Keeping it simple: Capsule Pharma’s new skin care launch goes back-to-basics to target sensitive skin issues

Founded in 2007, BELVEA specialises in developing niche products such as prenatal and lactation supplements. Starting in 2013, it began distributing a skin cream to local dermatology clinics, where it soon developed a following.

“Dermatology clinics need a base cream that is simple enough and won’t interfere with any actives the doctor may want to use for their patients. We provided such a cream for dermatology clinics and we ended up getting calls from patients who wanted to get the cream directly from us,” ​said Mitch Loo, managing director of BELVEA.

The firm launched the BELVEA Skincare in February with a skin cream and a gentle skin wash as a response to consumer demand. Furthermore, it also observed a rise in cases of skin-irritation in the past year.

Minimalist skin approach

Loo said the firm aimed to keep the brand as simple as possible to avoid causing further skin irritation.

The BELVEA Moisturising Skin Cream Formula contains only six active ingredients that form a humectant effect to prevent moisture loss and hydrate skin. The Gentle Skin Wash Formula is a soap-free formula that was developed to offer moisturising effects. Both the products retail at SGD20.

Loo said the products are suitable for those who suffer from dry and fragile skin, including infants and seniors.

Additionally, the cream can be used by patients undergoing steroid cream therapies, as a moisturiser in between steroid cream application.

Loo told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that the firm also aimed to keep the brand affordable therefore available to those who may not have the expenses to spare for “pricey over-the-counter products”.​

The firm was able to keep its prices low by developing the formula in a New Zealand laboratory and manufacturing its products in neighbouring Malaysia.

“If you look in terms of regulation and [Good Manufacturing Practices] compliance, Malaysia is very strict and has good GMP standards. For this and its close proximity, we chose to manufacture there and [the formula] ended up very well, very much in accordance to what we intended,”​ said Loo.

Furthermore, this allows the company to ensure its carbon footprint is kept minimal.

“The consumers are very aware of the environmental impact of a product so it’s important that we move in that direction. Not only do we manufacturer the products close by to lessen the carbon footprint, we also kept the formulation simple also to lessen the usage of raw materials. We believe this is what the consumer is looking for today,” ​said Loo.

Currently, the products are sold at selected medical and dermatology clinics island-wide, as well as e-commerce platforms Shopee and Qoo10.

It is also available in Malaysia and the company said it was open to expanding the brand further into neighbouring markets

Moving forward, the firm intends to expand the brand, but not necessarily into mass-market over-the-counter products.

Loo said: “We are moving towards developments in medicinal skin care, meaning the therapeutic area where its classed as a medicine. It seems to be the right area to move into since we are serving so many dermatologists. Some of them have also highlighted to us what they need so that’s where we will start off developments.”​