Meet the 15-year-old Aussie making $40k a month selling her own tween skincare products.

Question: What were you doing when you were 15? A lot of things, probably. Chances are, however, you probably weren't running a successful business. And making over $40k a month. (Don't worry, we weren't either).

You know who is, though? Sienna Jovcevski — a Sydney-based schoolgirl who launched skincare brand Tweeny Skin. And she's now one of Australia's most successful teenage entrepreneurs. 

Watch: Parents of Teenagers: Translated. Post continues.

After struggling to find the right products for her skin, Sienna tapped into the market for tween skincare, creating effective, gentle formulations for her age group. And as the explosion of tween skincare grows louder and louder in 2024 — she couldn't have picked a better time.

Because in case you missed it, tween beauty is big business. In recent times, brands like Drunk Elephant, Summer Fridays, Laneige and Glow Recipe have exploded in popularity, and TikTok is currently flooded with Gen Z discussing and applying multi-step skincare routines.

The catch? Experts say the over-use of highly active products on young skin is problematic, resulting in a wealth of skin conditions — from dermatitis to skin sensitivity and acne flare-ups. 

Read: Young people are spending big on skincare that's not meant for their faces. And they're paying for it with their skin.

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"I'm definitely not going to slam young girls because it wasn't too long ago that I was the Sephora tween, too," Sienna told Mamamia. "I was so obsessed with makeup and skincare from such a young age." 

"I love that these girls are interested in skin care — I think it's so important to start your skin care habits from a young age. In saying that, I don't think it's necessary for young girls to be using active ingredients and strong skincare products that are not formulated for young, delicate skin — they will do more harm than good."

So Sienna created her own line of products with ingredients that are gentle on young skin. 

"They aren't going to damage the skin barrier in any way and our formulations are quite effective without having the added synthetic actives," said Sienna. 

"Our products are formulated with botanical ingredients that are widely used in cooking, namely turmeric which is our hero ingredient in our core range."

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Inspired by her mum, a beauty therapist, Sienna said the idea to create a skincare company came to her during the first COVID lockdown after trying products that were too harsh for her skin.

"I remember one night I was on TikTok and this video came up of this girl that was doing her skincare using a tumeric mask she had made herself," she shared. 

So, she decided to create her own DIY mask. 

"I was using it every few days, and I noticed a difference in my skin. It wasn't as oily or congested and it felt hydrated and clean."

Excited by the results, Sienna had the idea of making the mask in larger quantities and selling it to her friends, who were experiencing similar concerns.

"When I told my mum, she explained to me that I can't just whip something up in her kitchen and sell it. So, I spent some time researching how to make skincare, and realised that I needed a professional manufacturer to actually formulate it correctly with preservatives etc."

"I spent weeks on end emailing every manufacturer I could find. I didn't hear back from the majority of them, and the few that I did email me told me it costs a lot of money and I need to order thousands of products. However, I was still determined and finally found a manufacturer that works with small start-up businesses and we started the process of formulating the range."

Balancing school commitments with 15 hours of dance lessons a week (no big deal), Sienna launched Tweeny Skin in May 2021.

"I knew exactly what I wanted the brand to look and feel like, and spent a lot of time educating myself on how to start an e-commerce business — so I felt quite confident going into it. I would spend the mornings doing my school work online and usually finish at midday, then I'd spend the rest of the day building my website, working on my social media and organising the launch, etc." 

"When I look back, even though it's only been two and a bit years (nearly three years), I've learnt so much — but there is so much more I need to learn."

Since the launch, the brand has experienced tremendous growth, with the highest month reportedly turning over $40,000. Sienna also went on to win Australia’s junior small business champion entrepreneur at the Australian Small Business Championship Awards in 2023.

"We have sold out so many times, which has been amazing — but also quite stressful! I've received an overwhelmingly positive response from my audience and have been able to build a strong and engaged community both on and offline."

Speaking to the explosion of tween beauty, and the culture of criticising and shaming young girls online, Sienna said ultimately, the backlash is doing more harm than good. "If young people are being told it's wrong to be interested in skincare, it may actually deter them from wanting to look after their skin and doing something they're excited about — which is not what we should be aiming for."

"I think the interest in skincare is a major positive for young girls — but there are tons of ways we can improve the tween skincare scene to really create a safe space for young people to learn about their skin, which products are best for them and make it a place they can really feel confident to ask questions and learn."

"I hope that we can keep growing that and fostering a sense of inclusivity and empowerment — that my brand and my platforms can be this and more for all tween and teens."

If you want to check out Tweeny Skin, you can check them out on Instagram.

What are your thoughts on the tween skincare boom? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Instagram/@tweenyskin.