For those who think a brand can't have it all in 2024, we'd like to introduce you to Michal Morrison. The more we learned about the new skincare brand, we realized just how many layers there were to truly peel back, especially for a brand with just one SKU. But nothing about it is merely surface level.
Named for its founder, Michal Morrison didn't have a background in business or beauty and we think this gives her a particular edge. Prior to the launch of her brand, she cultivated her love of science through her work in archaeology. Entrepreneurship didn't come in to play until after she found it necessary to completely overall her previous lifestyle when she endured a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) that made traditional working environments difficult to participate in.
"It was a huge shift, but I felt motivated to have a different kind of control over my life after surviving such a bad injury. In addition, trying to enter a corporate environment after having a health crisis is extremely difficult. I was encouraged to conceal my disability rather than ask for accommodations and was told that no one would hire me if I disclosed it," Morrison shares.
Proving those people wrong has been a driving force behind the creation of her brand, something we can personally relate to here at The Beauty Brief. While the life of an entrepreneur is no easy feat, Morrison has found that it allows for more autonomy and creative opportunities overall.
Since Morrison didn't come from the business world, she took advantage of the downtime forced by the pandemic to immerse herself in new educational opportunities, including taking courses through The Guild, watching videos on the Techstars Entrepreneur's Toolkit platform, and seeking advice from the local business community of Austin, TX.
"The startup community in Austin was an essential part of me getting started on conceptualizing the brand back in 2020. I received a barrage of support from both friends and total strangers. In Austin, people believe there is a lot of success to go around and are happy to help one another out. I credit that environment with helping me get my feet under me as a first-time founder. The concept of Texas hospitality and generosity holds true even in the world of entrepreneurship!" Morrison explains.
Despite the steady launch of new skincare lines, the founder feels confident in her product's true differentiation in a crowded market. She'd placed an emphasis on the kind of innovation consumers are hungry for.
"With the rise of biotechnology within the beauty space, I hope to see the long-standing practice of ‘formula recycling’ be replaced with a flow of more new ingredients, which is something we plan on contributing to as a company," she says.
In addition to the science, it's also been a priority for Morrison to implement accessible design into her brand's DNA as a founder with a disability. Her TBI, which took place 8 years ago, still impacts her life today.
"That experience was a catalyst for me recognizing the extent to which societal and cultural design fail to take the disability community into consideration. Braille was a simple element to incorporate onto our packaging, and I believe it should be industry standard. I included it to demonstrate my commitment to supporting and including the disability community in the beauty ecosystem," Morrison shares.
Now Let's Dive Into the Product: What Makes the Product Special?
According to Moirrison, βSTEM6 is a completely new way (and new ingredient) that her brand has implemented in its product formulation to address skin concerns.
Genesis βSTEM6 Molecular Serum retails at $175.00 and currently features an average star rating of 4.8 stars on the brand site.
Key Product Features:
• The first and only bioserum with βSTEM6—a new, patented* skincare technology proven by stem cell science
• A true biotech breakthrough validated by 25 years of research in stem cell science and regenerative medicine
• An exclusive, patented metamolecule™ developed by a team of distinguished experts in synthetic organic chemistry, molecular biology and stem cell science
Gensis' hero ingredient βSTEM6 has been built on more than 25 years of scientific stem cell research.
The founder explains that it "supports the skin’s signaling pathway to awaken the millions of cells responsible for both protecting and rejuvenating healthy skin."
For those with less sun exposure, it helps to prevent damage and protect skin cells, while having the ability to simultaneously address long-time signs of aging on the skin.
"We have been thrilled by the feedback from our customers about the dramatic decrease in visible signs of aging they’ve experienced," Morrison says, adding that "doctors who have tried the product have reported to us that they have been able to decrease the number of expensive and painful treatments they do on their skin each year because so many signs of sun damage had been ameliorated by using Genesis consistently."
We had the opportunity to try Genesis and enjoyed using it as a non-irritating alternative to retinol. It also happens to play extremely well with our existing long-time routine staples.
So what helps it stay effective without the irritation frequently experienced when using a retinol product?
"βSTEM6 is not inflammatory and does not cause micro damage to the skin in order to prompt collagen production. In fact, it’s so gentle that many of our customers with inflammatory conditions like rosacea have used it without that experience of ‘heat’ or discomfort that makes creating a routine so difficult for those with sensitive skin," Morrison says.
Described as a "biotech breakthrough," βSTEM6 is based on the extensive research by leading stem cell scientist, Dr. Michael Kahn.
"The R&D experts behind the Genesis βSTEM6 Molecular Serum formulation knocked it out of the park. It’s not every day that those in product development get to work with an entirely new ingredient, so there was a lot of excitement around creating our formula. Since we are utilizing a new, patented and proprietary molecule, our product development process was a bit lengthier than others as we worked to refine the concentration of βSTEM6 for maximum efficacy," the founder adds.
Another major perk of the Genesis serum?
Since the ingredient isn't inflammatory, this means there's no added risk for increased sensitivity in the sun and the product can easily be used in the AM and PM. Regardless, it's important for consumers to still use SPF every morning over the product to protect skin from UV damage.
On launching the brand with a singular product, Morrison tells The Beauty Brief that the goal has been to create a community around her hero ingredient βSTEM6 in order to continue to build proof of the concept.
"We have some very exciting products coming down the pipeline that have been ideated based on direct feedback from customers and the dramatic changes in skin seen in our clinical study on βSTEM6. As we continue to grow as a brand, we want to place an emphasis on skin health education, both to demonstrate to our customers why and how βSTEM6 works, but to empower our customers for a lifetime of healthy, glowing skin," she says.
What’s Next for the Michal Morrison Brand?
"We’re currently fundraising with values-aligned partners who are excited to be a part of the growth of
biotechnology in beauty. There are no limitations for the use of βSTEM6 in international markets, unlike some other ingredients, so the potential for growth is enormous," Morrison shares.
Ultimately, the goal will be to expand her team, invest in continued research and development, and work towards brand expansion into professional retail channels.
We're looking forward to seeing what's in store for the brand. The Beauty Brief is officially calling Michal Morrison one to watch in the skincare category.
Comments