SKINGRAPHICA.
Mat Baxter has launched Skingraphica, positioning it as the first luxury skincare brand for tattooed skin, targeting a market he says has been underserved by premium beauty retailers.
The brand launches globally across 50 markets including the US, UK, Europe, Korea, China and Japan, with pre-orders opening October 1.
Baxter, a former CEO of IPG's creative consultancy Huge and global CEO of Initiative, last year stepped down as APAC CEO of marketing measurement start-up Mutinex.
He developed his latest concept after getting tattooed -- an eagle on his inner forearm -- by renowned artist Mikael Rämgård.
"When Mikael told me there was nothing premium, nothing dermatologist approved, I couldn't believe it," Baxter said.
"We spend billions on skincare, yet tattooed skin — art that can cost more than $10,000 from the world's best artists — is left with drugstore balms and guesswork."
Skingraphica offers a stage-specific system covering tattoo preparation, recovery, daily protection and what the company describes as the world's first restoration emulsion designed to revive aged or faded ink.
The global tattoo market is projected to reach $9.25 billion by 2034, growing at more than 15% annually, while premium skincare already exceeds $100 billion.
Baxter notes that more than half of millennial and Generation Z consumers have tattoos.
"It's a massive and underserviced opportunity," Baxter said.
"Sephora and Mecca don't carry a single prestige line for tattooed skin and yet walk their aisles and most of the customers are inked."
The brand will launch a digital campaign featuring several of the world's top 10 tattoo artists alongside beauty and fashion influencers.
A national outdoor campaign celebrating Australians with tattoos starts October 1.
Baxter has appointed QMS as the exclusive out-of-home advertising partner and will use Scentre Group's Westfield retail media assets to reach consumers in premium shopping environments.
"Tattoos are the ultimate expression of self, the modern-day fashion statement you wear 24/7," Baxter said.
"We wanted to avoid tired skincare tropes and instead position Skingraphica as a style-driven brand at the intersection of fashion and art. Our campaign reflects that spirit with the simple line, Skincare for Skin Art."
The media strategy focuses on out-of-home and retail media rather than digital performance channels.
"The market's obsession with performance media has come at the expense of meaningful and effective brand building," Baxter said.
"Premium brands expect their customers to pay more for quality, yet they rarely extend the same philosophy to their media investments."
Skingraphica is Australian-made and headquartered in Australia.
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