What would you say to a skincare routine built on a philosophy of “less, but better”? After years of treating patients as a Nurse Practitioner, Jordan Harper recognized that her community craved a simple, straightforward daily skincare routine that actually works. So she built one! Barefaced aims to strip your routine to the bare minimum, with the best results.
Get to know this week’s FACE of the South, Barefaced founder and CEO Jordan Harper!
Based in Knoxville, TN, Jordan Harper’s skincare line, Barefaced, is helping consumers cut through the static with simple, approachable skincare. “We only bring new products to market when we are confident they will be innovative and best in class,” says Jordan. “The world doesn’t need more of the same skincare products!”
What originally inspired your love of skincare?
Before I even went to college, my parents encouraged me to figure out what I wanted to do. I would shadow different people to see what I liked about specific jobs. In high school, I started having acne and saw a nurse practitioner at the dermatologist’s office. She explained that I needed to become an NP to prescribe and treat patients. I started to see a change in my skin, and it was like a lightbulb went off for me — skincare works! When your skin feels better, you feel more confident from the inside out.
Tell us about the road to creating Barefaced.
After treating patients in-office for a decade and building an online community, so many shared their concerns with such vulnerability that they gave me the idea to focus on the concept of less, but better, results-driven products.
My goal was to make the same results-driven products you could get from a medical office, obtainable from the comfort of your couch. I realized that people were willing to invest in in-office treatments, but when it came to building an everyday skincare routine, they felt overwhelmed and confused. I saw a need to simplify this process with products formulated to do the most so you don’t have to have a 12-step routine.
However, Barefaced goes deeper than skincare. I chose Barefaced as the name because the true definition of the word means “unashamed or vulnerable,” which I believe are characteristics of courage. My hope for Barefaced as a brand and community is that we have the courage to be confident in our skin and who we truly are — and to use that to build the life we desire to live. Skincare is just a small part of daily life, but it’s a ritual that, when followed consistently, yields rewarding, long-term benefits.
“My hope for Barefaced as a brand and community is that we have the courage to be confident in our skin and who we truly are — and to use that to build the life we desire to live,” says Jordan.
What skincare ingredients do you swear by?
I always say if you’re not invested in a daily SPF, then you shouldn’t bother investing in skincare because prevention and protection are so important.
Aside from SPF, there are three other products that are most important and transformative when used together. Those products are an exfoliant, a vitamin C, and a retinoid. We put together The Bare Necessities to make it easy to know exactly what to start with! These are the foundational products to promote long-term skin health and should be in every skincare routine no matter what your skin type is.
Like most wellness topics, skincare has become social media fodder for everyone — from experts like dermatologists and aestheticians to amateur beauty influencers. Which social media skincare trends do you love and loathe?
A standard and ethic I hold myself and Barefaced to is that we will never use fear-mongering to sway opinion or encourage a sale.
I like to keep things factual, tried, and true. Skin Cycling has been trending for a while, and I’m a fan because products need to be used at the appropriate frequencies to be effective.
SB Note: Skin Cycling encourages “rest days” for some skincare products and promotes using products synergistically for the most benefits.
What’s your take on skincare ‘from the inside out’? Are there any supplements or foods you swear by for their skin benefits?
As with anything related to our health, skincare is holistic, and our skin can improve or experience reactions (dryness, redness, breakouts) based on our diets, atmosphere, stress, and more. I think the most impactful diet modification you can do for your skin is reducing sugar consumption!
In my opinion, Vitamin D3 with K2 is a must for everyone. I also take beef liver daily and recently started taking colostrum for gut health, but the verdict is still out.
Aside from a great SPF, what’s your top product summer skincare product recommendation?
Aside from a great SPF, I would recommend a brightening serum! Dark spots tend to be triggered by heat, so it’s especially important to incorporate a brightening serum in the summer months to prevent dark spots from worsening.
Because heat can worsen the appearance of dark spots, Jordan recommends a brightening serum for the summer months.
In your opinion, what is the most underrated skincare product on the market?
Products that combine several steps into one are the most underrated. People are often drawn to products that treat specific skin concerns — a single-ingredient vitamin C, hyaluronic acid serum, retinoid, etc. But there are some really great products with more sophisticated, complex formulations that do A LOT for the skin to keep your routine results driven and minimal. Our Overachiever serum is an example of this; we almost named it the “kitchen sink” because it does so many beneficial things for the skin. It’s 10 single serums in one formulation!
Are there any skincare myths you love to debunk when given the chance?
I have heard numerous times that retinoids thin the skin. This is not true, and there are decades of research to prove the opposite. Retinoids help stimulate collagen production, which in turn thickens the skin.
Jordan’s favorite products are the ones that do double duty. Look for formulas that target multiple skin concerns at once.
What has been your greatest challenge as a business owner?
Rapid growth. And through that, making sure every single customer feels valued. One of our mottos we reference frequently is: We don’t sell skin care; we serve people. Our primary focus is taking care of our customers above all else. It’s been a bit of a challenge to keep up with that rapid growth, but we have a team dedicated to the customer experience first and foremost, and we’ve been able to work together to continue to serve them to the best of our abilities.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
A mindset shift that has really helped me over the past couple of years is to focus every single day on how I can become 1% better. Setting goals can be overwhelming, so I try to focus on ways to be a 1% better wife, mom, business owner, friend, etc. That helps me continue to grow while also having grace with myself. We are all human and fall short. But I do believe it’s important to continue to become our best.
An example is years ago when I felt pulled in multiple directions between my career and being a mom. I sat down and made a list of everything only I could do for my kids and my business, and I found a way to outsource or delegate the rest. This way, when I’m at work, that gets 100% of me, and when I’m with my kids, they get my best self and 100% of me. It’s really important to me to be present; this practice has helped me do that and become 1% better!
“We only bring new products to market when we are confident they will be innovative and best in class,” says Jordan. “The world doesn’t need more of the same skincare products!”
And, finally, a bonus ‘lightning round’ of questions:
Your three ultimate “desert island” skincare products: SPF, RetinAL Skin Therapy, Overachiever
Go-to gift to give (and where to get it): Fun, colorful wine glasses – Estelle Colored Glass is my fav, and she has a great founder’s story too.
Last amazing book you read: Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth & Happiness by Eric Jorgenson
Your top three makeup bag essentials: To be totally honest, all of the makeup I use has been gifted to me at some point because I’m not a huge makeup girl. But right now, I’m loving my latest adds, which I got from a Christmas party: Charlotte Tilbury cream blush, Tarte bronzer, and Jane Iredale loose powder.
You can check out the full line on the Barefaced website and explore skincare education and other resources on Instagram @barefaced and @jordanharper_np.
All photography by Jessica Steddom.
**********
For a daily dose of Style + Substance delivered straight to your inbox — subscribe to StyleBlueprint!
