A fresh catch could help battle the rash
that browntail moth caterpillars spread.
This time of year, two scientists in
Maine have developed a lotion that
they say eases dermatitis and its
main ingredient comes from one of
Maine's most popular things to eat.
I've had eczema my entire life, Ali
Alfonso decided during one of her
most difficult years in her skin
to share her story on Instagram.
The unfiltered and often
painful parts of eczema.
When you stop using the steroids in your
body is just so used to having them.
It'll just react and it'll give you
like a full body rash and peeling
and discomfort and like kind of oozy
situation that is just so painful
and so uncomfortable and sometimes
even worse than eczema itself.
Ellie's mother had heard about a
lotion brand new to the market.
And created in Maine. So she got
a bottle for her daughter to try.
So I took shower,
put it on my entire body,
face hands whole body and I
immediately was like, whoa,
it's not stinging anywhere.
It's not itchy like it's it just
feels amazing and I told my mom
immediately we're going to need more.
We met Ali just months later
with much clearer skin and now
working for the startup company
that she says changed her life,
graduated college and moved to Maine
within a week and never been here.
Got an apartment?
Hadn't even looked at it in person
and I was like this just feels right
and it's like what I'm meant to do.
Amber Boutiette and Patrick breeding
founded Marin Skin Care just under
two years ago as Amber struggled
with her own eczema battle,
the Humane biomedical engineering
grads and classmates were just learning
about a protein found in one of Maine's
most popular sea creatures, lobster
grad school. We were working
with these lobster scientists
who discovered a protein that the
same way that it helps lobsters.
Pop off and regenerate claws.
There was evidence in literature that it
might help do the same with skin barrier.
Amber tried the protein on her skin and
after about two days I saw a
huge difference and my eczema was
just cleared within two weeks,
Amber and Patrick continued
to study the healing effects
of this lobster protein.
Partnering with a processor
in Saco to create their cream,
we partnered with Luke because he's
actually, I think, multiple times.
1 supplier of the year at Whole Foods,
so he makes sure to handle the lobster.
In the most sustainable ethical
way possible, he knows all the
fishermen catching the lobster
employees at Lukes lobster gather the
waste and send it to Patrick and Amber,
who study and test each new batch
before adding it to their skin. Care.
Not only are we making use of
something that would be wasted,
we're able to bring value back to the
the processor and back to the fishermen,
not just in profits.
The Lobsterman will put it on.
We've seen it multiple times,
put it on, be like. Huh,
this stuff's pretty good.
It works incredibly well for all
conditions where the skin is
dry or damaged, or aggravated.
So eczema, seriesis, shingles,
sunburns, and now browntail. Moth rash.
Yes, even that itchy rash that
spreads havoc this time of year.
It turns out that the browntail moth
rash is actually a form of dermatitis.
It's contact dermatitis which is eczema.
Last year it was crazy.
It was the worst brown tail
moth Caterpillar season ever.
And everything was sold out
from the steroids to the
ingredients for DIY remedies.
There were no more solutions and
I think people just grabbed our
product as a last resort and it
turned out to help better than
the other things they were using.
And it's better for you because
steroids often cause more
harm to the skin than good
from the seed to skin care.
Mains favorite crustacean seems to have
more appeal than just a tasty meal.
Marin users are even finding
relief with it from sunburns.
We recently reached over 1000 reviews.
We're at the point where there's no
question we're changing people's lives.
It's becoming a nationally recognized brand.
Lauren Skin care can be found
online and in retail stores,
Nathan's pharmacy in Boothbay
Harbor and Tonco in Freeport.