Necessity might be the mother of invention, but for brothers Owen and Baxter Shea, it was love for their mom that helped them launch Brothers Artisan Oil. The Sheas had grown beards to support their mom during her recovery from a stroke, but they couldn’t find a natural oil that worked or smelled great on their facial hair. Owen started mixing beard oils during slow shifts at his bartending job, and voila! Brothers Artisan Oil was born. Shortly after, the team landed its first big break at the American Field trade show in Boston. “At the time, we had sold probably less than 25 units of the beard oil, and then Birchbox put in an order for 10,000,” recalls co-founder (and Owen’s wife) Marie Shea, who manages the company’s design and product development. “That really forced us to get our act together very quickly, and things have been moving at warp speed ever since.”

For their follow-up product, the trio spent a year testing a deodorant before launching it. “We were experimenting with activated charcoal and magnesium years before our products containing those ingredients launched; we don’t just hear of a trend and throw it into a product—we make sure it’s truly effective,” says Owen at the brand’s Back Bay office. “We’re not trying to keep up with fads, we’re trying to create thoughtful, effective products for a lifetime of better health.” Some of these products include The Clay Mask and a solid fragrance balm. The brand is proudly staking its position in a skincare industry estimated to have $445 billion in annual sales, and is debuting conditioner, sunscreen and bug spray, and expanding its toxin-free candle line in the months ahead. Adds Baxter, “We’re all passionate, driven and creative, so things can heat up very quickly, but we’re also all deeply invested and unwaveringly focused on a common goal.” Lucky for us, that goal is a win-win for our skincare routine. brothersartisanoil.com