Clean Beauty: Sean Finney of Tano Skincare on 5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Clean Beauty Brand

The clean beauty movement is transforming the beauty industry by emphasizing the importance of safe, non-toxic ingredients. Consumers are increasingly concerned about what they put on their skin, leading to a demand for transparency and high standards in beauty products. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Sean Finney, Founder & CEO at Tano Skincare

Sean Finney is the founder and CEO of Tano Skincare, a clean beauty brand leveraging the unique, science-backed properties of banana sap to redefine natural skincare. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Sean served as a Civil Engineer Corps officer for seven years in the Navy before transitioning to lead high-profile projects at Tesla, including the construction of the Austin Gigafactory. Drawing on his diverse experiences in leadership, engineering, and business, Sean brings a fresh, innovative perspective to the beauty industry.

Thank you so much for joining us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?

Of course! I’m from The Woodlands, Texas, though I grew up all over the world because my dad worked in the oil industry. After high school in Texas, I attended the Naval Academy and graduated in 2014 as a Civil Engineer Corps officer in the U.S. Navy. During my seven years in the Navy, I traveled extensively, gaining incredible experiences while managing construction, government contracting, and facilities maintenance. In 2020, I transitioned out of the Navy and moved to Austin, Texas, where I worked on the Tesla Gigafactory project. After two years at Tesla, I decided to pursue an MBA at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business. That’s where I incubated my current venture, Tano Skincare. Outside of work, I’m a husband to my wife of 10 years, Annie, and a father to three incredible kids. In my free time, I enjoy mountain biking, reading, and spending time with my family.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that? 

One of the most interesting and challenging projects I worked on was leading one of the large system installs at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin. It was a high-profile project with a timeline cut to 40% of the standard duration. Initially, everyone — myself included — thought it was impossible. But through assembling an exceptional team and pushing the limits of what we believed was achievable, we set a global record by completing a system installation in just four months instead of the usual seven and a half. The experience taught me that the word “impossible” often just means “uncharted.” With the right mindset, expertise, and drive, incredible things can happen. This lesson deeply influences my approach to entrepreneurship and running Tano Skincare, reminding me to stay persistent and innovative, even in the face of daunting challenges.

You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each? 

First, I’d say my ability to learn has been crucial. I’ve always had a growth mindset, a trait I attribute to being homeschooled until eighth grade. My mom gave me the freedom to manage my own learning, teaching me that education is something you can take control of. This mindset carried over into starting Tano, where I often had to teach myself everything from formulation chemistry to website development. In the military, too, you’re expected to learn quickly on the job. I’ve embraced the idea that it’s okay to not know something as long as you’re willing to learn.

Second, I’m persistent to a fault. When I truly believe in something, I don’t take no for an answer. At Tesla, despite multiple contractors and experts insisting our timeline was unrealistic, I pushed forward with a “let’s try anyway” attitude. Through hard work and collaboration, we achieved what many thought was impossible. That persistence carries into my role at Tano, where I’ve faced countless obstacles but continue to push forward.

Lastly, I’ve always had the ability to inspire and communicate a vision. Whether in the Navy, rallying my team around a mission, or now at Tano, sharing our story and passion, I’ve found that people respond when you communicate clearly and authentically. Storytelling is essential in life and business. It’s not just about facts but about making people feel connected to the heart of what you’re doing.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that might help people? 

The main thing taking up the vast majority of my time is building my current company, Tano Skincare, where we’re using banana sap as a new active ingredient that we’ve patented for the cosmetics and skincare space. I absolutely believe it has the potential to help people. The origin of the company goes back to when I was nine years old and living in Brazil. I was playing on a remote beach when a wave crashed on top of me, dragged me along a coral reef, and mangled my right leg from knee to ankle. I was bleeding so badly that my dad was preparing to tourniquet my leg, which likely would have led to losing it since the hospital was about four hours away. Luckily, a local man knew something we didn’t — he chopped the trunk of a banana tree, squeezed the sap onto my leg, and it stopped the bleeding almost immediately.

