Christine Esposito, Managing Editor10.27.23
There are some well-known companies that hail from the state of Maine, from L.L. Bean to Tom’s of Maine. Like Tom’s, could Marin Skincare become the next indie personal care brand from Vacationland to make it to the big time?
Marin is tackling a major skin issue with a formulation that harnesses a unique, upcycled component from the state’s biggest business—lobstering.
Founders Amber Boutiette and Patrick Breeding met at the University of Maine on their first day as bioengineering undergrads. Later, in 2017, they were introduced to Dr. Bob Bayer, a lobster scientist researching glycoproteins who wanted to find value-added applications for lobster processing byproducts.
That meeting would lead them to launch their indie brand, Marin Skincare, and its hero product—Marin Soothing Hydration Cream.
While they are scientists, the pair had some experience in the business world; while trying to get a tech firm off the ground, the duo participated in the VentureWell Accelerator.
Boutiette and Breeding leaned into Lean Startup methodologies and grant funding to build Marin. But everything else was “learn on the go,” they said.
“From finding a chemist, contract manufacturer and packaging supplier, to building a new supply chain for glycoproteins, to the regulatory process of introducing a new skincare product and the graphic design of tubes, we learned it all ourselves, using Google, YouTube, and finding the right mentors at the right times to guide us through each part of launching Marin,” Boutiette told Happi.
Marin’s contract manufacturer was instrumental in getting the skin care cream from the idea stage to full-scale production.
“We were fortunate enough to find a contract manufacturer that was willing to roll up their sleeves and help us build this from the ground up,” said Breeding. “Launching with a new ingredient, we wanted to do it right, so started with a contract manufacturer from the get-go, with them helping us through regulatory, quality control, and scale-up from lab to batch (with lots of fumbles and learnings in between!) ultimately leading to the development and manufacturing of our hero product.”
Marin is working with Luke’s Lobster, another Maine-based business.
Luke’s is Maine's first vertically integrated seafood company; it has restaurants, partners in Japan and Singapore, a production and distribution facility in Saco, ME, and direct wharf-side relationships buying from lobstermen and lobstering co-ops.
“We were incredibly fortunate to exclusively partner with Luke’s Lobster, a B-Corp with values rooted in sustainability, ethics, and transparency, to collect this raw material, and we built an in-house lab to purify the protein,” said Breeding.
“We’re excited to build this supply chain together in the ‘right’ way – caring about people, the planet and quality of the product, so are exclusive together in this effort,” he added.
The collection and purification process are trade secret, according to Breeding. Boutiette and Breeding’s company, Dermarus, has submitted two patent applications on a wide variety of use-cases for glycoproteins, from dry skin and inflammation to barrier-repair.
Marin also turned to third party labs and dermatologists to investigate the efficacy of its marine glycoprotein-rich Soothing Hydration Cream for atopic dermatitis. According to Marin, 78.8% experienced instant relief from symptoms of eczema immediately after first use 90.9% reported skin was less itchy, flaky, red and dry within 4 weeks of daily use; and 97% reported skin looked and felt significantly healthier within 4 weeks of daily use.
Marin also performed 6-week clinical safety study comprising 50-participants that self-described as having sensitive skin, using the cream on a daily basis. Over the 6-week period, no signs of irritation were observed, according to the company.
Marin’s cream is free from steroids, fragrances, parabens and formaldehyde-releasing agents.
Afterall, Marin’s skin cream has as rep among its fan-base as the “Lobster Lotion.”
“Throughout our journey we've always felt like there was more we could do to honor our roots—Maine, the ocean, lobster, discovery, and novelty, and now, we're leaning into an elevated form of our story and where we're from,” said Boutiette.
“It was time to own it,” she added. “The new packaging draws inspiration from the classic orange Grundens lobster bib, a non-apologetic marriage of bright, vibrant, nostalgic Maine, with modern, clean, functional skincare.”
Marin is sold direct to consumers, and the skincare cream is also stocked in select L.L. Bean shops.
For now, that’s where the company will focus its retail efforts.
“We’re focused on building a strong DTC brand, being selective with strategic retail relationships that allow us to prioritize storytelling and grow brand awareness,” said Boutiette.
“Thoughtful, impactful product expansion” is also on the table, according to Breeding.
There are plans to roll out additional products later this year, and extend Marin “in 2024 to tackle all types of dry, damaged, itchy skin concerns,” he concluded.
Marin is tackling a major skin issue with a formulation that harnesses a unique, upcycled component from the state’s biggest business—lobstering.
Founders Amber Boutiette and Patrick Breeding met at the University of Maine on their first day as bioengineering undergrads. Later, in 2017, they were introduced to Dr. Bob Bayer, a lobster scientist researching glycoproteins who wanted to find value-added applications for lobster processing byproducts.
