Inclusive skincare brand HUE designed for people of colour has announced that it will launch in December 2023. Founded by British-Somali medical doctor Hani Hassan and British-Arab architect Mona Haidar, the brand has raised £250k at a £2.25 million valuation ahead of its official launch. The angel investor group includes Matteo Bozzo, ex-KKR and founder/CEO of HeidiPay, together with other entrepreneurs and private equity executives from Europe, US and Africa.

Drawing heavily from their backgrounds, Dr. Hani Hassan and Mona Haidar launched HUE with a vision to create skincare that is both based on a strong scientific methodology whilst evocative of a rich sensory experience. The launch of HUE comes of the back of Dr. Hassan’s experience as a medical doctor in the NHS and her successful run as a skincare YouTuber, where she racked up millions of views demystifying POC skincare for an audience of over 150,000. Before launching HUE, she has spent the last three years using her extensive knowledge in medicine and skincare to develop highly effective and bespoke products for people of colour. Taking an expansive approach to inclusivity, the founders of HUE interviewed over 100 people with accessibility needs to learn how their access requirements could be better met by skincare brands.