That experience sparked my fascination with banana sap. Indigenous cultures have used it for thousands of years to stop bleeding, accelerate wound healing, and fight infections. Initially, we thought Tano would focus on medical applications, and with my military background and personal experience, it made sense. But through some R&D breakthroughs, we discovered incredible benefits for healthy skin — like increased collagen production, enhanced hydration, and improved elasticity. While we’re focused on skincare now, I still aspire to explore its medical uses in the future.

In the meantime, it’s been exciting to see how our products are already helping people. Customers have shared that our products have helped with conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or acne. While we don’t have clinical data yet to back these claims, it’s amazing to hear someone say, “I haven’t needed my steroid cream in weeks because your product completely calmed my eczema.” Helping people feel more confident and comfortable in their skin is a powerful way to make a difference, and that’s what keeps me excited about what we’re building at Tano.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of our interview. What inspired your brand to focus on clean beauty, and how do you define 'clean' in the context of your products?

I’ve always been someone who values being clean and natural. I’m not your typical beauty founder — my background is in construction, not the beauty industry. If I hadn’t had my life-changing experience with banana sap, I would have never entered this space. But throughout my life, whether it was living in different cultures or the way I was raised, I’ve always been wary of the ingredients we put on and in our bodies. There are so many examples of something being considered safe, only for us to find out years later that it causes cancer or other serious problems. That awareness made me cautious about heavily chemical-laden products.

When we started Tano, it was a no-brainer for me: why contaminate an amazing natural ingredient like banana sap with anything potentially harmful? For me, it’s an ethos — I genuinely believe natural can be just as effective as synthetic alternatives. Often, chemical shortcuts are a result of laziness or cost-cutting, but if you’re committed, you can achieve incredible results naturally.

As for defining “clean” in our products, I think of it as minimizing any negative impact. There are some necessary evils in cosmetics, like preservatives, to ensure the product is safe and doesn’t grow mold, fungus, or bacteria. But we ensure every ingredient we use scores a two or lower on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) scale, based on the concentrations we use. There’s incredible science out there, and we rely on it to make sure our products are as clean as possible.

At the end of the day, clean means avoiding anything that is harmful, irritating, or problematic for people. Technically, everything is a chemical, but we focus on only using those that are safe and effective. You don’t need harmful additives to make a great product, and that’s the standard we hold ourselves to at Tano.

How do you ensure the ingredients in your products meet clean beauty standards, and what criteria do you use to select them?

From the very start, we’ve focused on using almost exclusively natural ingredients in our formulas. While there are a few actives that might not be considered strictly natural, the foundation of our products is ingredients like aloe vera, shea butter, mango butter, and, of course, banana sap. The only non-natural components we include are there to ensure the product’s stability.

When it comes to clean beauty standards, we formulate to align with EWG Clean, Sephora Clean, and similar benchmarks, even though we don’t officially carry those certifications yet. For us, those standards are just the baseline — the minimum acceptable threshold. We aim to go far beyond that by formulating with ingredients that not only meet these standards but exceed them.

Our criteria are rigorous. Any ingredient that isn’t natural or naturally derived undergoes intense scrutiny before we even consider including it in a formula. It must have a low EWG score and pose no potential harm or unintended effects. This approach ensures that every product we create is safe, effective, and truly clean.

What steps do you take to educate consumers about the importance of clean ingredients and how they can make informed choices when purchasing beauty products?

As a young brand, we’re still figuring out the best ways to educate consumers, but it’s something we’re actively working on. Right now, we’ve been focused on building a library of blog posts in collaboration with dermatologists, estheticians, and other experts to help provide reliable, actionable information about clean ingredients and how to make informed choices.

