Portland, Maine, U.S.A.-based startup Marin Skincare has expanded its line of cosmetic products that include lip treatments with upcycled lobster byproducts in its list of ingredients.
The product line first started with the company’s “Lobster Lotion,” a cream that hydrates skin and is made using, among other ingredients, marine glycoproteins – a byproduct of lobster processing. The company has since expanded that line to include a lip treatment product that comes in a blueberry French toast flavor, as well as an unscented offering, according to UMaine News.
“We created the unscented lip treatment specifically to help with dry, cracked, flaky, and irritated patches on and around the lips and took it a step further with the blueberry French toast flavor as a nostalgic nod to heritage Maine flavors, reminiscent of a cozy brunch up at camp,” Marin Co-Founder Amber Boutiette said. “It’s as fun and indulgent as it is functional and effective.”
Lobster Lotion first came to the market in 2017 after Boutiette experimented with Marin’s other Co-Founder Patrick Breeding and former director of the UMaine Lobster Institute Robert Bayer to find a solution for the eczema she had.
Thanks to Bayer’s expertise with lobsters, the three found glycoproteins to be beneficial in soothing skin and treating eczema.
“It was so rewarding to see these glycoproteins from lobsters helping others in the same way they helped me, and it was just the beginning,” Boutiette said.
She, with her collaborators, soon came up with Lobster Lotion, which had immediate positive effects, and the new lip treatment aims to do the same for a sensitive area where many people suffer from eczema.
“My eczema was really bad – not only around my eyes and face but also on and around my lips – so I knew from experience that there weren’t products that addressed this painful problem,” Boutiette said. “There was a huge gap in the market for lip treatments designed to be safe and effective for this delicate area that everyone can use; we knew we had to introduce a lip treatment.”
Marin has also developed a robust supply chain for its products, partnering with Saco, Maine-based Luke’s Lobster to collect the glycoproteins needed for its cosmetic line. After the company receives product from Luke’s, it then purifies the protein in its home laboratory.
Thanks to the success of its unique products, the startup recently announced the launch of its upcoming Portland, Maine-based 3,000-square-foot warehouse, and the addition of three new team members in the last six months. Marin has also snagged retail partnerships with Maine-based companies such as L.L. Bean and Sea Bags.
“We’re humbled by what we’ve been able to build and the amount of impact we’ve had in just three short years with the support of UMaine, Mainers, and beyond,” Boutiette said. “Growing our business here, helping others, creating new jobs, and adding value in parallel industries has been such a rewarding experience. This product launch represents the next step in Marin’s evolution as a proud Maine brand.”
Photo courtesy of Marin/Instagram
