The Brand She Wished Existed: How Sara Stokes Built SKN TO SKN for Every Stage of Motherhood
When Sara Stokes was six months pregnant with her first daughter, her facialist gently flagged something she hadn't known: several of the products she had been using for years contained ingredients that weren't safe during pregnancy. That moment of discovery - arriving late, arriving by chance - set off a search that would change the direction of her career entirely.
Store after store gave her the same answer: there was nothing specifically designed for pregnancy skincare. What she found instead were stretch mark creams and nipple balms, tucked between nappies and baby food, with labels that said "check with your doctor" and offered little else. Over 90% of women experience significant skin changes during pregnancy. The guidance, and the products, simply weren't there.
Sara left a 15-year career in the music industry to change that. SKN TO SKN - named for the skin-to-skin bonding moment between mother and newborn - is the first clinically proven active facial skincare brand formulated for women from conception through pregnancy, breastfeeding, and postpartum. Developed with an all-female team of consultant dermatologists, GPs, and cosmetic chemists (all mothers themselves), the range launched in Boots stores across the UK and Ireland in July 2025. In this interview, Sara shares what drove her to build it, the gap she found no one else was filling, and where she wants to take the brand next.
This is part of our ongoing 20 Founders On a Mission series. New editions publish regularly. To be featured or nominate a founder, write to us at hi@foundedbywomen.org
What inspired you to start?
I started SKN TO SKN after becoming frustrated by how difficult it was to find skincare products that felt both safe and luxurious during pregnancy. At the time, I was working in the music industry, but I kept coming back to the same thought: why were women having to compromise between efficacy, aesthetics and peace of mind during such an important chapter of their lives?
Pregnancy can feel overwhelming, especially when you start researching ingredients and realizing how much conflicting information is out there. I wanted to create a brand that simplified that experience and made women feel cared for, confident and empowered, rather than anxious. SKN TO SKN was born from a very personal desire to create products and a community that genuinely support women through motherhood and beyond.
What problem are you solving?
The biggest problem I’m trying to solve is the lack of clarity and trust in pregnancy-safe skincare. So many women are left second-guessing the products they use every day, often spending hours researching ingredients or feeling like they have to give up skincare altogether during pregnancy.
I wanted SKN TO SKN to remove that stress by creating products that are thoughtfully formulated by leading dermatologists, GPs and chemists, easy to trust, and still feel elevated and enjoyable to use. Beyond the products themselves, I also want the brand to create emotional reassurance, helping women feel seen, supported, and connected during a time that can be both beautiful and incredibly vulnerable.
What’s next for you?
Right now, I’m focused on continuing to grow SKN TO SKN into a trusted destination for modern motherhood and skincare. That includes expanding the product range, building stronger retail partnerships, and continuing to educate and support our community through content and conversation.
Longer term, I’d love for SKN TO SKN to become more than just a skincare brand. I want it to become a trusted lifestyle brand for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and even perimenopause and menopause. Everything we create will continue to come back to the same mission: helping women feel safe, confident, and cared for.
This is part of our ongoing 20 Founders On a Mission series. New editions publish regularly. To be featured or nominate a founder, write to us at hi@foundedbywomen.org
