Nuthatch Naturals is a name designed to catch one”™s eye. At least that”™s what Marc de Mul, the founder of the new line of skin care products for children, believes.
“My wife always called our daughter ”˜Nuthatch,”™” de Mul said. “Though I”™m not really sure why.”
The same 7-year-old eponym, as might be expected, provided the impetus for the daily soothing lotion. When she developed unusually dry spots on her face and arm, de Mul said, he began looking for age-appropriate creams that also used healthy ingredients ”” and came up empty.
Unlike most parents who would feel helpless and frustrated, however, de Mul was able to draw on his background, which includes four years as a principal scientist at Johnson & Johnson and five years as a research scientist at Unilever ”” to design his own.
“It was something I always wanted to do,” the Weston resident said, “and with the pandemic last year there was a lot more time to work on it.”
He began testing what would become Nuthatch”™s signature product last summer. “It took a while to get it right,” he said. “You have to run allergy tests, which of course are very important for a children”™s product, along with stability tests.”
Most skin care products are petroleum-based, de Mul explained, which result in an off-putting stickiness and often includes anti-aging ingredients and allergens ”” not what someone interested in utilizing a natural, sustainable ointment is seeking.
Nuthatch also uses recyclable packaging, with each box featuring a children”™s puzzle on the back. That, along with the cheerful looking bird-with-a-crown on the front (naturally, a nuthatch), appeals to children and, with luck, will encourage them to adopt a lifelong interest in self-care, de Mul said.
“It should be fun to try different products,” he said.
“We feel very strongly about green and sustainable products,” he continued, “especially when it comes to children. We”™re aiming at toddlers to pre-teens ”” it”™s not for babies, and it”™s not really for teens because we didn”™t test for whether it can affect acne or not.”
In addition, the dermatologist-tested, fragrance-free lotion has been certified cruelty-free by The Leaping Bunny, which requires that a company submit to independent audits rather than simply rely on a written statement, as other anti-animal-cruelty organizations do.
“We”™re also waiting for a certification from the Environmental Working Group,” de Mul noted; that organization identifies harmful ingredients in various consumer products, including sunscreen.
Nuthatch also goes the extra mile by donating 10% of its annual proceeds (calculated as total sales minus expenses) to child-based charities, with Fairfield nonprofit Save the Children its first recipient.
Officially launched on June 10, the product is being sold on its website and at area farmers markets.
“We”™ve gotten some really, really nice reviews so far,” de Mul said. “One girl said she liked it so much that she took it with her to school.”
