01 / THE COMMERCIAL PROBLEM
Create a better answer for everyday outdoor life. Traditional repellents often feel like household chemicals; the opportunity was to build one people would be proud to keep beside their skincare.
CASE FILE / 04Notch WellnessFounder-led brand build
From white space to skincare repellent
A zero-to-one CPG build that reimagines botanical insect repellent through the product standards, visual codes and daily rituals of skincare.
0→1from category insight to production
02 / THE DECISION
Reframe insect repellent as a hydrating protectant—pairing botanical efficacy with a lotion format, skin-supporting ingredients and a premium brand designed for beauty and wellness retail.
LAUNCH READINESS
THE STRATEGIC SYSTEM / THREE MOVES
Category rules,
rewritten.
Protect
Lead with an effective plant-derived active and make performance the non-negotiable foundation.
Nourish
Build the application experience around hydration, skin compatibility and a light floral scent.
Belong
Create a brand and pack that feel at home on a vanity, in a bag and in the beauty aisle.
THE BUILD / WHITE SPACE TO LAUNCH
Zero to one,
with no playbook.
01 / Category insight
Ask a better category question
The idea began in an Austin summer: why were products designed to protect skin merchandised and experienced like harsh household chemicals?
A whitespace proposition: treat repellent like skincare
02 / Formula development
Make efficacy and experience coexist
Nearly two years of formulation and testing led to a lotion with a 5% geraniol active, a hydrating base and a light floral scent.
Plant-derived protection in a skincare-first format
03 / Regulatory pathway
Build inside the constraint
The formula and claims were developed within the EPA framework for Minimum Risk Pesticides, where every active and inert ingredient must meet specific requirements.
FIFRA 25(b) compliant launch pathway
04 / Brand system
Look like the aisle you want to enter
A bold name, distinctive berry packaging and beauty-led lifestyle world move the product out of camping gear and into everyday self-care.
A brand designed for beauty, wellness and modern outdoor lifeNEXT CASE FILE
05 / K9 NaturalBuilding a new growth category without diluting the core→