Shay Mitchell is officially entering the beauty industry—but not in the way you’d expect. While you may have envisioned her launching a hair care or makeup brand (for adults), Mitchell’s latest venture is specifically for kids. Meet Rini: an affordable skincare and play brand harnessing Korean technology and pediatrician-approved formulations.
Mitchell is no stranger to creating disruptive brands—she’s the visionary behind the beloved luggage brand Béis and the Drake-approved tequila seltzer brand Onda, after all. However, it’s clear that Rini is the idea closest to her heart. A mother of two, Mitchell teamed up with Esther Song, a fellow mom and seasoned marketing and PR executive, to create age-appropriate yet effective products for little ones after recognizing a gap in the market.
“Esther and I have known each other for 15 years,” Mitchell says. “We started as friends and became mothers together. One day, we were at our daughters’ dance class and had a conversation about the products we were using for them. We realized there’s really nothing out there for them to experiment, play, and express themselves. Rini came about in a real, organic, genuine nature because we needed to solve our own problems we were experiencing as parents.”
Rini
The brand is making its debut with three sheet masks: the Hydrating Hydro-Gel Sheet Mask, the After-Sun Hydro-Gel Sheet Mask, and the Everyday Face Sheet Mask (which feature fun animal faces). Why sheet masks? For Mitchell and Song, the choice was intuitive. “Sheet masks are often the first step in your routine,” Mitchell says. “Having that healthy introduction to skincare is so important.”
Each mask has a unique origin story inspired by the duo’s real-life aha moments as moms. Take the After-Sun Hydro-Gel Sheet Mask, for example, which was inspired by their trip to the beach. “A few years ago, Esther and I took our kids to Mexico for spring break,” Mitchell explains. “Her daughter, Paloma, unfortunately, got a sunburn on her face. I was pulling aloe vera from the fridge, trying to make a mask, but it was goopy and messy. I remember thinking, I wish there were a mask for kids. And I don’t mean the tightening, brightening, pore-minimizing stuff—I mean a truly functional skincare mask for kids.”
Song says they’ve spent the last three years refining their masks, working with leading Korean skincare experts to develop them from scratch. The Rini founders are especially proud of having developed the first hydrogel mask for children. “We put together a chart of the goals we had and the products we wanted to develop, and then dove into Korea to find manufacturers,” Song says. “We’re working with the best manufacturers that produce for some of the biggest brands. But frankly, we challenged them to create something a little safer and gentler—products that would ultimately be clinically tested here in the U.S.”
As one would expect, creating for Gen Alpha requires a special level of care and consideration. Mitchell and Song had to be extra intentional about the design of the masks, for instance. “While some of these mask materials existed, this smaller size didn’t exist for kids,” Song points out.
Rini
Ingredients were another major focus, since not everything is suited to a child’s delicate skin. “We love hyaluronic acid, but that ingredient should not be near a kid,” Song says. “So, how do we actually mimic that impact using natural ingredients? The Everyday Sheet Mask, for example, has snow white mushroom extract, which can hold 500 times its weight in moisture.”
As moms, ensuring efficacy and safety with every formula was paramount. “We’ve been testing for two years,” Song says. “There are essentially three steps to our testing—and, frankly, as a brand, you don’t have to do any of these. Step one is done with the manufacturer: compatibility, stability, and preservative testing. Step two is a toxicity/risk assessment performed by our regulatory firm. Once you pass those reviews, step three is clinical testing in the U.S. The required tests vary by product. For the mask, we conducted a RIPT (Repeat Insult Patch Test), which determines whether it’s hypoallergenic or safe for sensitive skin, and provides an irritation index. All our masks came in at zero.”
That same thoughtfulness extends beyond what’s inside the package, because, for Mitchell, design and experience matter just as much as performance. Building Rini’s visual identity was equally exciting as the formulas—from the soft lavender logo to the chic brown packaging. “We bought every kind of makeup and skincare product for kids that’s out there. And I’d give it to my girls, and they didn’t want it because it looked like a toy. And I get it—they see me using my makeup and want what mommy uses. They don’t want a kiddie version of it. I wanted Rini to feel youthful, but still elevated.”
With Gen Alpha’s undeniable fascination with skincare and self-expression, Rini ultimately aims to be the brand that fosters healthy habits among them in an approachable, accessible way. “A real pillar of Korean beauty is that products don’t have to cost $200 or $250 for adults anymore,” Mitchell says. “They can be just as effective without the luxury price tag. We’re taking that same ethos and applying it to children, which I think we’ve done really well—and we’re excited to keep expanding and growing from here.”
