Where Science Meets Self-Care: How Trey Augliano is Building the Future of Beauty from Syracuse

In a quiet corner of upstate New York, just miles from the Canadian border, lies Watertown—a small, tight-knit city known for its snowy winters, scenic views of the Black River, and deep-rooted sense of community. It’s also where Trey Augliano ’27, a rising star in the world of student entrepreneurship, began a journey that would take him from the landscape of rural Upstate to the forefront of innovation at Syracuse University—and now, into the competitive, fast-moving beauty industry. 

A current entrepreneurship and marketing major, Augliano has been building things—ideas, businesses, and opportunities—since before he was a teenager. “I realized I was an entrepreneur in middle school,” he says. “Between ages 10 and 12, I probably came up with close to a thousand patent ideas.” While most kids his age were focused on video games or sports, Augliano was teaching himself how to navigate the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website and filing his own provisional patent—a process he handled entirely on his own. 

This early fascination with invention and enterprise only grew during high school, especially during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stuck at home like millions of others, Augliano used the time to dive headfirst into e-commerce. He taught himself how to build Shopify sites, then started launching online stores — selling everything from natural wellness and sleep aids to sunglasses. What began as an experiment in design and digital marketing quickly turned into a masterclass in global trade. He researched private labeling, studied supply chains, and worked directly with manufacturers in China to create custom molds for his products. 

“I’m a builder. That’s what I love,” Augliano says. “Being from a small town and working with companies halfway around the world gave me a global perspective I never expected to have as a high school student.” 

When it came time to choose a college, Syracuse University was top of mind. Augliano had done his research and insisted on visiting the Blackstone LaunchPad at Bird Library, SU’s hub for student entrepreneurship. The center was empty the day of his visit—the staff and students were away at a competition—so he left a sticky note on the director’s computer. That note sparked a relationship that would define his undergraduate experience. He was soon invited to attend startup events on campus, even as a high school student. And it was during those visits that Augliano knew: this was his place. 

He applied early decision to the Whitman School and was accepted. Since arriving at Syracuse University, he wasted no time immersing himself in its innovation community. He has served as both an Orange Innovation Scholar and an Intelligence++ Scholar through SU Libraries, mentoring other student startups and helping commercialize new technologies. He was also part of the student steering committee for the inaugural ’CUSE50 summit, celebrating the fastest-growing alumni ventures. 

“I love working on the back end of startups—seeing ideas go from concept to commercialization,” Trey says. “And I’ve learned so much from SU alumni entrepreneurs. Their insights and support have been incredible.” 

By the end of his sophomore year, Augliano was ready to launch a big idea of his own. Drawing from his personal interest in health and wellness—and frustration with misleading beauty product claims—he founded Utopia Beauty, a retailer launched in May 2025. Utopia Beauty is built on a bold but simple promise: that every product is backed by credible, third-party clinical research. 

“There are so many beauty products on the market making outrageous claims without any real data to back them up,” Augliano explains. “I wanted to change that.” 

He began by reaching out directly to brands he admired, requesting their clinical studies and verifying that the data came from trustworthy independent labs. He built a protocol for assessing the legitimacy of each product’s claims and curated a collection of high-performance, science-backed items—including skincare, makeup, hair care, and even luxury fragrances like candles and body sprays. Most are American-made, with select imports from Europe and Asia. However, all clinical validation comes from labs in the U.S. and Europe, due to their stringent regulatory standards. 

“The brand stands for the future of beauty — where science meets self-care,” Trey says. 

Utopia Beauty debuted with 50–60 carefully vetted products, sold through a direct-to-consumer dropshipping model with free shipping and a loyalty rewards program. His ideal customer? Discerning women with high disposable incomes who prioritize quality ingredients, sustainable practices and honest branding. 

While launching in the U.S., Augliano plans to scale globally—an ambition that feels well within reach, given the track record he’s already built. 

When asked how Syracuse has shaped him, Trey doesn’t hesitate. “It’s the community,” he says. “Everyone is building something here. It’s so easy to find collaborators, share ideas, and learn from each other. Faculty, mentors, alumni—they all genuinely care.” 

His advice for fellow student founders? Lean in. “Take advantage of the SU innovation ecosystem. It’s powerful. I’ve never met a founder who wasn’t willing to help. We want each other to succeed.” 

Trey Augliano is more than a student entrepreneur — he’s a testament to what’s possible when curiosity meets initiative, and when a sticky note on a computer sparks something bigger than anyone could have imagined.  

By: Linda Dickerson Hartsock