The History of Prequel

Some of the beauty industry’s biggest success stories don’t begin with celebrity founders or viral ingredients. They begin with years spent treating real skin, and Prequel is one such brand.

Its founder, Dr Samantha Ellis, is a board-certified dermatologist who spent years helping patients navigate everything from acne to eczema. She felt that, between basic drugstore formulas, prescription treatments, and luxury products, something was missing — skincare that was both clinically informed and accessible. That idea became the foundation for Prequel.

Three years later, Prequel has become one of the fastest-rising dermatologist-founded brands, earning a cult following, a bestselling cleanser, and international expansion. Here’s how it got there.

Meet Dr Samantha Ellis

Before Prequel was even a thought, Dr Samantha Ellis was already doing two things full-time: treating patients as a California dermatologist and breaking down skincare myths online. Her informative, no-nonsense videos built a massive following because she consistently championed budget-friendly, effective products over complicated routines.

Still, her patients kept running into a wall. They were stuck choosing between cheap drugstore picks that fell flat or prestige lines with eye-watering price tags. Ellis saw a clear middle ground — a brand that delivered clinical-grade, barrier-repairing formulas at everyday prices. So, instead of pointing people toward other brands, she built her own. The goal? Give skin what it actually needs before a visit to a dermatologist becomes necessary.

Building the Brand

To build Prequel, Ellis enlisted the help of Los Angeles-based beauty incubator The Center, founded by Ben Bennett, the entrepreneur behind Phlur and Saltair.

Having launched and scaled modern beauty brands, The Center brought expertise in formulation, branding, manufacturing, and retail strategy. This enabled Ellis to stay focused on developing effective skincare while drawing on an experienced team to turn those formulas into a commercially successful brand.

The Basic+ Philosophy

Prequel launched in July 2023, with Ellis introducing the concept of skincare as the chapter before problems arise.

The name itself reflects that philosophy. A prequel is a story that comes before another, mirroring Ellis’ belief that healthy skin begins long before a visit to the dermatologist. Her goal was to create affordable products people could rely on every day to help support their skin barrier and maintain long-term skin health.

Rather than chasing trending ingredients or promising overnight transformations, Ellis described the brand’s approach as ‘Basic+’ — taking the everyday skincare staples dermatologists recommend most often and elevating them with active ingredients and thoughtful formulations.

The Launch Trio

Prequel launched with just three products: Gleanser, Skin Utility Ointment, and Urea Advanced Relief Milk.

Instead of trying to solve every skincare concern at once, this trio of everyday essentials, designed for all skin types, embodied the brand’s barrier-first philosophy. The concise range immediately established Prequel’s priorities — fragrance-free formulas, clinically backed ingredients, barrier support, jumbo sizing, and products designed for both face and body.

The Viral Hero: Gleanser

Every successful skincare brand has a hero product, and for Prequel, it arrived almost immediately with Gleanser — a cleanser consumers couldn’t stop recommending.

The gentle gel cleanser is formulated with an unusually high 50% glycerin content, a massive cosmetic chemistry feat, given that high concentrations of glycerin are notoriously sticky and difficult to stabilise. The result is one of the most comfortable cleansers on the market and ideal for those with dry, sensitive, and compromised skin.

Its popularity turned it into the brand’s defining product, with more than one million bottles sold within just a few years.

Scaling the Prequel Way

Prequel didn’t need constant viral ingredient drops or heavy marketing budgets to get noticed. Ellis had already earned the internet’s trust, so dermatologist recommendations and #SkinTok word-of-mouth did the heavy lifting.

When Prequel did expand into new categories, adding moisturisers, hypochlorous sprays, and bodycare, it did so with intention. Every new formula has remained true to the brand’s mission: clinical-grade actives packaged in skin-barrier-friendly, everyday formulas.

True to its promise, Prequel’s products also remain affordable, starting at £19 in the UK and $14 in the US.

Landing at Target

In August 2024, the brand expanded beyond direct-to-consumer, landing on the shelves of one of the US’s largest retailers, Target.

The move dramatically increased Prequel’s reach and, according to the brand, sales at Target have grown by more than 150% year on year, reflecting growing appetite for dermatologist-developed skincare at attainable price points — exactly what the brand was betting on.

Going Global

In July 2026, the UK became the brand’s first international market through an exclusive partnership with Space NK, bringing cult favourites including Gleanser, Pre-Gleanse, Redness Reform Serum, Multi-Acid Milk, and AM/PM to British shoppers for the first time. The retailer described it as its biggest skincare launch of the year, with anticipation for the brand already building long before it officially arrived.

Prequel Today

Despite its rapid rise, Prequel has grown without additional investment, headline-grabbing controversies, or dramatic pivots — just steady expansion built on clinical credibility and consumer trust.

Prequel’s success suggests there is still room for brands that prioritise education, thoughtful formulation, and consistency over constant reinvention.

Prequel is available in the UK at Space NK, while US shoppers can find the brand at Target and prequelskin.com.