SKIN1004

SKIN1004 is a South Korean skincare brand based in Seoul, built around Centella Asiatica sourced from Madagascar. Founded by Kim Yoonjin and originally known as 1004 Laboratory, it grew from an indie clean-beauty line into an internationally distributed brand before being acquired by Goodai Global in 2024 [7]. The name reads as "skin angel": in Korean, "1004" is pronounced "cheonsa", the word for angel [6].

The brand remains active. Its e-commerce site carries a 2026 sale collection and ongoing product launches, and it operates flagship stores in Seoul's Myeong-dong district and in New York.

SKIN1004 was founded by Kim Yoonjin as a clean-beauty skincare line centred on Centella Asiatica from Madagascar, with the stated aim of products that were effective, safe and affordable [7]. The company is headquartered in Seoul, and earlier corporate records list it under the name 1004 Laboratory.

The founding year is genuinely contested across sources. The business database Tracxn records it as 2016 [9]; the ownership database whoownsthatbrand.com gives 2014, attributing the brand to Kim Yoonjin [7]; and several K-beauty editorial blogs cite 2012 [6]. The brand's own website states no founding year on any of its published pages, so no single date can be confirmed from the company itself.

SKIN1004 is owned by Goodai Global, which is in turn owned by Craver Corporation [7]. According to whoownsthatbrand.com, the brand expanded internationally through Amazon and TikTok before the acquisition by Goodai. A PitchBook listing records the same corporate lineage under the entity name "Skin1004-Craver" [10].

The company positions itself around clean beauty and what it calls "the untouched nature", a theme that runs through its product lines. Its tagline is "Find Serenity in the Embrace of Untouched Nature", and the brand describes its approach as studying and refining nature "not to change its essence, but to deliver its purest ingredients in their most effective way." SKIN1004 states three core values: sourcing from nature with intention, cruelty-free practices, and environmental sustainability.

Editorial coverage frames the brand as an entry point into Korean skincare, aimed at people simplifying their routines and at newcomers with sensitive, dry or blemish-prone skin [6][8]. It is commonly discussed within the broader K-beauty and clean-beauty movements, and its Centella focus places it within the wider "cica" trend for soothing ingredients.

The brand's hero ingredient is Madagascar Centella Asiatica. The company says its Centella carries higher concentrations of madecassoside and TECA, the compounds associated with Centella's soothing effect, and describes hand-harvesting under GACP (Good Agricultural and Collection Practices) standards, with leaves gathered by hand rather than cut with blades. Its formulations extend to hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, retinol, Matrixyl and azelaic acid.

The Madagascar Centella line is widely credited as the range that made SKIN1004 internationally known, with the Madagascar Centella Asiatica 100 Ampoule described in editorial coverage as its signature bestseller [6]. Other recurring products include the Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, the Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum, and the Zombie Pack, a mask enriched with albumin and aloe vera. A newer "LAB IN NATURE" line pairs nature-derived ingredients with clinically established actives in high-concentration ampoules, positioned by the company as a higher-performance, derma-oriented range.

On sourcing and ethics, editorial coverage reports that SKIN1004 is certified through PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies program and describes its formulas as vegan and free of parabens and synthetic fragrance [6]. These are third-party and brand statements rather than certification badges observed directly on the company's pages.

SKIN1004 has been covered by K-beauty specialist outlets rather than through formal awards. Beautylau describes the Madagascar Centella line as "the one that made the brand internationally known" and calls the brand a good entry point for people new to Korean skincare [6]. Coree Beauty highlights the Madagascar Centella Ampoule among bestsellers "making waves in the K-beauty world" [8].

The brand is active and globally distributed. Its website features a 2026 collection and active product launches, it maintains flagship stores in Seoul and New York, and it sells through international retail channels including Amazon. The 2024 acquisition by Goodai Global places it within the Craver Corporation group [7].