Less, But Better: How Jordan Harper Built A Cult Skincare Brand

Forbes

a day ago

Barefaced founder, Jordan Harper Courtesy of Barefaced
When Jordan Harper, a board-certified Nurse Practitioner, began sharing clinical skincare advice online in 2017, she wasn't chasing virality or founder status. Her content was about education—showing before-and-after's, answering questions, and demystifying skincare with the same attention she brought to thousands of patients in her clinical practice. That commitment to education, community building, transparency, and efficacy laid the foundation for what would become Barefaced , her minimalist skincare brand built on the simple ethos: less, but better.
With a recent five-year anniversary under her belt, Harper still owns 100% of the business. She's never taken on outside funding, never launched a product just to hit a quota, and has resisted every industry norm pushing for flash over function.
In an industry known for pumping out an overwhelming number of choices for consumers and waste in general, Barefaced offers the antithesis. It's a clinical skincare brand built on clarity and restraint
Barefaced Courtesy of Barefaced
"Quality at Barefaced starts with intention,' says Harper. 'Every ingredient we use has a clinical reason to be there—no fluff.' Her medical training shaped how the brand formulates balancing potent actives with skin-soothing ingredients making sure the final product is efficacious without compromising the skin barrier. 'Some ingredients get flagged by watchdog groups, but dosage is everything. The dose makes the poison. We formulate at levels that are effective but still safe for sensitive skin,' she points out.
That clinical pragmatism extends to the brand's design and packaging choices. 'I'm overwhelmed by too many options in any aisle—especially beauty. We keep our visuals clean and minimal because calm, not chaos, is our design philosophy,' she says. Even the packaging reflects this: made with 50% post-consumer recycled materials, the components are both sustainable and prestige-quality. 'I wanted the outside to reflect the integrity of what's inside—without adding waste.'
Barefaced Courtesy of Barefaced
Barefaced launched with a four-step core routine and has grown slowly and deliberately from there. Harper doesn't chase trends or seasonal hype. She tells me that every product starts by addressing a real, clinical need. 'If we can't make it better than what's already out there, we won't make it,' she says.
She explains to me that product development can take years. 'Testing and formulation take 18 to 24 months. We plan two years out, and even then, we'll pull the plug if it's not right.' Case in point: a nearly finished eye cream that didn't meet her standards. 'I wasn't 100% confident. And if I'm underwhelmed, our customers will be too. That's not a risk I'll take.'
Instead of chasing newness, Harper spends just as much time upleveling her existing formulas. A full brand refresh in 2021 updated packaging and improved formulations. Another round of reformulations is rolling out this fall, further refining the core collection. 'We always ask: Can we make what we already have even better? That's where the results are—within the routine.' A Business Built on Trust, Not Hype
Barefaced Courtesy of Barefaced
Harper didn't come from a business background. In fact, she launched Barefaced in 2020 by maxing out five zero-interest credit cards. 'I didn't even know what venture capital was,' she laughs. The brand has been profitable since day one and remains debt-free. While retailers have courted her, Harper has turned down partnerships that would pressure her to launch products. 'The big beauty retailers make you commit to a specific amount of new launches quarterly,' she continues.
Barefaced, Harper explains, has been built on trust. 'Our customers are our investors. That's who we're accountable to,' she says. And the numbers back it up—Barefaced has a 90% customer return rate and 52% of orders come from subscribers. 'You can sell something once. But repeat purchases? That means we're doing something right.' Barefaced certainly is. According to a recent study from MobiLoud, the beauty industry has an average of around 25.9% repeat customer rate.
Something else that is unique to Barefaced that I have never seen a brand do is to sell another company's products on their website. Barefaced sells several Revision Skincare products on its website. Harper explains, 'If a product already exists and it's best in class, we're not going to remake it just to have our name on it. We're here to curate what works, not add to the noise.' Leading With Expertise—and Humanity
Barefaced Courtesy of Barefaced
Harper's path from practitioner to founder wasn't linear. 'I didn't start out trying to be a brand. I was just posting educational content and seeing what resonated,' she says. That connection with her community as a creator shaped every decision. 'I invested in them for years before we ever launched a product.'
Being a public-facing founder has had its challenges, but Harper's clinical roots keep her grounded. 'I'm not for everyone, and I'm okay with that. I show up with integrity. Am I always, right? No. But I can sleep at night knowing I stand by what I share.'
She finds inspiration in like-minded brands—Merit, Hanni, Crown Affair, Westman Atelier—that prioritize quality, restraint, and connection over churn. 'I admire founders who care deeply about what they're building and who they're building it for.' The Juggle Is Real
Harper also happens to be a mom of four, a role she balances with entrepreneurship by applying the same structure she used as a nurse practitioner. 'Time blocking has been key. Success for me is being present—at work and at home.' She outsources what she calls 'secondary tasks' (like cooking and laundry) so she can prioritize what only she can do: leading her business and raising her kids.
'I run my family like I run my business. We plan, we delegate, and we're intentional.' What's Next for Barefaced?
Barefaced Courtesy of Barefaced
As Barefaced celebrates five years, Harper isn't focused on scaling for the sake of scale. 'I want to deepen our connection with our community—with more education, more one-on-one support, and in-person experiences.'
What sets Barefaced apart isn't just what's in the bottle—it's the clinical lens, the consistency, and the quiet rebellion against everything the beauty industry usually demands of its founders, particularly if investors are involved.
'This industry taught us that more is better, that we need a 12-step routine and new products every month. I just don't believe that anymore,' Harper says. 'I think our skin—and our customers—deserve better than that.'
What Harper has built is rare—starting a creator, she earned trust before launching a brand rooted in clinical efficacy, integrity, and intentional growth. As she continues to redefine modern skincare, Barefaced proves that slow, clinical, and customer-first can still win in an industry obsessed with speed and scale.