Introducing Skin Union, Formulated to Fight the Effects of Cancer

by · WWD
The full Skin Union assortment.Courtesy of Skin Union

Cathy O’Brien is getting back in the beauty game with a new brand formulated to fight the skin effects of cancer treatment.

Named Skin Union, the line, cofounded by product developer Kristen Sgarlato, opens with a hero ritual comprised of three products — The Wash, The Cream and The Balm — that target visible irritation, dryness and moisture loss as a result of radiation, chemotherapy and other existing treatments.

The inspiration for the brand stemmed from O’Brien’s personal experience, having received an unexpected cancer diagnosis a few years back. “I had breast cancer, and it turned out that I did need chemo and radiation” said O’Brien. “What was going on through that entire process was that not a single person talked to me about my skin, not one person.”

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Hailing from brands such as La Mer, Jo Malone and Naturopathica, O’Brien was what you’d call skin-obsessed. “I was freaked out,” she continued. “Being older, collagen goes and your skin takes a beating [from treatment]. I would ask and ask and nobody knew anything. My radiologist, who has been an advisor to us, said if you can make [skin care] that’s affordable, there’s such a need out there.”

Enter Sgarlato. O’Brien approached Sgarlato, whom she’d already spent years working with at Naturopathica, during this time. “I remember she came in one day, and we were sitting in one of our meetings, and we were talking about what was going on with her skin and what she was feeling and she was like, ‘Kris, I don’t know what to use,” Sgarlato recalled.

This conversation transpired as O’Brien’s treatments went on, and before they knew it, they were building their own brand.

With efficacy and affordability top of mind, Skin Union’s product boast ph-balancing, and filler-free formulas suitable for all skin types, and all under $30. Priced at $23 for a 16-ounce bottle, The Wash is a full body, sulfate-free cleanser, infused with aloe vera, sunflower seed oil, glycerin and colloidal oatmeal. The Cream, $23, is a universal moisturizer, made with a biomimetic barrier repair complex and an easy-open cap to alleviate treatment-related dexterity challenges. The Balm, $13, is the equivalent of a Vaseline or Aquaphor, a barrier-supporting treatement that targets dryness and irritation of the body, face and fingernails.

“What we decided to launch was super intentional,” said Sgarlato. “Everything about this brand, down to even the color of the packaging, was incredibly intentional. Cathy and I had a lot of conversations around what is needed, what can do the most, and what can go the furthest. We never want anyone to feel like you need this 10-step thing to feel better. You only need one or two products.”

Skin Union is available now direct-to-consumer.