How Gabriella Murray Built Natics: From 12M Followers to Bootstrapping a B-Corp Skincare Brand

When Gabriella Murray decided to take on the skincare industry, she didn't just want to slap her name on another white-label product. Instead, the content creator with 12 million followers bootstrapped Natics from scratch, created her own formulations, and became a certified B-Corp - all while reimagining how we think about skincare in real life. From cleansing tablets that work without a sink to moisturizers packaged as facial massage tools, Gabriella is building a brand "engineered for chaos" that meets people where they actually are - whether that's in an airport bathroom, a nightclub, or the back of an Uber. In this episode, you'll discover: Why Gabriella refused to take the easy route of white-labeling and instead spent years developing her own formulations from scratch How she's changing consumer behavior by targeting unconventional retail spaces like airline bathrooms, gyms, and nightclub restrooms The real reason she bootstrapped the company instead of raising capital early (hint: it's about more than just control) Why she brought on fellow creator Alyssa Yago as a co-founder and how having creators with different audiences creates a unique growth advantage The childhood story about softball trophies that explains her entire approach to building businesses How her battle with hormonal acne and Accutane led to a "back to basics" skincare philosophy that defies industry trends Why she believes 12-step skincare routines are unrealistic and how Natics is solving the disconnect between skincare and real life The strategic approach to becoming TSA-friendly and why every product will be under 3.4 ounces What she learned from studying Rare Beauty and Rhode that influenced her brand building strategy Her unfiltered advice for creators thinking about launching brands: "Don't take advice from somebody you wouldn't want to trade places with" From her early days on Funimate and Musical.ly to building a purpose-driven beauty brand, Gabriella shares the unglamorous reality of being a creator-turned-founder who's betting everything on herself. Whether you're interested in the creator economy, sustainable business practices, or disrupting traditional industries, this conversation reveals what it really takes to build a brand that's authentically different in a saturated market. Chapters: Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:21 The Beginning: From Funimate to Musical.ly 00:02:51 Content Evolution Over 7 Years 00:05:02 Discovering Monetization Through Brand Deals 00:07:08 The Long-Term Vision for Creators 00:09:03 Introducing Natics: Skincare for Real Life 00:11:35 Revolutionary Product Design: Cleansing Tablets 00:14:15 Changing Consumer Behavior & Distribution 00:18:35 The TSA-Friendly Advantage 00:20:29 Owning Your Formulations vs White Labeling 00:21:32 The Trophy Store Mentality 00:24:02 Why Bootstrapping Matters 00:26:44 Celebrity Brand Inspiration: Rare Beauty & Rhode 00:29:45 Building a Creator Collective 00:32:55 The Future of Creator-Led Brands 00:35:08 What's Next for Natics 00:36:14 Final Advice: Just Do It HotStart VC  Subscribe to the HotStart VC newsletter: https://hotstart.beehiiv.com/  Become a HotStart Angel and co-invest with us in celebrity-founded brands starting from $5,000: https://www.hotstart.vc/hotstart-angels/  Check out our fund: https://www.hotstart.vc/  Scott van den Berg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-van-den-berg-22b534150/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottvandenberg_/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scottvandenberg_  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@scottvandenbergvc  Gabriella Murray Natics: https://trynatics.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbymurrayy/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabby_murrayy  HotStart VC is a fund that exclusively invests in brands founded by celebrities and creators. We’re the go-to platform for celebrities and creators launching brands, providing capital, strategic support, and the infrastructure to scale.