Student Spotlight: Lo|Co Skincare -

Student Spotlight: Lauren and Colton Maher

Brand: Lo|Co Skincare Training: Pro Natural Skin Care Formulation, Diploma Winter 2023

Location: Napa, California

Hero Product: Renew Peptide Moisturizer

All of our products are vegan, cruelty-free, and plant-based with one goal in mind: Simplicity. We formulate all of our products in house with no unnecessary ingredients or additives.

About Lo|Co Skincare

We are husband and wife, Lauren and Colton, a.k.a Lo|Co Skincare. Lauren is a certified cosmetic formulator and Colton has a background in biochemistry and pharmacology. Both of us are very passionate about skincare and have struggled with acne, sensitive and dry skin, and finding products that make our skin feel great. So much so, this business was actually born on our honeymoon! With our qualifications and passion for better skin we decided to form our own skincare line and are now trying to make skincare more simple, accessible and effective for everyone. All of our products are made by us, so we have complete control over every ingredient. This allows us to formulate amazing products with no fillers, additives, dyes, fragrance, parabens, or sulfates. Each product is designed to be streamline yet effective with the essentials for your skin to thrive. Vegan, cruelty-free, and plant-based. These are hallmarks for our business and we believe all skincare products should be. Our packaging is designed with the environment in mind. All of our containers are recyclable and can be washed and repurposed.

What inspired you to make your own products?

My husband and I both struggled with acne and we couldn’t find any products that worked best for our skin. Going all natural and simplifying our skincare routine was key for both of us.

What was the hardest part of starting your business?

Taking the leap to start something new and realizing that not everything has to be perfect when starting out.

What equipment or ingredients did you first start out with?

We started out with the basics at a small scale and have added new equipment as we’ve seen fit when scaling.

How did your training at Joan Morais Cosmetics School help your business?

My training at Joan Morais Cosmetics School is what brought our business to life.

Having access to the course online at any time made it possible for us to achieve. It was one of the greatest achievements for me personally and made me realize that skincare is exactly what I was meant to be doing. Joan gave me the courage to take that leap and have the confidence when doing so because of what I learned through her.

What are you most proud of?

Developing our own business at 23 and truly loving what I get to do everyday. It’s one of the best feelings to be able to help someone achieve their skincare goals and give them some of their confidence back.

What advice would you give to other skin entrepreneurs?

Go for it. You can’t fail if you don’t quit. Never let someone else’s opinion discourage you from trying to get where you want to go. Focus on what is important to you and your business and stay true to that.