Newcastle entrepreneurs Riley Tonks and Matt Price have launched arpy, a direct-to-consumer Australian skincare brand structured around a simplified four-step regimen. Founded in Newcastle in January 2026, the local business manufactures products labeled sequentially from 01 to 04 to streamline daily skin care applications and eliminate consumer confusion around multi-step cosmetic routines.

The core four-product system consists of a hydrating ceramide cleanser (01), a copper peptide serum (02), a hyaluronic acid gel (03), and a fragrance-free barrier cream (04), designed for a three-to-five-minute morning and evening application. The product range also includes three optional items: a peptide eye cream, a kakadu plum vitamin C serum, and a lip balm, with individual pricing ranging from $24 for the lip balm to $159 for the complete core four set.

The founders formulate and manufacture batches in-house on the Gold Coast, handling order fulfillment and national distribution directly. Alongside product sales, the enterprise publishes educational consumer guides online covering formulation transparency and active ingredients, including pure copper tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu), which draws over 30,000 monthly online searches across Australia. Unlike common industry practices using pre-diluted one per cent solutions, arpy formulates its serum with 0.2 per cent pure copper tripeptide-1 derived directly from raw powder.

Co-founder of arpy, Riley Tonks stated that sequential product numbering addresses consumer demand for straightforward, transparent personal care routines.

“We numbered the products because most people don’t want to learn skincare, they just want to know what goes on next,” Riley said.

“People deserve to know what they’re actually buying.”

IMAGE | Newcastle entrepreneurs launch simplified four-step skincare brand arpy