When Rachel Wilson moved from Southern California to Boise, she planned to take a break from startups. But that break didn’t last. After just 18 months, she was back building again — this time blending beauty and tech in a bold new way.
Her startup, BoldHue, is now turning heads with a custom foundation device that uses real-time skin tone scanning to mix the perfect shade. Within 60 seconds, the tool creates a personalized foundation blend using six base pigments. No more guessing in-store. No more wrong shades online.
Wilson launched the company with co-founder and CTO Karin Layton, a former aerospace engineer. Layton built the entire system — the software, the app, and the tech behind the shade-matching algorithm. She also happens to be a skilled painter and color theorist, which made her the ideal partner to crack foundation science.
Here’s how it works: Users scan their skin in three spots using a “magic wand.” The readings go straight into BoldHue’s device. From there, the machine mixes a fresh foundation formula and dispenses it into a small glass pod. One mix lasts about a week.
The full kit, including the device, cartridges, and beauty tools, sells for $295. Cartridges range from $15 to $35. Users can manage everything — shade history, reorders, and backups — through the BoldHue app.
The concept has already attracted major buzz. The startup sold out in just two months and has raised nearly $7 million from backers like Lucas Venture Group, Tacoma Venture Fund, Mark Cuban, and Kevin Huvane.
But BoldHue isn’t trying to become a top cosmetics brand. Instead, it’s betting on its core tech. The plan is to license the system to beauty brands and retailers. That way, more people can find foundation that truly fits them — even from products already on the shelves.
Wilson said their research uncovered a deep problem in the industry: lack of inclusivity. Many customers, especially those with underrepresented skin tones, feel left out. BoldHue wants to change that.
Investors see the potential. Madin Akpo-Esambe from Tacoma Venture Fund said his team was impressed by BoldHue’s early traction and commitment to serving overlooked users.
Social media has helped fuel the buzz. On TikTok and Instagram, BoldHue’s demo videos rack up millions of views. People love watching the shade-matching process unfold — and seeing the results.
While Boise may not be a typical home for a beauty startup, Wilson sees its location as an asset. The city’s growing startup ecosystem has been supportive. And thanks to the internet, she says, you can stay connected no matter where you are.
With a team of just seven people, BoldHue is proving that beauty tech doesn’t need to come from Silicon Valley to make waves. Sometimes, the most powerful innovations come from listening closely — and solving a problem that’s been ignored for too long.
