Topicals
Mid-Range“Funner skincare for chronic skin conditions.”
Topicals was founded in 2020 by Olamide Olowe and Claudia Teng to fill a gap they kept running into personally: clinical-grade skincare for people with eczema, hyperpigmentation, and other chronic conditions, formulated first for deeper skin tones. Olowe had previously co-launched SheaGIRL under SheaMoisture while at UCLA; Teng came from clinical dermatology research at Stanford. The brand soft-launched in August 2020 (delayed twice — once by COVID, once by the 2020 racial-justice uprisings) and quickly became Sephora's fastest-growing skincare brand by 2022, with one Faded Brightening Gel selling per minute at peak.
Topicals' positioning is the most distinct of any 2020s skincare launch: clinical efficacy plus an explicitly Black-founded, mental-health-aware brand voice ('Funner skincare for chronic skin conditions'). Faded (kojic acid + tranexamic acid + niacinamide brightening gel), Like Butter Mask (heavy hydrating mask), High Roller (peptide eye treatment), and Slick Salve (tinted lip protectant) are the four products that drive most of the volume. Mid-range pricing, Sephora-only US distribution, and a 1%-of-profits donation to mental health organizations are why the brand became the Gen-Z reference point for inclusive clinical skincare.
Known For
Flagship Products
- Faded Brightening & Clearing Gel
- Like Butter Hydrating Mask
- High Roller Eye Treatment
- Slick Salve Glossy Lip Balm
- Soft Service Hydrating Body Lotion
Brand Philosophy
Funner skincare for chronic skin conditions — clinically tested, peer-reviewed actives formulated first on Fitzpatrick 6 skin tones and worked back.
FAQ
For Brands & Creators
VerifiedPublic collaboration and press contact channels for Topicals. Researched from official brand sources — always confirm before sending.
- Website
- mytopicals.com
- General inquiries
- [email protected]
- Contact form
- Open form
- HQ address
- Santa Monica, CA 90405 USA
- Sold at
- Sephora USBrand.com
HQ address 202 Bicknell Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405 confirmed in privacy policy. General email [email protected] on privacy policy + contact page. No public press or collab email surfaced; press routes via in-house comms (no public domain alias) — outreach should go to [email protected] with 'press' in the subject or to Olowe's LinkedIn DM. Co-founder Olamide Olowe is the public face for editorial coverage (Essence, WWD, CNBC); Claudia Teng (President) focuses on R&D and clinical. Brand is Sephora-exclusive in the US — no Ulta, no international expansion as of 2026.