Joanna Austin has worked in and around the beauty industry for about 30 years, but it wasn’t until she became a mother of three boys that she started thinking about products for young men.
When Austin met Stephanie Capuano, fellow “boy mom” and founder of skincare company 31st State, Austin said she found a company with a mission she could get behind.
Austin joined the 31st State team and is now the CEO of global operations as it plans its expansion to the United States.
Capuano founded the UK-based skincare company with young men in mind.
“Boys are too often left out of the skincare conversation,” Austin said. “This brand was designed to change that.”
Austin started in advertising and public relations, finding her niche in consumer marketing and brand development.
She worked with GAP, Johnson & Johnson, Banana Republic, and Visa, but Austin said she was “bit by the beauty bug” when she worked with Procter & Gamble’s Olay.
In 2008, Austin started a luxury cosmetic and skincare company with two other partners called Le’Metier de Beaute, which means “the craft of beauty” in French.
Starting with a tight budget, Le’Metier de Beaute eventually grew to the point where it was sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstroms, and 42 Neiman Marcus locations.
The company also expanded to sell its products in Hong Kong, France, and the United Kingdom.
In 2014, Austin stepped aside from her company to focus on raising her third child and moved to Manhasset.
She then continued to do consulting for beauty brands and was named the publisher for the Long Island Press in 2019.
A year and a half ago, Austin met Capuano through a friend and began what started as a consultant-client relationship.
Austin said she quickly “fell in love with this brand.”
“It was so kismet because my boys were in the target audience.”
Austin said her three sons, Jack, Parker, and Cade Austin, have been great sources of input for 31st State’s products.
“If you don’t understand who you want to buy your product, you will not be a successful brand.”
Austin’s sons and her husband all use 31st State’s products, and she said her boys don’t hold back if they have an opinion. “I have an in-house focus group.”
31st State sells Clearing PadsFace + Body, Foaming Face Wash, Spot Control Gel, 2-in-1 Hair + Body Wash, and Roll-On Deodorant that are all available on their website and on Amazon.
Austin emphasized the importance of simplicity in its products. “You don’t need 17 steps to have good skin.”
Each product is made to European Union standards with simple vegan formulas and a trademarked Pacific Air fragrance that is meant to recall the scent of Capuano’s birthplace of California, the company’s namesake.
As the company expands to the American market, Austin is working on identifying logistics and manufacturing partners in the US.
31st State will be releasing ads, but it’s focusing on a word-of-mouth strategy for its expansion.
The company has already done a pop-up to get its products in people’s hands and will be in Pop Up Grocer in Manhattan from April through July 2026.
New York is the company’s primary market, but Austin is also looking to get a foothold in her home state of Texas.
Austin says the skincare industry has had a lot of new entrants targeting teens but most have been focusing on teen girls.
She said skincare issues come up often when she talks with other moms, so it was not surprising to her that young men are where the market growth is.
Throughout her career, Austin said she has always looked for purpose-driven companies, not just products.
“I can’t cure cancer,” Austin said. “but if I can help instill confidence and bring joy to someone’s life, then that is what I consider a success. And that’s so needed in this world.”
