Matthew Jackson (he/him) is the 32-year-old founder of Emigee Skyn (pronounced ee-mah-gee), a luxury botanical skincare line. We spoke to the husband and father of two about starting Emigee Skyn from his kitchen, his entrepreneurial journey, and what’s next for the brand.

Queerency: What is the origin story of Emigee Skyn?

Matthew Jackson: I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and currently live in Florida with my amazing husband and our two beautiful boys, who are 13 and 3 years old. I started Emigee Skyn in 2016 in my kitchen as a means of chasing my own skincare goals of naturally achieving healthy, clean, glowing skin. I have used so many over-the-counter products and I found that it was doing my skin more harm than good with all of the chemicals and ingredients I couldn’t even pronounce.

I made my first four products—a face, body, and lip scrub and a botanical oil cleanser—with no intentions on expanding for the world. But I knew there were other people like me who were overusing and over-spending on products they can’t pronounce, and having other people try my products allowed me to see the results on different skin types and different skin shades. So I buckled down, did my research, and perfected my products with a new understanding of the skincare needs and how to naturally address them.

Queerency: Where does Emigee Skyn fit within the current beauty and skincare market?

Jackson: Emigee Skyn is here to prove that you can to have a bomb skin care routine using natural products that are effective and achieve the same goal those over-the-counter products can without doing harm to your skin. For me, creating this collection was about creating a vibe—a luxury experience and skincare rituals for the everyday person. We’re creating skincare essentials that leave your skin feeling clean, glowing, and smooth.

Queerency: How has your journey as a queer entrepreneur been so far?

Jackson: This is a topic that may need its own interview. But I will say that being a black, gay male in business has not been a walk in the park. I think people are intimidated by us queer folk, I mean we are powerful, creative, and we do everything well. However, I will say that serving my community and having support from my tribe has made my journey so much more joyful. The joy of creating a brand that serves a purpose is always amazing, but seeing the responses and the feedback brings me so much joy.

Queerency: What’s next for Emigee Skyn?

Jackson: We have some new products we have been working on which will be dropping soon, including Emigee Cosmetics. Our pre-orders for our Signature Luxury 13-piece Brush Set started last week. If you join the #skyntrybe by subscribing to our email list, you will receive 15% off your first purchase.

For more information on Emigee Skyn visit their website and follow them on Instagram.