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‘I suddenly became invisible’ – The moment pregnancy sparked a career rethink
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After feeling professionally overlooked during pregnancy, Sara Stokes began to question everything, from workplace culture to what women are offered at this life stage. That moment of clarity became the foundation for her thriving business; here she chats to Dominique McMullan about the creation of her skincare brand – designed to support women at a stage too often overlooked.
Let’s start at the beginning, when you look back at that moment during pregnancy where you felt professionally sidelined, what was going through your mind?
Looking back, it was a mixture of confusion and clarity at the same time. On one hand, opportunities I would normally have been considered for seemed to disappear almost overnight, and it made me question my value professionally. Pregnancy should be a moment where you feel supported and empowered, but instead, I felt like I had suddenly become invisible in a space where I had always been very driven and ambitious.
At the same time, that moment also gave me a lot of perspective. It forced me to think about what I actually wanted from my career and the kind of environment I wanted to be part of. In many ways, it planted the seed for building something of my own. That experience was a big part of what pushed me to create SKN TO SKN.
Was there a specific moment when you realised that experience could actually become the catalyst for building something of your own?
I don’t think it was one dramatic moment, more a series of small realisations. During my pregnancy, I became much more aware of how little was actually designed with pregnant women in mind, especially when it came to skincare. I remember standing in shops reading ingredient lists and feeling unsure about what was actually safe to use, and at the same time feeling this underlying frustration about how I felt sidelined in other areas of my life, including professionally.
Gradually, it clicked that those two things were connected. I started thinking, if the experience of pregnancy can make women feel sidelined in so many ways, what would it look like to build something that did the opposite? Something that supported them, celebrated them and was genuinely designed with them in mind. That shift in mindset was really the beginning of SKN TO SKN.
You’ve described pregnancy as the “fourth skin life stage,” which is such a powerful idea. How did that insight come about?
That idea really came from my own experience during pregnancy. We talk a lot about skincare in terms of teenage skin, adult skin and menopausal skin, but pregnancy is a huge hormonal shift, and yet it’s rarely recognised as its own skin stage. I remember noticing that my skin was behaving completely differently during each stage of motherhood – it was more reactive, more sensitive, and I suddenly became much more conscious about what I was putting on it.
At the same time, I realised that most skincare brands weren’t really speaking to that moment in a woman’s life. Pregnancy is such a transformative period, both physically and emotionally, and your skin reflects that. Calling it the “fourth skin life stage” was a way of acknowledging that pregnancy deserves its own conversation in skincare, not as a limitation, but as a stage that needs thoughtful, supportive formulations designed specifically for it.
What did the early days of building SKN TO SKN look like while you were also navigating life as a new mum?
The early days were a real blend of excitement and chaos, if I’m honest. Like most new mums, my days were shaped around feeds, naps and very little sleep, so building SKN TO SKN often happened in the quieter moments during nap times, late in the evening, or whenever I could carve out a bit of space to focus.
But in many ways, becoming a mum also gave the brand a very clear sense of purpose. I was living the experience that the brand was being built for, so every decision felt incredibly personal. Whether it was researching ingredients, working on formulations with our consultant dermatologist advisor, Professor Caitriona Ryan, designing our packaging or shaping the brand story, it always came back to one question: would this genuinely support women during pregnancy and early motherhood? That perspective made the process feel very meaningful, even during the more exhausting moments.
Boots backing the brand before it even launched is huge. Can you tell us about that moment?
It was a surreal moment. When we went to meet Boots in September 2024, SKN TO SKN was still very much an idea taking shape. Our formulations were in testing, and we had just finalised the packaging. The brand identity was still evolving, but our mission and USP were very clear. They said yes in the room and gave us a launch date of July 2025, which was incredible. Having a retailer like Boots show belief in the concept so early on felt hugely validating.
Do you think becoming a mother changed the way you approach ambition or business?
Yes, absolutely. Before becoming a mother, I worked like a maniac – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I even answered emails on my wedding day and again shortly after giving birth to my first daughter! My time was completely my own, and I worked incredibly hard. But becoming a mother shifted my perspective quite profoundly. Suddenly, my time was no longer my own, so the hours I did have to work became much more intentional. I had to become far more efficient. It became less about working harder and more about working smarter.
Motherhood also gave me a much stronger sense of purpose in business. I became less interested in chasing traditional markers of success and more focused on building something meaningful and aligned with my values. In many ways, motherhood didn’t diminish my ambition… it sharpened it and gave it a much clearer direction.
You’re passionate about how workplaces support mothers. What change would you most like to see happen in Ireland?
I’d love to see a real cultural shift in how we view mothers in the workplace. Too often, motherhood is seen as something that holds women back professionally, when in reality, mothers can be an incredible asset to a business. They bring resilience, efficiency, empathy and an ability to prioritise that can genuinely strengthen teams.
I also think the traditional working model needs an overhaul. The 9am–5pm office structure was designed for a time when men worked, and women stayed home to raise children, and that reality has changed. Flexible working should be the norm, not the exception. When people are supported to succeed at both work and home, everyone benefits. In the current financial climate, many families rely on two incomes, so it’s in everyone’s interest that women can stay in the workforce without burning out. Supporting mothers properly isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s good for business too.
And finally, what do you hope other mums might take from your journey?
I hope other mums realise that it’s absolutely possible to pivot your career. If you’d asked me six years ago if I’d be starting a skincare brand that would be stocked in Boots, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Motherhood changed me in so many ways. It made me trust my instincts more, be more fearless, and feel far more motivated to create a life and career that felt genuinely fulfilling. Sometimes becoming a mother gives you a completely new perspective on what you want.
I also think we’re living in a time where learning and changing direction are more accessible than ever. With so many resources and even AI at our fingertips, it’s easier to educate yourself and develop new skills, whatever path you want to explore.
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