InMySkin: Why Matt Mullenax Founded Huron Men's Cosmetics

Matt Mullenax will be the first to tell you that he hasn't always had good skin. Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was really into sports, playing football, basketball, and running in high school, and he went on to play college football at Brown University. “When I was an athlete, my skin suffered a lot,” he says. "Between football helmets and sweaty clothes, I haven't done myself or my skin much favors." By the time he reached his early 20s, his skin is struggling began to affect his self-esteem. “On paper, I was a very healthy person. I ate well, exercised regularly, and drank tons of water. But since my skin did not look or feel healthy, my confidence and self-esteem suffered. When you know that people are looking at your skin and not at you, it's not the most pleasant feeling." Early in his career, Mullenax was even once asked at work what was going on with his skin and if he was going to take care of it. "I was physically healthy, but my skin - and therefore my mental state - was not."

Mullenax skin problems eventually forced him to create Huron, a new men's personal care brand that sells shower gel, facial gel, facial lotion and more. We spoke with the founder and CEO to learn more about the brand and its journey to finally feel comfortable in your skin.  

Tell us about your relationship with your skin and how it has changed over the years.

This is definitely a love/dislike-how-to relationship. But I've learned what can make it worse, the importance of hydration and sleep—something I'm admittedly not the best at—and found products that support skin health. 

Growing up, I was ignorant. I've been escaping and throwing groceries down the kitchen sink to solve problems. First, I tried staples from the grocery store to help restore my skin. When they did not help me, I switched to products prescribed by dermatologists. And I would go so far as to buy anything and everything that was advertised in men's blogs or magazines. It wasn't until I was living on the West Coast in business school, when I started experimenting with some more premium products, that my skin started responding positively. But I personally couldn't justify spending $70 or more on personal care products.

Is that what led you to create Huron?

Yes, it was a moment of insight for me. I wanted to create a branded range of A-plus products that looked, acted and worked like a higher end product, but at a price that wouldn't break the bank. This was our mission at Huron.

Why the name Huron?

Huron is the name of the street I lived on in Chicago, where some of my skin problems were the worst. So it's a daily reminder to me of why this brand exists and who it's for.

When did you discover your passion for skincare?

My passion for this space is twofold: I used to work for an investment company and we looked at a number of opportunities in the personal care category. I was attracted by the closeness to the brand that can be developed. If a consumer is loyal to your brand, he or she may buy your products for the next five to ten years. There are several other categories where the relationship between product use (daily) and duration of interaction (years) is just as strong.

However, what is more noticeable is that I was a child who grew up with bad skin. We created this brand to help guys like me look and feel better day after day. It all starts with the best foundations - shower gels, face gels, face lotions - that are highly effective and contain effective and quality ingredients.

Many guys are already making healthier choices throughout the day — diet, exercise regimen, etc. — but the bathroom is still foreign territory for most. So they often go back to the same old products they've been using since high school. This is a huge gap.

What are your personal daily and nightly skincare routines?

Whether it's morning or evening, it's the same routine. For the past 18 months, my shower has been the epicenter of all our product testing. I have tried all of these. But I am very happy with our current staple shower products: body gel и wash your face. The scent of the shower gel is so invigorating that it wakes me up. The cleanser contains bamboo exfoliants which are great for making me feel clean without being overly abrasive like other products. It turns out that men don't like to wash their faces with sandpaper. After shower I use our daily face lotion. Cools and moisturizes, easy to apply. This has been my daily routine for the past few months.

How do you see the men's skincare landscape changing, and how does Huron fit into that story?

Again, we know our guy makes healthier choices throughout the day, but he's in no rush to change his shower and grooming habits. Still. We want to be the brand that will help ease this transition. I'm thrilled to be bringing a high quality product formerly aimed at high end/premium shoppers to guys all over the world - being a brand that helps guys help themselves. This is a pretty cool opportunity.

Can women use these products?

Yes. While Huron was conceived as a men's personal care brand, we saw from early sales that women were also showing great interest in our product line. It was a surprise. For a long time, guys have been "borrowing" their girlfriends' groceries, and now she's stealing groceries from him. Given our ingredient profile - the fact that we're 100% vegan, sulfate-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free, silicone-free, phthalates-free, aluminum-free, and more - our products have many benefits that resonate with hers. The versatility and effectiveness of our products, from skin hydration and conditioning claims to long-lasting hydration, is gender-neutral.

Finally, tell us about your top skin care tip.

I realized that consistency is critical. The importance of washing your face and applying moisturizer in the morning и at night. These details seem minor, but they are not.