The Business of Beauty: 5 Minutes with Han Pin Ma on Gote Club’s new skincare range
The full how-to
Influencer and entrepreneur powerhouse Han Pin Ma wants skincare to be accessible for all—find how he’s doing it through Goteskin in our latest BURO Business of Beauty column.
The beauty sphere has gotten complicated. In the last few years, consumers have gotten tired of ever-shortening social media trend cycles, the overcomplication of skincare (think 12-step routines and rapidly evolving beauty tech) and the overwhelming amount of (mis)information circulating the industry. For the well-versed, it’s easy to tune out the noise. However, if you’re new to beauty, skincare (and the beauty scene as a whole) can seem completely impossible to digest. After all, it’s easier to stick to the basics when in doubt.
But skincare isn’t just about practicality—function and efficacy are a must, but it’s also an important ritual of indulgence. No one gets this more than Han Pin Ma, the founder of Gote Club (according to Ma, Gote is a stylisation of “G.O.A.T”, which stands for “the greatest of all time”). The influencer-turned-entrepreneur has put a focus on self-care at the forefront since the launch of his brand just a few short years ago. Gote Club started with a collection of grooming and self-care essentials and has grown its repertoire to include its latest launch, Goteskin.
READ: BURO does Basics: Han Pin Ma on comfort in fashion and self-love
Easily recognisable from the sunny pastel packaging to the by-the-numbers labelling, Goteskin strikes the perfect balance between convenience and indulgence. Ahead, we catch up with the founder to get a look at the philosophy behind the new launch and what’s in store for Gote Club moving forward:
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What was the inspiration behind launching Gote Club?
“With Gote, we want to educate and spread the importance of self-care, especially among the younger generation. Our goal is to make every individual feel confident with themselves.”
What are the logistics involved with launching a brand?
“The first step is figuring out what our local market needs. Then, we find a solution, sourcing the best ingredients both locally and from Korea. We then engage a chemist to formulate our product, going through testing and R+D for about five to six months. On top of that, production will take another three months before we finally launch something.
“Gote started off with a collection of grooming and self-care essentials, including intimate endurance wipes. We’ve expanded the range since then, so currently under the Gote brand, we have pleasure, body care, oral care and skin care but we’ll be focusing more on our skincare range at the moment.”
Gote’s endurance wipes are quite an unusual and novel product, especially for Malaysia’s market. What did the process of developing them look like?
“This product took a lot of testing to get right—because it was so new to the market, we had to ensure it worked as intended without harming the users. A lot of research and studies were also posted to let people know that the product’s effectiveness had been scientifically proven.”
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Why did you decide to expand the range to include Goteskin?
“I have always been into skincare, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to explore. But in our community, there is a lack of knowledge which I wanted to tap into with Gote Skin—specifically, to educate our communities that skincare really isn’t complicated and does not have to be confusing.”
Your wife, Jane Chuck, also has her own skincare brand, Chuck’s—why launch a separate brand?
“I think we serve different crowds, and one can never fully serve what the market needs so here we are with our separate labels. We are hoping in the future we can work a collaboration out as one.”
How do you incorporate Goteskin products into your current beauty and grooming routine?
“I use the Goteskin range every day, day and night according to the numbering on our packaging. It’s literally as easy as one, two and three! The idea was to make skincare straightforward—each product is numbered so you know where it fits into your routine, and it’s also marked with a day and night logo to let you know when you should be using it. I wanted it to look aesthetically nice as well as easy to organise.”
WATCH: BURO’s Vanity Hour with Han Pin Ma
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since becoming an entrepreneur?
“Teamwork is key! If you want to grow at all, you have to grow as a team.”
What advice do you have for those looking to enter the beauty and wellness space?
“There are always going to be gaps in the market, and you’ll always be able to find a niche. Besides, if you’re passionate about something, you should just go for it!”
What’s your plan for Gote moving forward?
“For 2024, we will be focusing more on growing our offline presence and growing our team both in numbers and professionally. I love seeing personal growth in the people that are around me—it brings me joy.”
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