Austin/SoCal Startup Transforming Men’s Skincare

Everyone in Austin knows at least one “Austin startup” story.

RHINO MUD is an all-natural, waterless men’s skincare brand that aims to transform the men’s skin care industry. At the moment, it’s not a familiar name in men’s skincare, but Austin-based brothers Brandon and Oliver Gorrie are working hard to change that.

Their startup (which also has roots in California, where their family makes the products) just may face an uphill climb to make it in the men’s market, which is dominated by cream- and lotion-based brands.

Why do they believe they’ll be successful? As it turns out, there’s more than one answer. “The problem with all creams and lotions is that they’re mostly water. Water actually dries out your skin as opposed to moisturizing it,” Oliver points out. “Most, also contain toxic alcohol, emulsifiers, petroleum derivatives and fillers. That defeats the whole point. We think guys’ skin care should be fast, simple, clean and effective.”

“Plus,” Brandon adds, excess toxicity leads to, ‘Bioaccumulation,’ and if water was the answer to dry skin, a daily shower would solve it. But it doesn’t.”

That’s a compelling argument. Lotions and creams can be up to 85% water, and in addition to drying out your skin, water dilutes the power of any skincare product’s active ingredients. It also means you’re paying a lot for less of the good stuff, and adding toxins like emulsifiers, alcohol and more into your body.

RHINO MUD doesn’t have any of that stuff in it.

In fact, RHINO MUD’s balms are quick and easy to use. They offer a simple, powerful and smart alternative in the form of a Solid Serum Face Balm,
Daily Body Balm and their “Man-Sized Lip Balm” that’s 3X bigger than regular lip balms.

That’s intentional. As Oliver points out, “Most guys are too busy to follow complex routines with multiple products and applications. They want simplicity.”
Simplicity is definitely a key Rhino Mud value proposition.

Face. Lips. Body. What could be simpler?

Waterless Balms Mean Pure Potency

Eliminating water was a key insight that led to RHINO MUD. Waterless balms dramatically enhance the purity, intensity and performance of their all-natural therapeutic ingredients, lowering costs and raising performance.

The best seller is the Solid Serum Face Balm. Face serums are typically highly concentrated, therapeutic liquid formulations that restore and moisturize your face. Women can spend hundreds of dollars for just one fluid ounce of a serum.

RHINO MUD, on the other hand, has created an intense face serum with super antioxidants such as Natural astaxanthin (as opposed to the weaker synthetic version), which is what enables algae to restore itself back to its supple form after drying out and shriveling in the sun-blasted summer months without water.

Lab-tests have determined it to be a super antioxidant that’s up to 6000X more powerful than Vitamin C and actually reverse the signs of aging. Astaxanthin is scientifically proven to seal in moisture, protect and nourish your skin at the cellular level.

The ingredients list of this solid balm reads like a “Who’s who” of Nature’s most powerful botanicals. It fits into your hand or gym bag, easy to apply, absorbs fast and is typically used in the morning, just after showering.

Notably, waterless balms are becoming more popular with women’s brands.

Skin in the Game

Both the brand and the balms themselves project an unmistakable masculinity. The Daily Body Balm goes on fast and has just a hint of sea air that quickly fades. The Man-Sized Lip Balm is beeswax and coconut oil-based, with only all-natural ingredients to heal, protect and soothe lips.

The Gorrie brothers think that once guys know what’s really in their skincare products, they’ll come to the same conclusion they did: balms are an easier and healthier way to for guys to get their skin in shape and keep it that way.
Their task now is to convince men to try it.

“RHINO MUD is a very savvy and innovative solution with distinct advantages over traditional water-and alcohol-based skincare products. People are literally sick of so many synthetics going into their bodies. They want and demand all-natural food, water, coffee and wines. We think they’ll want the same in their skincare.”

Like the RHINO MUD slogan says, it’s “Naturally good for your manhide.”