That meeting would lead them to launch their indie brand, Marin Skincare, and its hero product—Marin Soothing Hydration Cream.
Building The Business
Upon discovering that that the glycoproteins had benefits for skin—including helping Boutiette’s own eczema through a homemade formula—the duo set out to turn the DIY cream it into a business.While they are scientists, the pair had some experience in the business world; while trying to get a tech firm off the ground, the duo participated in the VentureWell Accelerator.
Boutiette and Breeding leaned into Lean Startup methodologies and grant funding to build Marin. But everything else was “learn on the go,” they said.
“From finding a chemist, contract manufacturer and packaging supplier, to building a new supply chain for glycoproteins, to the regulatory process of introducing a new skincare product and the graphic design of tubes, we learned it all ourselves, using Google, YouTube, and finding the right mentors at the right times to guide us through each part of launching Marin,” Boutiette told Happi.
Marin’s contract manufacturer was instrumental in getting the skin care cream from the idea stage to full-scale production.
“We were fortunate enough to find a contract manufacturer that was willing to roll up their sleeves and help us build this from the ground up,” said Breeding. “Launching with a new ingredient, we wanted to do it right, so started with a contract manufacturer from the get-go, with them helping us through regulatory, quality control, and scale-up from lab to batch (with lots of fumbles and learnings in between!) ultimately leading to the development and manufacturing of our hero product.”
Marin’s Supply Chain
Marin has a novel supply chain dedicated to the collection and purification of the glycoproteins used in its formulation. The proteins are found in the lobster’s circulatory fluid, which is a natural byproduct of existing lobster processing that typically had gone right down the drain.Marin is working with Luke’s Lobster, another Maine-based business.
Luke’s is Maine's first vertically integrated seafood company; it has restaurants, partners in Japan and Singapore, a production and distribution facility in Saco, ME, and direct wharf-side relationships buying from lobstermen and lobstering co-ops.
“We were incredibly fortunate to exclusively partner with Luke’s Lobster, a B-Corp with values rooted in sustainability, ethics, and transparency, to collect this raw material, and we built an in-house lab to purify the protein,” said Breeding.
“We’re excited to build this supply chain together in the ‘right’ way – caring about people, the planet and quality of the product, so are exclusive together in this effort,” he added.
The collection and purification process are trade secret, according to Breeding. Boutiette and Breeding’s company, Dermarus, has submitted two patent applications on a wide variety of use-cases for glycoproteins, from dry skin and inflammation to barrier-repair.
Benefits of Glycoproteins
On the cellular level, glycoproteins are excellent at increasing dermal and epidermal barrier health and repair; stimulating fibroblast proliferation; increasing natural hyaluronic acid production; stimulating collagen synthesis; and increasing overall skin cell viability, according to the brand.Marin also turned to third party labs and dermatologists to investigate the efficacy of its marine glycoprotein-rich Soothing Hydration Cream for atopic dermatitis. According to Marin, 78.8% experienced instant relief from symptoms of eczema immediately after first use 90.9% reported skin was less itchy, flaky, red and dry within 4 weeks of daily use; and 97% reported skin looked and felt significantly healthier within 4 weeks of daily use.
Marin also performed 6-week clinical safety study comprising 50-participants that self-described as having sensitive skin, using the cream on a daily basis. Over the 6-week period, no signs of irritation were observed, according to the company.
Marin’s cream is free from steroids, fragrances, parabens and formaldehyde-releasing agents.
Rebranding Effort
Marin Skincare, which launched in 2019, recently rebranded, bringing in elements that speak to the place Breeding and Boutiette call home and the source of their “Maine” ingredient, so to speak.Afterall, Marin’s skin cream has as rep among its fan-base as the “Lobster Lotion.”
“Throughout our journey we've always felt like there was more we could do to honor our roots—Maine, the ocean, lobster, discovery, and novelty, and now, we're leaning into an elevated form of our story and where we're from,” said Boutiette.
“It was time to own it,” she added. “The new packaging draws inspiration from the classic orange Grundens lobster bib, a non-apologetic marriage of bright, vibrant, nostalgic Maine, with modern, clean, functional skincare.”
Marin is sold direct to consumers, and the skincare cream is also stocked in select L.L. Bean shops.
For now, that’s where the company will focus its retail efforts.
“We’re focused on building a strong DTC brand, being selective with strategic retail relationships that allow us to prioritize storytelling and grow brand awareness,” said Boutiette.
“Thoughtful, impactful product expansion” is also on the table, according to Breeding.
There are plans to roll out additional products later this year, and extend Marin “in 2024 to tackle all types of dry, damaged, itchy skin concerns,” he concluded.