Crew Finance

A 15-year-old creator just landed a Sephora exclusive. While most teens are starting high school, Salish Matter is launching Sincerely Yours, a skincare brand built specifically for Gen Z. The numbers tell the story: 4.5M Instagram followers 3M YouTube subscribers September 6 Sephora launch But here's what's actually interesting: She didn't slap her name on random products. She built a line that solves the exact problems her audience faces daily. Teen skin is different. It doesn't need retinol or anti aging serums. It needs gentle cleansers, lightweight moisturizers, and sunscreen that actually works under makeup. The lineup: Foaming cleanser - $22 Daily moisturizer - $26 Mineral SPF 30 - $28 Hydrating mist - $24 Every formula dermatologist tested. Every ingredient chosen specifically for teenage skin. This isn't another white label cash grab - it's a legitimate skincare line. At HotStart VC, we track every brand founded by a celebrity or creator. Most fail because they chase trends instead of solving problems. Salish gets it. She's not trying to compete with Drunk Elephant or Glow Recipe. She's creating a category that barely existed: skincare designed by teens, for teens. The launch event at American Dream Mall? Lines starting at 6 AM. First 1,000 customers get free full sized products. Sephora giving her a week of exclusivity before rolling out nationwide. This is what happens when you combine massive distribution (hello, 6M+ followers) with actual product market fit. While other teen influencers are launching their 47th lip gloss, Salish identified a gap in the $180B beauty market and filled it. The smartest brands aren't built by committees in boardrooms. They're built by people who live the problems they're solving. And at 15, Salish Matter just proved she understands her audience better than beauty conglomerates with billion dollar R&D budgets.