In an exclusive interview, Jane Wurwand, the founder of the globally renowned skincare brand Dermalogica, shared her inspiring journey, entrepreneurial insights, and her strong belief in the power of human connection in the service industry. From her humble beginnings to building a multimillion-dollar empire, Wurwand’s story is one of innovation, determination, and resilience.
The Journey to Building Dermalogica
In 1983 Jane Wurwand started her business with a mission to change the skincare industry. She began with a training program for professionals and then in 1986 launched Dermalogica’s skincare line. What started as a small business grew to a brand in over 80 countries.
“When I started I wrote down my purpose: total world domination of professional skincare” Wurwand said, recalling her original plan. Along with her training academy her brand quickly became known for its great products and skill based education for skincare professionals.
In the 1980s Jane and her partner Raymond settled in Los Angeles and identified a gap in the market – no education bridging professional skincare and self-care. With no access to loans due to their limited financial history in the US, the couple self funded their business with $14,000 from personal savings and friends and family.
“Self funded we never took a loan” Wurwand said. “When we sold the company we owned it 100%, with no debt to pay off”. This gave the Wurwands full control over their vision for Dermalogica.
In 2015 Jane sold Dermalogica to Unilever. She’s been an entrepreneur in residence for U.S. President Barack Obama since 2016.
Lessons from Early Life and the Power of Skills
Wurwand attributes much of her fearlessness and drive to her childhood. Raised by a single mum who worked tirelessly to support her four kids, Wurwand learned early on the importance of independence and resourcefulness.
Her career started in salons as a teenager where she developed her foundation skills in the industry. Those experiences cemented her belief in skill based training, a principle that is at the heart of Dermalogica.
“The core purpose of Dermalogica has always been skill-set training. We train 100,000 skin therapists. That’s the engine that drives everything we do,” she said.
As technology evolves Wurwand believes human skills will always be irreplaceable in service industries. Despite AI and automation she says human touch, compassion and connection are what truly differentiate businesses.
“With technology being our current revolution the equal and opposite reaction to that high-tech is high-touch,” Wurwand said. “Our industry is booming. It’s about cooking, caring, touching, kindness and talking – things humans do best.”
For Wurwand Dermalogica’s success was never just about dominating the industry. “It’s not about dominating the world,” she said. “It’s about how I can do my best work that would influence and help change other people’s lives.”
Building a Legacy Together
Today Jane Wurwand is impacting lives beyond the beauty industry. In 2020 she and her husband launched the Small Business Recovery Fund Grant Program to help businesses in LA during the pandemic.
Looking back Jane says “Dermalogica couldn’t have happened without Raymond. And neither of us could have done it alone.”
From self funded entrepreneur to global business leader is a testament to the power of skills, innovation and the human touch.
