How TikTok’s Hyram Yarbro Found Self-Acceptance Through Skin Care

Born and raised in Arizona, Hyram Yarbro grew up on a cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere. “I live a pretty simple life,” the 25-year-old skinfluencer tells Vogue over Zoom. Fast forward to today and Yarbro is one of the most influential figures in the beauty industry with the power to sink a brand in 60 seconds if its products don’t meet his rigorous standards.

Yarbro launched his YouTube channel in 2017, then began appearing on TikTok in 2020. Today he has 11 million followers—all of whom were delighted with the news that he’s teamed up with The Inkey List to launch his own affordable skincare line, Selfless by Hyram.

Using simple, sustainably sourced ingredients, the new line is designed for regular use and aims to maintain the skin’s long-term health. But for Yarbro, creating an environmentally friendly skin-care brand wasn’t enough. He wanted a set of products that would contribute to social change too, which is why a percentage of each purchase will be donated to Thirst Project, providing someone with a year’s worth of clean drinking water, or Rainforest Trust, which works to protect forests from deforestation.

Ahead of the June 24 launch, Vogue speaks to Yarbro about the rise of skincare during lockdown and what generation Z are really looking for in a brand.

Growing up in Arizona, what did beauty mean to you?

I didn’t have any exposure to beauty products on a cattle ranch. As a family, we didn't have extra money to spend on makeup. It just wasn’t a thing. If you had a breakout, you were encouraged to go out in the sun.

So, how did skin care enter your life?

It wasn't until I was in college, when I was 18, that my friends encouraged me to start taking care of my skin because I was struggling with premature aging. I had deep wrinkles on my forehead and around my eyes. So, I started using skin care and I realized that it wasn't just something people did to feel fancy—it actually worked and started to repair my damaged skin. From there, I became passionate about ingredients, and I examined how skin-care products worked and whether they were worth it or not.

What made you want to share your skin-care knowledge with the world via YouTube and TikTok?

I was working at a luxury department store as a makeup artist, and I was seeing people spend thousands of dollars on skin-care products and routines. I would hear people say, ‘I want to use the best products out there so I'm OK spending this much money to ensure I have good skin.’ Hearing that made me wonder what was in these products that justified the high price point. Looking into it, I saw that a lot of products contained ingredients that are known to be irritating to the skin and not good for its health at all—definitely not justifying the price point.

So, I started creating YouTube content to share that message. Beauty content was popular, but I couldn’t find much out there for skin care. It was just videos from dermatologists who provided an incredible wealth of information, but it was specific to people who already knew a lot. I didn't find many content creators who simplified the information. I wanted my YouTube channel to document my personal skin-care journey, as well as being a place where people could learn about skincare alongside me.

You launched your TikTok as we went into lockdown. How did that transform the way you connected with your audience?

TikTok became a great way to put information into bite-size pieces of content. That’s what sparked this huge interest in skin care, especially in lockdown, because we were all at home. It was at a time where the only sources of stimuli were our phones, and people were constantly talking about getting sick. Self-care is something that's so important, especially when we're inside all day and not able to see friends and family. It became a relatively affordable and easy way to focus on taking care of yourself—it provided a great distraction for people.

How has the skin care conversation shifted over the past few years?

The perspective has drastically changed. Before, it was totally focused on damage repair, but now the conversation has moved to preventative care. I've always considered skin care to be like brushing your teeth or showering—something you do every day, where you'll be able to slowly see the results over time. That is what's most healthy for the skin, instead of using these intense treatments or products and trying to reverse skin damage. It’s also allowed people to have a healthy relationship with their skin care spending habits. There’s no longer the perspective of, ‘I'll pay anything so that I can get rid of this damage.’ It's more about, ‘I want my skin to be healthy.’”

What do you think gen Z wants from a skincare brand?

Many gen Zers can be critical and they want to know how a product works. Marketing strategies of the past don't work on them. People want to know about ingredients and their functionality. They look past the aesthetics and the fun, cute packaging. They want to learn what's healthiest and what's best for the skin for the best price possible. 

That's why you saw the rise of brands such as The Inkey List, The Ordinary and CeraVe — dermatology-focused brands that don’t focus on aesthetics or packaging. Most younger people have a functional approach to skincare. They may have just gotten their [first] job or they are looking for one, so they don't have a lot of extra money to spend. In the past, skin care appealed to older clients who were willing to spend and wanted a luxury experience.

With that in mind, what were you trying to do with your own brand?

I wanted to introduce products that aren't the strongest, most powerful, instant-results type of products out there. I wanted to make ones that support skin health every day, but I didn't want to create something unless it was contributing something new to the industry.

We've seen so many skin-care brands come up. I didn't know if I was going to create one until I thought: ‘What if we could combine social change and skin care, where skin-care products could be a catalyst for creating a bigger social impact in the world?’ From every purchase, one person is either provided with clean drinking water for a year or you are helping to protect forests from deforestation, which are the most pressing social issues of our time.

Who are these products for?

They're for anyone who's passionate about wanting to use their money and their voice for something bigger. There are so many skin-care products on the market for every type of concern, but I wanted to focus on the basics, the simplicity of taking care of your skin every day, while having a positive impact on the world.

Beyond merely looking after your skin, how has skin care changed your life?

Skincare was the opportunity for me to embrace my own beauty and focus on taking care of myself. We live in a world where the focus is on progression and getting ahead, the pursuit of ‘perfection’. This can lead to people feeling they are not enough or that they're behind.

I’ve struggled with never feeling enough. It's hard to find opportunities where you're able to be proud of yourself for something and skin care is so small in nature, but it can be so deeply impactful. It’s a reminder that you're taking care of yourself, focusing on your health and you're doing what's best for your body. It can leave a positive impact on your mental health, and give you a moment to get away from everything.

Selfless by Hyram is available worldwide from June 24.

Originally Appeared on Vogue