What does it take to challenge an entire industry built on misleading information? For Amanda Au, it meant leaving behind a successful corporate career, building a team of cosmetic science professionals and data scientists, and creating something the world had never seen before.
Amanda is the founder of Second Skin Solutions, the world's first anti-fake skincare review and doctor-validated skincare analysis platform, and one of the standout mentor-sponsors in the Young Founders School internship programme. Her journey is one that every aspiring entrepreneur can learn from.
Cutting Through the Noise in Skincare
The global skincare industry is worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Yet much of the content shaping consumer decisions, from reviews and recommendations to so-called “honest” opinions, is influenced by paid partnerships, sponsored posts, and influencer marketing that prioritise engagement over accuracy. Fake reviews are widespread. Ingredient lists are often difficult to interpret. As a result, consumers are left making costly choices based on incomplete or misleading information.
Amanda founded Second Skin Solutions in 2023 to change that. Built on the European Commission's cosmetic ingredient database and developed alongside cosmetic science students, data scientists, and medical advisors, the platform provides rigorous, science-backed analysis of more than 9,000 skincare, haircare, and bodycare products.
Second Skin Solutions accepts no advertising, has no brand affiliations, and applies the same consistent standards to every product it analyses, from luxury serums to affordable cleansers.
“The skincare industry is flooded with content that looks trustworthy but isn't. I wanted to build something consumers could rely on completely: no hidden agendas, no sponsored content, just the science.”
The result is something genuinely rare in the beauty space: a platform consumers can trust. By translating complex ingredient lists into clear, accessible insights, Second Skin Solutions empowers everyday shoppers to make better-informed decisions. Staying true to Amanda's values, the company also donates part of its revenue to life-saving charities, proving that doing good business and creating social impact can go hand in hand.
From Corporate Leader to Startup Founder
Amanda's path to entrepreneurship was not a straight line, and that is part of what makes her such a compelling mentor.
She spent twelve years at OOCL (Orient Overseas Container Line), one of the world's leading shipping companies, rising from Management Trainee to Senior Manager of Procurement and Cost Management. Along the way, she also served as part of a McKinsey M&A Clean Team, a role that required exceptional discretion, analytical rigour, and the ability to operate in highly complex strategic environments.
This background gave Amanda a rare combination of strengths: the financial discipline of a senior manager, the analytical mindset of a strategist, and first-hand experience navigating large organisations from the inside.
When she decided to launch Second Skin Solutions, she was not stepping into the unknown blindly. She was applying years of experience to a problem she deeply cared about solving.
“Twelve years in corporate taught me how to think rigorously about problems and how to build systems that scale. Starting Second Skin Solutions was about channelling all of that into something I truly believed in.”
Why She Mentors with Young Founders School
Amanda's involvement with Young Founders School reflects the same values that define her work: honesty, rigour, and a genuine commitment to helping others grow.
Over the past two years, she has hosted several Young Founders School interns at Second Skin Solutions, giving students hands-on exposure to what it really looks like to build a purpose-driven startup.
“I remember being young and ambitious but not knowing where to direct that energy. The interns I've worked with through Young Founders School remind me of that. They're full of potential and just need real-world experience to unlock it. That's what I want to give them.”
For students who are interested in entrepreneurship, there is no better education than learning alongside a founder who has experienced both the corporate world and the startup world, and who has chosen to build something meaningful.
Amanda brings the same no-nonsense approach to mentoring that she brings to skincare reviews: no inflated promises, just real guidance grounded in experience.
We are proud to have Amanda and Second Skin Solutions as part of the Young Founders School community. If you are a secondary school student with an entrepreneurial spark, or an organisation looking to support the next generation of founders, we would love to hear from you.
Learn more about Second Skin Solutions at secondhk.com.