would resonate was how impressive the results were and how simple the product was to understand. You could look at it and instantly get it, that is something that is powerful on a shelf. The biggest hurdles early on were education and credibility. Back in 2019 no one in Australia had really seen pimple patches before, so we had to bring retailers and customers on that journey with us. Getting that first range off the ground meant backing the product with conviction before the category even existed locally. Inside FMCG: What do you know now about pitching to major retailers that you wish you knew at the start?MP: Early on, I thought a great product would speak for itself, but retailers are thinking much bigger than that. They’re looking at category growth, margin, return on shelf space and how your brand fits into their long-term strategy. I had a vague understanding of this through Four Seasons Condoms, our family brand, however stepping out and backing Skin Control was a different game. Skin Control was presenting a product to market that retailers hadn’t seen before, it required a lot more education. What I’ve learned is that you need to walk in with a clear commercial story, not just a product story. Show how you’ll drive incremental growth, how you’ll recruit new shoppers into the category, and how you’ll support sell-through with a strong promotional plan.I also wish I understood earlier that persistence matters. Most successful retail partnerships don’t happen overnight, they’re built through consistent follow-up, proof of performance and delivering on what you promise.Inside FMCG: How do you personally stay close to the customer?MP: Staying close to the customer is something I prioritise every single day. I still spend time reading reviews, looking at customer feedback, and paying attention to how people are actually using our products, not just how we intended them to be used.Social media is also a window into real-time sentiment, I often find myself spending a little too much time scrolling. It is a helpful tool to learn about what’s resonating, what’s not, and what people are asking for next. Together with behavioural change reports and consumer insight studies, social media directly shapes how we operate as a business, from product development through to marketing. It helps to ensure we’re building for real people, not just what we think is trending or what will work. This is how our most recent viral Glass Skin Mask range was developed.Inside FMCG: What principles guide your decisions balancing retailers, brand integrity and price?MP: For me, it always comes back to delivering a high-quality product to our customer at an accessible price point.We’re very disciplined about who we work with and the type of products that we launch. We’ve built the business around product performance and price trust, so we’re constantly looking at how we can innovate in a way that keeps pricing within reach.With retailers, it’s about partnership. We’re aligned on delivering strong results, but we’re also clear on what the brand stands for. That balance is critical, short-term wins should never come at the expense of long-term brand trust.Inside FMCG: How has your leadership evolved as the business has scaled?MP: In the early days, I was involved in every decision across sales, marketing and product development. As the business has grown, my role has shifted from being responsible for executing tasks and outputs to helping guide the team in keeping projects on track while managing the day-to-day operations and long-term business strategy.As we grow it’s still important to keep the energy and mindset of a startup, staying agile, moving quickly and not becoming complacent. Growth can create complexity, so my focus is on keeping the team aligned, clear on priorities and connected to the bigger vision.Inside FMCG: What do people misunderstand about mass-market beauty right now? Opportunities and risks?MP: I think there’s a misconception that mass-market means lower quality or less innovation, but in reality, it’s one of the most competitive and fast-moving parts of the industry.Customers today are incredibly informed which is great. They’re comparing ingredients, results and value across every price point, which is pushing mass-market brands to innovate faster than ever. The opportunity is significant, especially for brands that can bring real innovation to everyday retailers at an accessible price. With so much competition, it’s easy to chase trends without a clear point of view. I believe the brands that win will be the ones that stay consistent, build trust and deliver products that genuinely work.Inside FMCG: What does “winning at shelf” look like in 2026?MP: Winning at shelf today is about clarity and impact. You have a very small window to capture attention, so for us, our products need to communicate their benefits instantly. We don’t have the extensive marketing budgets compared to some of the larger global brands, so we need to ensure that we’re showing up on shelf. It’s also about creating a cohesive presence, packaging and innovation all need to work together so the brand stands out as a destination, not just a single product. We’re thinking beyond the physical shelf pre-store; product sampling, out of home advertising, digital touchpoints and online discovery all influence what happens in-store.Our strategy is to continue building ranges that are easy to shop, visually distinctive and backed by strong demand, so when a customer sees Skin Control, they already know what they’re getting in terms of quality, even if it is a new to launch product. Inside FMCG: What future are you building toward? What does success look like personally?MP: Over the next five years, we’re focused on continuing to scale while expanding into new categories that align with our core, effective, accessible skincare range that delivers real results.We see a lot of opportunity in taking emerging global trends and making them accessible to everyday customers in a way that feels simple and trustworthy.For me personally, success isn’t just about growth, it’s about building a brand that has longevity which Australian consumers know and trust. A brand that people genuinely rely on and that continues to innovate without losing what made it successful in the first place.If we can keep delivering products that work, stay connected to our customers and build a team that’s proud of what we’re creating, that’s what success looks like to me.