Jess Armstrong | Founder of FUCA - Glow Journal | Lyssna här

In episode 163 of the Glow Journal podcast, host Gemma Dimond talks to the founder of FUCA Skincare, Jess Armstrong.

In April 2023 at 35 years old, Jess Armstrong was diagnosed stage 2 breast cancer. Within 10 days of that diagnosis, Jess had started what would become 18 months of active cancer treatment including 6 months of weekly chemo.

Jess describes being in the thick of cancer treatment as “the lowest part of your life confidence wise,” so discovering that the extreme skin sensitivities that came with her treatment meant she could no longer use the beauty products that had become so ingrained in her self-care routine meant yet another hit.

Jess very quickly discovered that the skincare offering for those in her position was, more or less, Sorbolene. Having worked in beauty her entire adult life, she suddenly felt totally disconnected from, and uninspired by, an industry she’d loved so much- so she decided to work on filling the gap herself, whilst in active cancer treatment.

Jess launched FUCA, short for F U Cancer, in late 2024- a beauty brand challenging the both notions that skincare suitable for those undergoing cancer treatment and skincare that feels fun and beautiful are mutually exclusive, AND the idea of airbrushed “perfection” that perpetuates so much of beauty marketing today.

In this conversation, Jess shares what she ACTUALLY finds aspirational in 2026, how hand delivering her resume and waiting in the L’Oréal Groupe reception for 3 hours served as her ticket into the beauty industry, and how she managed to land FUCA a spot on the shelves at Mecca before launching a single product.