Order a custom skin care solution shipped to your doorstep, and get clear and glowing skin!

We all know how important good skin care is, but unfortunately, things can get in the way. Many of us don’t know what products to use. And if we do find the right products, they can be too expensive for our budget. But there is a company that wants to change that.

Curology was founded by Nancy Satyr and her 2 sons, David Lortscher and Glenn Lortscher. But it was only with the financial help of Kris Fredrickson that their dream was possible.

With Curology, clients can get a custom prescription for their skincare products provided by a professional dermatologist. The users can then order these products and have them delivered right to their doorstep.

Keep reading this story to learn more about how this team of geniuses blessed us with healthier skin.

Meet the (Extended) Family

Nancy Satur grew up on a quiet dairy farm in Pennsylvania with 5 other siblings. Luckily, she didn’t have to travel far when she decided to pursue her education. She went to Penn State University, where she studied medicine, and then got her MD in the same field from Thomas Jefferson University.

One of Nancy’s sons, David Lortscher, ended up following his mother's steps in pursuing medicine. David moved overseas to the UK to finish his IB from UWC Atlantic College. However, he moved back to the States to attend Washington University. There, David became a Doctor of Medicine.

Glenn Lortscher, unlike his brother, had different plans. From a young age, Glenn showed an interest in technology and the social sciences. In 2003, he was admitted to the University of Michigan to study law. After graduating, Glenn went to Columbia Law School, where he got his doctorate.

Kris Fredrickson, not to be outdone by his peers, also decided to go to university. His education began at the University of Southern California. After getting his BS, he attended Harvard Business school and became a Master of Business Administration. Finally, he moved back to California and earned a Ph.D. in Law from UCLA.

Everything’s Coming Together

Nancy Satyr started her professional career with an internship, then with a residency at the University Hospitals of Cleveland. After that, she moved around and worked at different locations.

However, her longest-held position was as an affiliate staff physician at Scripps Health, where she worked for 24 years. This is where Nancy got most of her professional experience, which proved valuable later on.

Kris Fredrickson has an impressive resume as well. He served as the Vice President at Goldman Sachs for 4 years prior to joining Curology. Since then, he has worked at Benchmark, Munchery, and Coatue Management, where he is a Managing Partner to this day.

David Lortscher, following in his mother’s footsteps, did a 1-year internship at Scripps Mercy Hospital to get some valuable experience. After the internship, David started his Dermatology Residency at UC San Diego Health System before getting employed as a professional dermatologist at Rio Grande Dermatology in New Mexico.

While practicing in New Mexico, David started working with Rachael, a 22-year-old who had acne problems. She tried multiple creams before that, but nothing seemed to work until she tried David’s cream. This gave him the idea to start developing custom skincare products, which marked the start of what would one day become Curology.

Healthcare in the 21st Century

The main aim that David had was to use the power of technology to provide the same care he gave his patients, but over the Internet. However, he knew he couldn’t do this alone, so he had to find a team that would help him turn his dream into reality.

On the technology side, he got his brother Glen to help him set up a website. Glenn would also deal with any technical difficulties that might arise. They also got their mother, Dr. Nancy Satyr, to help them by providing valuable experience. Initially helping as a consultant, Nancy would later permanently join the team.

All that was left was to find a way to fund the project. In March 2014, the team started a seed round, where Kris Fredrickson joined as a lead investor. That’s how later that year, Curology officially launched in San Francisco.

Going to the Curology website, users can take a quiz about their skin and what issues they are experiencing. Additionally, you can also submit photos. Using all this information, a Curology dermatologist will prescribe a custom cream formula with up to 3 active ingredients. These creams can be used to fight acne or anti-aging.

While browsing the website, you can also find a blog and guide which will give you more tips and advice for better skincare. What’s more, other cosmetic products are also offered on the page, such as cleansers, moisturizers, emergency spot patches, sunscreen, and many more. You can pick and choose which ones you need and then subscribe and have all of them shipped to your doorstep hassle-free.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. In the beginning, the Curology marketing team struggled to achieve consistent growth. After some time, the company partnered with Iterable, which specializes in market expansion. The partnership also benefited customers, who could get text messages reminding them when to use the products for optimal benefit.

Funding Great Skin

Curology has had a successful funding history. The seed round started on March 31, 2014, and as previously mentioned, the Lead Investor was Kris Fredrickson. There were other funding rounds in subsequent years. In total, the company has raised over $19.2 million over the course of 5 funding rounds.

The company has gathered 8 investors since its inception, 6 out of which are lead investors. The most recent ones to support Curology are ACME Capital, IVP, Advance Venture Partners, and Anthos Capital. These started helping Curology during and Undisclosed round (Funding Round), which began April 1, 2021.

Curology has also started funding other companies as well. On May 25, 2021, the company invested in the Seed Round of Clearing, which was valued at $20 million. Clearing is a platform that aims to provide opioid-free pain relief medication.

According to PrivCo, Curology has a post-money valuation that varies between $50 million and $100 million.

The Grind Never Stops

Since launching, Curology has had an ambitious plan to grow and serve more people. Starting as a family business, the company now has 250-500 employees. While the HQ is in San Francisco, it also opened an office in San Diego. Additionally, it has partnered with pharmacies in St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

Currently, the company is focusing on growing its outreach and increasing brand recognition. Its partnership with Iterable has been undeniably beneficial; however, the company is still not at the level it wishes to be on. Another potential growth area is Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, where the products aren’t available yet.

As for the future, Curology wants to expand its offering and provide different kinds of products. For example, sunscreen is the latest product to be added to the catalog. However, the company doesn’t want to compromise its idea of personalized products.

In any case, the company has grown a lot over the years. While there is still room to improve, thousands of satisfied customers have already gotten a boost to their confidence thanks to Curology’s products.

Get ready to get shiny and flawless skin in no time!