Ode To Skin

A founder-led clean skincare brand extending its hero serum into a wider range.

Direction

Vision

A founder-led clean skincare brand with a best-selling serum extending its range, without diluting range promise or creating too much costly formulation iterations.

The decision

Core Challenge

Translating a clean, ingredient-led brand into a wider range that feels credible at mid to premium price points without crowding the range or muddying the story.

Concepts

Concept Exploration

The project begins with the 'extend' range pathway which imports the hero product as a starting signal to inform the first set of ideas with accompanying rationale.

Inside the workflow

Behind The Scenes × MercuriDash

Ode To Skin: The extend pathway imports the hero serum and surfaces strategic options for ext

The extend pathway imports the hero serum and surfaces strategic options for extending it into new directions based on relevant market signals.

Ode To Skin: Initial concepts and notes are imported into the workflow, then a step-by-step f

Initial concepts and notes are imported into the workflow, then a step-by-step flow enables iterative creation that builds in learning as it progresses.

Ode To Skin: Each concept sent for approval is checked against the brief and the evidence beh

Each concept sent for approval is checked against the brief and the evidence behind it — market and demand, brand fit, feasibility and the commercial guardrails — and leads leave notes on anything sent back, so nothing drifts.

Ode To Skin: Closed-pack, open-pack, formula and campaign views are generated from the same p

Closed-pack, open-pack, formula and campaign views are generated from the same product. Product records and range sheets are generated with one click.

Ode To Skin: A live collaborative whiteboard, threaded notes and a running decision log keep

A live collaborative whiteboard, threaded notes and a running decision log keep the team aligned and activity tracked throughout the project.

Ode To Skin: Once the extensions were approved, the whole range was evaluated together: two g

Once the extensions were approved, the whole range was evaluated together: two gaps worth filling, one duplicate texture worth dropping, and every change reversible from the decision log.

Outcomes

Commercial Outcomes

The brand extended beyond its hero without a single reformulation, held its price floor on every launch, and kept a decision trail it can reuse next season.

What's next

Next Steps

Selected concepts move to formulation and sampling. Post-launch results feed back into the model, raising the brand's hit rate over time.