TuroSkin, a Michigan-based unisex skincare company is making finding humanely developed, vegan and effective skincare products easier. TuroSkin has a straightforward mission, says Matt Dolfi, director of marketing: help all people avoid harmful (and potentially lethal) skin cancers while also helping them feel their best.
The company was founded in 2008 in Grand Rapids by Dr. John Renucci, MD, FACS, who is a practicing plastic surgeon. Dr. Renucci was repeatedly seeing the harmful effects of dwindling skin protection on his patients. While “recognizing the importance of skincare and the inertia against applying skincare products daily [Dr. Renucci] created an all-in-one unisex brand,” says Dolfi.
Yet, during his extensive research, education and patient practice, he noticed a void in the consumer market: skincare designed for everyone. Most products are catered to a specific subset of the market. This has created a skewed market (and perception) of skincare products, leaving consumers that are not in the target category with limited options for essential skincare products, which limit the development of melanoma (skin cancer).
At its inception, TuroSkin examined closely the way people integrate skincare into their daily routines and what aspects of it they value. “We found that people care about protecting and improving their skin,” they write on their website, “but most don’t incorporate multiple products into their daily routine.” As such, TuroSkin simplified the skincare process to “ensure maximum benefits in the fewest steps.” Their products boast a particular focus on individuals living active lifestyles.
One of the driving principles of their products is simplicity. The skincare industry is filled with products that can make choosing exactly what consumers are looking for extremely difficult. TuroSkin’s idea was to create one product for everyone that combined as many of the essential components of skincare as possible into a single bottle. “We’ve been called the ‘smartphone of unisex skincare’,” Dolfi wrote in a statement to Consensus Digitial Media, “because we combine multiple product outcomes into one formulation.”
Renucci spent nearly a decade developing the formulations prior to launch, and the company has used independent laboratories to highlight the cosmetic and physiological benefits of its products. In one study, the business found that active male adults often fail to adequately protect skin and keep healthy. Through their combined formulas, Turo products aim to help solve this potentially harmful oversight in skincare usage.
“[We are at present] primarily a single location spa product,” Dolfi, “but moving towards a direct-to-consumer product.” So, while this startup’s products may not be on your local pharmacy’s shelves quite yet, they are well poised to be there soon.
In addition to their differentiated approach through all-inclusive products, TuroSkin boasts a strong adherence to humanitarian principles and environmental standards. “As a company, our key values include inclusivity, environmental protection, sustainability, and health wellness.” the organization told Consensus Digital Media.
Some of their best-selling, unisex products include shaving cream, a daily cleanser and a moisturizer with SPF to help protect against the harsh environmental factors of everyday life (namely, UVA/B rays which have been proven to cause skin cancer and premature aging). All of their products are hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and derived from plant-based or sea-based ingredients (in other words, no harmful parabens or sulfates, which are frequently used as fillers in large-batch formulations by major manufacturers).
As a startup breaking into an already highly saturated market of consumer products, TuroSkin is likely to take some more time before claiming its share of the market. Dolfi says the company is positioned to grow with force over the next three years, though, creating a recognizable, national brand. “Our business objective is to increase our visibility to many outdoor markets including gardening,” Dolfi told Consensus. “As we grow sales and build Turo Skin into a bigger company we will keep our relationships strong with all our customers.”
