Coffee with a CEO: Tiffany Salmon-Mills, Founder of Glow Hub
Est. 2020
After years developing skincare products and colour cosmetics for some of the beauty industry’s biggest names, Cheshire-based mother of three Tiffany Salmon-Mills launched her own Gen Z brand, Glow Hub, in 2020. Best known for its hydrating serums, tinted balms and customisable hand sanitisers, the brand has quickly won over a new generation of beauty consumers – and their parents.
For our new Coffee with a CEO series, we caught up with Tiffany to find out how Glow Hub is helping TikTok-obsessed tweens and teens make smarter skincare choices. She also shares how she balances the demands of running a fast-growing business with the realities of family life during the school holidays.
What is your coffee order?
It’s a semi-skimmed flat white from Gail’s. I used to pick up porridge from there, too – until I realised that it’s unbelievably high in calories, so now I make my own.
Tell us why you created Glow Hub?
I was actually doing research for another brand when I discovered that there was this white space for something Gen Z focused. Not all teenagers have oily skin, some have very sensitive or dry skin – and they want to be able to build their own routine. It had to be affordable and educational, but still aspirational.
Can you talk us through the earliest days of building your brand?
Well being a founder is very different from my background in private label, where you create a product and then hand it over to a brand, without getting involved in the marketing. So it was a learning curve – digital marketing and conversion rates and all of that, I knew nothing! And having to explain to my entrepreneurial dad, who is on our board, why we needed to pay an influencer £5k was definitely a challenge. But we’ve had several viral moments and Glow Hub is in some of the biggest retailers in the world, so we must have done something right.
“I just want to set a good example for my kids. I don’t want them to see me working in a way that I wouldn’t want them to work - whether that’s too hard or not hard enough. I am mindful of that.”
What qualities do you think you need to start your own business?
Determination and resilience. You have to be able to spin a lot of plates. And believe in yourself, because a lot of people will tell you that your idea won’t work – and some days you’ll think that, too. You have to battle through that.
What does work-life balance look like for you as a founder?
I just want to set a good example for my kids. I don’t want them to see me working in a way that I wouldn’t want them to work – whether that’s too hard or not hard enough. I am mindful of that. I’m also mindful to be present when we are together, whether that’s at a netball match or reading to them at night.
And how do you juggle the daily realities of parenting?
Honestly, I rely on my mum a lot. My kids understand, most of the time. Although they hate it when I travel to China. My husband hates that, too. It’s like a military operation trying to organise every day of the week. And of course it comes with mum guilt – I think that’s the case for any mum working full-time – no matter what the industry.
How do you navigate the school holidays with work?
I find the school holidays very difficult. My kids don’t really like going to holiday clubs – they did when they were younger, but not now. So I end up bringing them to work with me. And for the last couple of years, I’ve made the decision to book time off – otherwise I get to the end of the holidays saying, ‘I was a really bad mum and I didn’t do enough work!’ But it’s chaos most of the time!
What advice can you give to parents who want to help their children build a skincare routine?
Start softly with a cleanser, a serum or mist if you think that they need some kind of treatment, and then just a very gentle moisturiser. You don’t necessarily need all of that, but cleansing the face and making sure it’s not dry is the most important thing. Products like Glow Hub’s Hydration Hero and the Barrier Builder, they’re fragrance free and super gentle – it’s like putting the goodness back into your skin. I can’t cope seeing kids in Sephora picking up glycolic acids. That’s why we went above and beyond with toxicology testing, so our skincare products could carry age labels.
Do you think it would be helpful if other skincare brands followed suit, with age recommendations?
Yes, it’s important to be transparent. We’ve also got The Hub on our website, with expert-led content for kids, teens and parents. It actually ranks as our second most-visited page. And it isn’t all focused on Glow Hub products – it’s just a dedicated space to help consumers navigate skincare safely.
What part of your founder story are you most proud of?
Launching into 400 Superdrug stores. Lots of shelves to fill and stock to sell, but it means that Glow Hub is on every high street. We were already in Selfridges, Sephora and Harrods – but they’re only in big cities. I love that our customers can just walk or get the bus into town with their friends – I think that’s where you discover your first beauty brands.
Who are your entrepreneurial icons?
Without being too cliché, my dad is one. He’s still the CEO and CFO of our family business. He came from very humble beginnings and has grafted all his life – he doesn’t know how to sit still. I would also say Marcia Kilgore from Beauty Pie – she’s incredible. The way she’s scaled her businesses is very impressive.
How do you wind down after work?
I take my shoes off and make a cup of tea! I do dinner for the kids and we have some family time. And I can’t lie, I do love Chinese take out!
Do you have a favourite film?
It’s one from my childhood, Hocus Pocus. If I ever need comfort, I just put that on.
And a book that you love?
The Gruffalo is a favourite in our house. And Stick Man, of course!
What’s your signature scent?
I love Byredo’s Rose Of No Man’s Land.
Dream holiday destination?
We like to go to Greece. We went to Crete last year and the kids loved it. It was all inclusive with water slides everywhere. I struggled with the watered-down rosé, I would have loved a nice cocktail… but we had fun.
Junior Loves
Our top three GlowHub products for teens...
You can shop GlowHub online at Glowhub , Sephora and Look Fantastic or, nationwide from Superdrug and Boots.
Coffee With A CEO
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