I knew Chris from grad school, but I never expected phone calls about his bad hair days.

He complained about every styling product inflaming his scalp. He'd get embarrassing flakes and breakouts, and hated relying on medicated products to manage it. So he started researching, determined to find out what the root cause was.

What he discovered shocked him – haircare products were feeding Malassezia yeast on his scalp. The yeast would then grow out of control, triggering his acne, dandruff, and eczema.

He told me what he discovered, then asked me, “Is it crazy to want to make something better?”

That’s when it clicked – I had the same problem! I never connected my scalp issues to my hair products. I just assumed flakes and forehead breakouts were normal. But once I stopped using microbiome disrupting products, my scalp and skin started clearing up.

That's when I told Chris, “You’re not crazy, and I want to help.”

After more than 2 years of formulating, testing, and manufacturing, we finally launched OCHRE. For the first time in years, our scalps feel calm, our skin is clear, and we don’t rely on medicated shampoos anymore. Even better, our hair looks and feels amazing!

We now work full time on OCHRE because we believe it can change haircare for everyone. There is still a lot more to accomplish, but at least Chris doesn't call me anymore about his bad hair days.

- Sri