By Mikala King

YEOUTH didn’t begin with big investors or a massive team.

For me, it started nearly ten years ago in New York City—working full-time by day and chasing a passion project on Amazon and starting my own blog by night and on weekends. I was working in the beauty industry at the time, and like many in the space, I had tried everything. Expensive serums. Beautiful packaging. Brands that promised a lot but didn’t deliver.

Then I found YEOUTH.

I loved the product immediately. It was simple, effective, and honestly better than a lot of high-end products I had used. But with my background working behind the scenes in beauty, I could also see the disconnect: the branding didn’t reflect the quality of the formulas. There were typos on the website. The images weren’t quite right. The products deserved better presentation.

So I did something I hadn’t done before—I sent an email. Not to complain, but to offer help.

That’s how I first connected with Gabrielle and her husband Kevin Mallory, YEOUTH’s founder and cosmetic chemist. From our first conversation, it was clear that we shared the same values and vision. They were passionate about creating skincare that worked—and open to building something even stronger together. What started as a simple message turned into a collaboration, then a partnership, and ultimately a whole new chapter of my life.

Together, we set out to build something that felt both personal and powerful.

A lot of people thought selling skincare on Amazon was silly at the time. But I didn’t. I believed in the products. I believed in the mission. And I knew that e-commerce would soon become the place where most people would shop. Kevin had spent years formulating for other brands, and when he created a serum for his wife, he realized just how much most companies were charging for packaging—not performance.

YEOUTH was different. It was science-first. No fluff, no gimmicks—just high-quality ingredients at a price that made sense, on a platform that made them easy to find.

And little by little, people started to try—and believe in—YEOUTH too.

By 2019, that tiny dream had grown into something real. YEOUTH had become one of the top-ranked skincare brands on Amazon globally. Not because we followed trends, but because we listened. We paid attention to what our customers needed and created solutions that worked. Yes, there was smart strategy and plenty of data behind the scenes—but at the heart of YEOUTH’s growth has always been people, not numbers.

That’s what makes this brand so meaningful for me.

When my two boys were born—my “Covid babies”—YEOUTH was growing faster than ever. 2020 and 2021 were our biggest growth years. But they were also some of the hardest years of my life.

Both of my sons were born prematurely and spent time in the NICU. I remember sitting in the hospital for hours, waiting by my babies—laptop open—pouring myself into YEOUTH. Not because I had to, but because it was the one thing I could control. I couldn’t fix what was happening with my kids, but I could answer emails. I could plan launches. I could stay connected to our community. It became my outlet, my lifeline, and in many ways—my third baby.

That’s why today’s launch into CVS Beauty is so deeply emotional. It’s not just a business milestone—it’s personal. It’s a goal that once felt far away, but one I always believed we’d reach.

And today, we did.

Partnering with CVS is a dream come true. Not just because they’re a household name, but because they share our values—making high-quality, affordable skincare accessible to more people. Now, our longtime online community can grab their favorite YEOUTH products while running everyday errands. And new customers—people who may have never discovered us online—can find us in the skincare aisle at their local CVS.

This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about showing up in real life, where people already are. It’s about being part of someone’s daily routine—something they can count on. Because that’s what we’ve always tried to be.

Of course, this milestone didn’t happen alone.

YEOUTH is powered by a village of passionate, brilliant people:

• Our kick@$$ team and remote collaborators who turn my brain dumps into real strategies

• Gabrielle and Kevin Mallory—thank you for trusting me with your company

• My husband, Rich—my rock, my spreadsheet double-checker, and my biggest cheerleader

• And most of all—you. Every customer who bought a product, left a review, or simply believed in YEOUTH. You’ve helped build this brand. You’ve made this moment possible.

Gabrielle and Kevin Mallory

And this is just the beginning.

Our mission remains the same: to create science-backed skincare that helps people look and feel their best—and to make it accessible to everyone, everywhere.

So next time you’re in CVS, look for YEOUTH. Snap a photo. Tag us. Be part of the community that helped bring this brand to life.

Here’s to YEOUTH’s next chapter. And thank you—from the bottom of my heart—for being part of the journey.

xoxo,

Mikala King