When I was a kid, I fell into the trap of believing there was such a thing as "perfect skin." It was all I saw in magazines and on TV, and

I began to think that if I just used "miracle" products, I could have flawless skin, too. Olamide Olowe, the founder of skincare brand Topicals, felt the same way. The only difference between us? Olowe actually set out to change the skincare industry and founded Topicals with the intention of shifting peoples' perspectives about their skin.

"I grew up with chronic skin conditions and always felt left out of the fun parts of beauty and skincare. There were so many brands that I loved but couldn't really use because the products didn't serve my skincare needs," says Olowe. "I would watch YouTube videos and try to make skin and haircare concoctions in search of a cure-all product." While there's no such thing as one cure-all product, Olowe ultimately decided to launch her own brand with products that would serve her needs and the needs of many others who felt ignored by the skincare industry. "I love how beauty acts as a point of connection and friendship," she says.