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Over almost 13 years of guiding European brands like Nuxe, Bioderma and Embryolisse in the United States, distributor Amerikas has developed a keen understanding of what it takes to sell beauty products to Americans, and it often boils down to weaving a compelling story.
So, after acquiring Skyn Iceland through a liquidation process in October 2024, it set out to make sure the brand’s story was crystal clear. Now, it’s ready to tell it through an overhauled brand architecture, careful ingredient selection and product innovation that doubles down on its ties to Iceland while modernizing its formulas and packaging.
“We needed to go much deeper than just a restyling, and we had to rethink the positioning of the brand, the packaging and its attractiveness,” says Jose Penalba, founder and CEO of Amerikas. “The brand today is going to connect Icelandic natural elements with a more scientific edge.”
Not abandoning Skyn Iceland’s bestsellers, Dissolving Microneedle Eye Patches and Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, the new brand structure is designed to encourage consumers to assemble skincare routines from Skyn Iceland products. It divides the assortment into four main product ranges—HydroSkyn for hydration and firming, RegenSkyn for regeneration and wrinkle fighting, BrightSkyn for brightening and revitalization, and PureSkyn for balance and clarification—to articulate functions and benefits.
Iceland looms large in the imagination of many consumers as a place associated with purity, wellness and escape. Although its population is less than 400,000, it welcomes more than 2 million international visitors a year to witness its dramatic landscapes, geothermal waters and wellness culture. That combination of aspiration and accessibility makes Iceland a powerful narrative stage for Skyn Iceland’s refreshed identity.
Each of the brand’s new ranges pairs science-led ingredients with natural Arctic ones, and products within each range are housed in packaging featuring Iceland’s natural wonders. For example, RegenSkyn’s packaging highlights the country’s volcanos, and its formulas feature copper peptides, epidermal growth factor and collagen along with red algae and stone and red maple bark extracts. HydroSkyn’s packaging has glacier graphics, and its formulas incorporate hyaluronic acid and ectoin together with algae and marine and stone extracts.
Several of the ingredients may be unfamiliar to skincare consumers, but Skyn Iceland is betting their uniqueness and results will separate its products in a crowded market. The stone extract illustrates this draw. Derived from hematite, a volcanic mineral gemstone, it promises retinol-like effects. In addition, Skyn Iceland’s updated formulas pay attention to texture, with comforting and energizing formats that encourage application.
Beauty industry veteran Sarah Kugelman launched Skyn Iceland in 2005 following a trip to Iceland during a turbulent moment in her life in the wake of departing Gloss.com, a beauty content and commerce platform she sold to Estée Lauder. She conceived of the brand as combatting the impacts of stress on the skin. Currently, she helms All Golden, a pro-aging skincare and haircare line for women 45 and above she started in 2024.
Skyn Iceland was early to the clean skincare movement that has been eclipsed by clinical skincare in recent years. Amerikas’ refurbishment of the brand retains clean attributes as it advances its scientific focus. Its formulas avoid synthetic fragrances and dyes and rely on natural compounds for sensory experiences and shades of yellow, gray and more.
“The brand today is going to connect Icelandic natural elements with a more scientific edge.”
With the overhaul, handled in-house, Amerikas has cut the number of Skyn Iceland’s products, and Penalba says it’s retained six or seven of roughly 30 pre-acquisition products. The brand has about a dozen products in the works, and it expects to build out its selection to 15 to 20 products by the end of the year.
Signs of the overhaul are beginning to emerge online. Skyn Iceland has released Antidote Cooling Daily Lotion in its HydroSkyn range and Brightening Eye Serum in the BrightSkyn range with the revamped look and positioning. In April, products such as the Pro-Collagen Serum in the RegenSkyn range and Hydrating Serum in the HydroSkyn range are slated to launch.
Skyn Iceland’s pricing hasn’t changed, and it sits at entry-level prestige. A four-pack of Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels is $22, and a three-pack of Dissolving Microneedle Eye Patches is $47. Brightening Eye Serum is $45 for a .5-oz. size, and Antidote Cooling Daily Lotion is $52 for a 1.69-oz. size. Skyn Iceland’s core customer target is women aged 35 to 55 years old.
Skyn Iceland was generating around $20 million in retail sales a few years ago and was available at retailers like Bluemercury and Ulta Beauty. Prior to Bluemercury and Ulta, the brand was in Sephora. Under financial strain, Penalba says it couldn’t provide inventory to fulfill demand, harming its retail relationships.
Skyn Iceland could make a retail return as soon as the second quarter, but Amerikas is concentrating until then on direct-to-consumer distribution, Amazon and TikTok Shop. It amassed know-how on those channels, having been a beta partner for TikTok Shop’s entrance in the U.S. and selling brands on Amazon for about eight years. This year, Penalba projects Skyn Iceland could reach $10 million in sales.
Amerikas has a team of 20 people and 10 brand clients in its distribution business. From 2023 to 2024, its revenues grew 50%. Growth was comparatively moderate last year as the company dealt with fallout from President Donald Trump’s tariff regime. Skyn Iceland is Amerikas’ first acquisition, but the company plans to pursue further deals.
For future acquisitions, Amerikas is scouting brands in the skincare space registering $10 million in sales or under. Once a brand hits about $2 million, Penalba believes it’s demonstrated proof of concept, at least somewhat, but it could struggle to gain scale, especially if it’s undercapitalized. That’s where Amerikas could come in. Ideally, it would take a majority stake.
“Our difference is operational. Sure, we can invest in a brand, but we bring much more than investment. We bring operational capabilities to grow a brand,” says Penalba. “We bring a lot of value to brands going through growth difficulties and financial stress given their lack of scalability and operational preparedness.”
