"If I wasn't nervous, I'd be a little worried," says television star, executive producer, serial entrepreneur, and mother of four Kim Kardashian. "I'm really superstitious about projects before they launch. But this is a good nervousness—I hope the products really resonate with people and they understand why I'm launching the brand."
Every time a new celebrity beauty line launches, the world seems to ask "why,"—but Kardashian has built an empire around the desire to emulate every single thing about her (she even joked about it during her SNL opening monologue). And if endless waitlists on Skims have proven anything, staying genuine is the key to success.
"I wanted this line to be authentic to me as possible," she says. "I launched Skims because it was a solution to a problem, and I want SKKN to help people find a solution to their skincare problems. These products also feel more authentic to me and how much I care about having a good skin base."
SKKN by Kim is a nine-piece skincare like that Kardashian collaborated on with her longtime aesthetician, Joanna Czech. Each product has a different hero ingredient (you'll find vitamin C, physical and chemical exfoliators, and retinol-emulator alfalfa throughout the line), so you can mix and match to suit your needs.
Some of the best feedback Kardashian had while formulating SKKN was from longtime friend Stephanie Shepherd, who is obsessed with the cleanser.
"I take my skincare routine seriously," she says. "People kept telling me, 'you should launch with three products,' but that's not what I use for my routine."
You can also emulate Kardashian's uber-cool minimalist aesthetic when using the pieces. The hand-tooled packaging was inspired by the ceramics in her monochromatic home, designed by Axel Vervoordt. "Packaging meetings are what I live for," she says. "It makes me so fucking horny to see the design come to life."
Throughout the interview, Kardashian acknowledges that having the time for a multi-step skincare routine is a luxury. "I'm a mom, and I might not have all the time in the world, but I take the time to take care of my skin, and it’s worth it," she says. "It is work, but the magic is when the products all come together,” she says.