At the same time, we recognize that there are already great organizations specializing in educating consumers about clean beauty. Part of our role is to point people toward these trusted sources while also highlighting the research and thoughtfulness that go into every ingredient we use.

I’d love to continue expanding our efforts in this area. I genuinely believe that natural and clean ingredients can be just as — if not more — effective than some of the problematic, chemically-based ones out there. You don’t have to choose between efficacy and clean, and I hope we can help more consumers realize that through education and transparency.

What innovative or unconventional ingredients are you most excited about in the clean beauty space, and why?

I have to start with banana sap, of course. It’s completely new — we even had to register it for an INCI name. Its potential is incredible, and we’re just beginning to understand its benefits. So far, we’ve seen that banana sap significantly increases collagen production (up to 324% from baseline) and provides deep hydration and improved elasticity. It’s a patented, multi-functional ingredient that stands out in the clean beauty space, and I’m excited about uncovering even more through continued research and development.

Beyond banana sap, there are other exciting ingredients in clean beauty. Bakuchiol is one I’ve been keeping an eye on. It’s a plant-based active that offers gentler collagen-boosting properties and is being positioned as a natural alternative to retinol. 

Another standout is Kakadu Plum, which is one of the richest natural sources of Vitamin C. Its antioxidant properties make it excellent for brightening the skin and protecting against environmental stressors. Ingredients like these reflect a broader trend of moving toward clean, multi-functional formulations that prioritize efficacy without compromise.

What excites me most is the shift in the industry toward innovation in naturally derived, multi-purpose ingredients. Whether it’s pioneering something entirely new like banana sap or rediscovering powerful botanicals, there’s so much opportunity to redefine what clean beauty can achieve.

Can you share a story where switching to clean beauty ingredients led to a significant and unexpected benefit for your customers?

There are a few stories that really stand out. One customer reached out to share her experience with eczema on her face. She told us, “Your product has been incredible — it’s made my eczema go away to the point where I don’t have to use my steroid cream anymore. I’ve also stopped using most of my other products, and my skin has never been clearer.” Hearing that was such a powerful moment for me.

Another story comes from a friend whose wife started using our product early on. She told us, “I typically use a lot of different products, but I stopped all the rest and started using yours. It took my skin a few days to adjust, but now it feels healthier and clearer than ever. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to non-natural products.”

It’s incredible to see these kinds of transformations. Hearing directly from customers about how switching to clean beauty ingredients has impacted their confidence and skin health makes all the work we’ve put into Tano Skincare feel worthwhile. These stories show that clean, thoughtful formulations can truly make a difference.

Here is our main question. Based on your research or experience, can you please share your “5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Clean Beauty Brand”? (Please share a story or an example for each)

1 . A compelling story: In clean beauty, having a strong “why” is essential. Customers want to know why you started your brand, what makes it different, and why it needs to exist. For me, it was my experience as a child when banana sap saved my leg. That moment became the cornerstone of Tano and the reason I’ve been so passionate about bringing this incredible ingredient to market. Today’s customers resonate with authenticity and passion, and a meaningful story helps them connect with your brand on a deeper level. In such a crowded market, a story isn’t just nice to have — it’s what sets you apart.

2. Uncompromising standards: You can’t cut corners in clean beauty. If you’re going to call yourself clean, you have to go all the way and be unapologetically clean. At Tano, our goal is for our formulas to be so clean that even the strictest standards, like EWG or Sephora Clean, would have no issues with what’s in them. And that means no shortcuts. Customers today are incredibly savvy and will research every ingredient. If you’re not honest or transparent, they’ll find out, and that erodes trust. Clean beauty brands have to live up to their promises, and going above and beyond those promises is what builds credibility.

3. Honesty and transparency: Being straightforward with your customers is non-negotiable. People deserve to know what they’re putting on their skin, why it’s in the formula, and how it benefits them. Honesty extends beyond your ingredient deck — it includes how you make claims, how you market your products, and even how you respond to feedback. At Tano, we’ve built trust by being upfront about what we can and can’t claim and by putting thought into every ingredient we use. Customers appreciate that honesty, and it creates a sense of integrity that makes them more likely to stick with you.

