Lobster lotion founders team up with UMaine to create scholarship – WABI
ORONO, Maine (WABI) – We’ve been following the story of two University of Maine graduates that created a successful skincare line made with seafood.
Lobster protein to be exact.
Now, the founders of Marin Skincare are giving back to the institution that gave them their start.
“We met on the first day of bioengineering at the University of Maine,” says Amber Boutiette.
“We were going to be academics,” adds Patrick Breeding, “We were going to get our PhDs and go into research.”
“And this also happened to be at the point in my life where my eczema was at its absolute worst,” Boutiette notes.
While studying at the University of Maine in Orono, Amber Boutiette and Patrick Breeding worked with Dr. Bob Bayer at the Lobster Institute. The three discovered that glycoproteins used by lobsters to regenerate limbs, could also help Boutiette’s dry and irritated skin.
The couple says that research coupled with their Innovation Engineering courses helped to grow the seeds of Marin Skincare. The name translates to “of the sea.”
The company started out of the couple’s home in Southern Maine but quickly outgrew the quarters. Now they have an office and warehouse in Portland.
“We have 15 full time employees and a dozen part time,” says Breeding.
Just five years after launching, their hydration cream and lip balms can be found at LL Bean and other retail stores across Maine.
“We’ve attracted the interest of Sephora, Ulta, Target and collaborations with some major consumer brands,” Breeding says proudly.
Marin Skincare was granted two patents this summer with two more pending.
“We were just two UMaine students,” recalls Boutiette. “We really didn’t know what we wanted to do.”
Now the CEO and Chief Product Officer of a global wide company are hoping to inspire other UMaine students to set their sights on success.
“This partnership is all about giving back to the people and the place that helped us to get our spark,” says Breeding.
Marin Skincare’s Blueberry French Toast lip treatment is now the officially licensed lip treatment at UMaine. You can find the specially branded packages at the school bookstore in Orono. A portion of all sales will go towards a scholarship for UMaine students to help cover the cost of their first Innovation Engineering course.
“We’re trying to create a scholarship that allows new students that haven’t taken that course yet to be able to take their first one,” says Breeding. “And get hopefully the same type of start that we did.”
“It means so much as a first generation college student who went through it,” stresses Boutiette. “I depended on scholarships and loans to be able to put myself through school.”
“And we’re still paying them off,” interjects Breeding, with a grin.
Amber smiles at him, nodding.
“We’re still paying them off, yeah.”
Additionally, Marin Skincare has a new line of college themed merchandise that you can purchase on their website.
“We’re just hoping that the whole collaboration inspires students to think outside the box and never underestimate the impact that they can have on the world,” says Boutiette.
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