TALENT

Waterless Solutions

Being Neighbourly x Laurie Mias, Founder, MONO Skincare

Author/ Being Neighbourly
8 January 2025

I started MONO Skincare because I wanted to revolutionize the way we approach beauty and skincare. For me, it was essential to create a brand that combines the highest quality of skincare with a deep respect for the planet”, says Laurie Mias, Founder of MONO Skincare. According to her, Skincare often comes with unnecessary waste, especially from water transport and packaging. “I wanted to challenge this status quo and create a solution that is not only effective but also sustainable,” she adds.

A serial entrepreneur, with previous experiences developing Mr. Green Juice and REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts, Mias says that it was this background in holistic wellness and entrepreneurship that led very naturally to this point.

“I spent 12 years developing wellness concepts, first with Mr. Green Juice, offering natural, cold-pressed juice detox programs, and later, with REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts, luxury retreats in Asia focused on well-being. This experience, combined with my lifelong exposure to the world of cosmetics through my mother, and my awareness of water scarcity, thanks to my father and grandfather’s work as water drillers, inspired me to rethink skincare. I wanted to create something innovative: waterless, 100% natural, and science-backed that benefits both the skin and the environment,” she says.

Waterless? Yes, that’s right. Mias shares that one of the biggest challenges has been breaking traditional industry norms, convincing consumers and retailers to adopt a completely new format—solid, waterless skincare tablets— and that this has required education and building trust.

“Sustainability and effectiveness are at the heart of MONO Skincare. Our products are designed to be waterless, reducing the carbon footprint linked to shipping water-heavy cosmetics. The refillable, minimal packaging aligns with our eco-responsible values. At the same time, we don’t compromise on results: our products are highly concentrated in active ingredients to deliver exceptional skincare performance. We also prioritize non-stop R&D, pioneering solid, soluble dermo-cosmetics to keep innovating and delighting our customers with top-notch skincare solutions.”

Mias shares that the research and development process was a challenge as waterless skincare tablets had never been done before. “It required us to work with some of the best formulators in the world—daring, bold, and curious professionals who combined the finest ingredients with cutting-edge expertise. Formulating at a precise pH of 5.0, which is optimal for skin health, was particularly complex but crucial to the product’s success,” shares Mias.

How does waterless skincare work? Mias shows a discreet line on the receptacle of a particular product, saying that the customer must fill it up to that line with filtered water. The kit comes with a tablet and a screw top bottle and what you do is unscrew the bottle, put the tablet in and add the water, “just as much as in any cosmetic: 70-90 percent. You must then leave it for about 48 hours for the tablet to rehydrate,” Mias says. According to her, another benefit is the longevity of the products, which last up to two years before water is added; and one year after water has been added and the tablet has dissolved.

She says it was a breakthrough moment when pharmacists and concept stores worldwide began saying “Yes” to MONO Skincare. “It was validating to see more and more partners align with and share our values, proving that there’s a growing demand for sustainable and effective skincare,” she shares.

She adds that MONO Skincare is suitable for anyone looking for high-quality, natural, and sustainable skincare, calling it ideal for individuals who want effective solutions without compromise—whether that’s to do with their health, the planet, or their daily routines.

“Our products are gentle and adapt to all skin types, including sensitive skin. Additionally, they are particularly suitable for mature skin, as our formulations target skin cell biohacking and aim to slow down cellular senescence, supporting longevity and vitality.”

Her passion is clear: “MONO Skincare is 100% natural because we believe in pure essentials and refuse to cut corners. For us, this is the only way to create skincare—without compromises. Just as society is realizing the harmful effects of processed foods on our health, the same awareness is emerging for processed skincare. People want fewer artificial ingredients and more natural solutions, and MONO is proud to lead this movement by focusing on the essentials for skin health.”

What’s the best work advice you have received?

Under Laurie Mias’s stewardship, the skincare brand embraces a philosophy of ‘less is more’. By focusing on essentials and cultivating discipline in company routines, she aims to create deep and lasting transformations because MONO isn’t just about skincare—it’s about embracing a mindset of quality, sustainability, and intentionality.

According to her, the best advice she has received has been to, “Talk to as many people as you can who are already in the industry”, advice, she says, came from her mentor Richard Lepeu, ex CEO of the Richemont Group.

MONO Skincare

MONO Skincare can be purchased online via their website and through select premium retailers in Hong Kong, such as the Spa of 10X Longevity and Kapok.