4. Scientific rigor: It’s not enough to just be clean anymore. You need a scientific foundation for your products, whether through research on your actives or clinical testing of your formulas. At Tano, we’ve invested in understanding the science behind banana sap, and our studies show it increases collagen production four times more effectively than retinol. That’s the kind of data today’s customers are looking for. Observational results might have been enough in the past, but the next phase of clean beauty will demand measurable, proven results. A strong scientific basis not only differentiates your brand but also reassures customers that clean beauty can be effective beauty.

5. A strong team: The beauty industry is tough, especially when you’re starting out as an indie brand. There are bigger players with more money, and navigating the space can be overwhelming. That’s why having the right advisors, collaborators, and team members is so important. At Tano, I’ve leaned on experts who understand the industry and can provide insights I wouldn’t have on my own. Building a great team is about finding people who share your vision and have the skills to help you succeed. It’s one of the most valuable investments you can make as a founder.

How do you foresee the clean beauty movement evolving in the next decade, and what role do you see your brand playing in that future?

This is all from an outsider’s perspective, as I’ve only been in the beauty industry for about two years. That said, I’ve seen some trends that I believe will continue shaping clean beauty in the next decade.

First, customers are becoming much more focused on what they’re putting on their skin. You can’t get away with using harmful chemicals that could cause adverse effects a few years down the line. People are demanding safer, more natural formulations, and there’s now enough evidence to prove that natural actives can be just as effective as synthetic ones.

Second, there’s a growing emphasis on efficacy. Customers want to see results, and buzzwords like “radiant” or “glow” that can’t be quantified just aren’t enough anymore. With science becoming more accessible and affordable, I hope to see more brands leaning on measurable, scientific results rather than vague claims.

Finally, I think we’re going to see a simplification of routines. Many people are tired of 15-step skincare regimens, and there’s a huge opportunity for multi-functional products that do more with less. This trend will likely appeal to men, who are starting to take better care of their skin at younger ages, and to younger women, who are already thinking about preventative care but don’t want the complexity or cost of dozens of products.

At Tano, we’re well-positioned to lead this movement. When we formulated our Age Well Face Cream, the goal was to pack in as much functionality as possible without sacrificing efficacy or causing negative interactions between ingredients. With one product, you get banana sap for collagen and hydration support, aloe vera for hydration, Vitamin C and CoQ10 for antioxidant protection, barrier repair, and natural squalene from camellia seed oil. It’s nearly an all-in-one, and even if you add just one or two additional products, you can have a complete routine.

I also believe customers will start holding brands to a higher scientific standard, especially at the premium levels of the market. They’ll expect proof — data-backed claims and clean, thoughtful formulations. I think Tano is uniquely positioned to ride this wave, offering a new way to think about skincare routines that are both simple and effective.

What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?

I’ll admit, I’m not always the best at managing my personal social media, but for Tano Skincare, we’re active on several platforms! You can find us on Instagram at @TanoSkincare, and our website, www.tanoskincare.com, is a great place to learn more about our products and story. We’re also on Facebook, and I’m relatively active on LinkedIn if you’d like to connect with me directly — just search for Sean Finney.

We’re planning to expand our presence to platforms like TikTok and Reddit soon, and we’re always looking for new ways to engage with and educate our community. One of our main goals is to help people understand that clean, natural skincare doesn’t mean sacrificing efficacy. For example, our banana sap has been proven to increase collagen production four times more effectively than retinol, showing that natural ingredients can deliver incredible results.

If you’d like to stay updated, you can also join our email newsletter through our website. We share product updates, educational content, and news about what’s happening at Tano. Thank you so much for your support and for taking the time to learn more about what we’re building!