Carbon Theory’s skin care products expand distribution
Carbon Theory, a popular skin care brand in the United Kingdom, is makings its drug channel debut at Walgreens following a successful rollout at Ulta Beauty last year.
The company’s products, which feature such active ingredients as charcoal and tea tree oil, are rolling out to approximately 2,000 Walgreens doors this month, with plans to be in an additional 1,000 locations in October.
Founded in 2018 by Philip Taylor, the inspiration for the brand came from Taylor’s awareness of young consumers seeking solutions to their acne and breakouts.
“I wanted to create a product that aimed to not only getting your skin as clean as possible, but also had healing properties,” Taylor told Drug Store News. “That sparked the idea for our iconic first product, the Charcoal & Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Bar. I started making the first samples in my kitchen in Islington, London. It’s incredible to see this product is now in 6,000 stores, across four continents. It really blows my mind.”
Taylor said the expansion to Walgreens was facilitated by its prior parntership with Boots UK in its home country.
“Walgreens was able to evaluate our performance in the U.K. with Boots, which gave them the confidence to launch Carbon Theory into 3,000 stores across the US in 2021. We provide an accessible solution to the age-old problem of acne and breakouts, and consumers naturally navigate to the drug store environment to look for help,” Taylor said. “Walgreens is giving us an incredible platform to support those consumers.”
Products that will be available as part of the Walgreens assortment include:
- Charcoal & Tea Tree Oil Breakout Control Facial Cleansing Bar, containing natural ingredients, it looks to prevent acne and breakouts, while also keep skin balanced, clear and hydrated;
- Tea Tree & Citric Acid Breakout Control Facial Purifying Tonic, featuring tea tree oil and pink grapefruit extract in cleansing and pore reducing formula, it looks to minimize shine and keep complexions clear;
- Vitamin E & Tea Tree Oil Breakout Control Facial Moisturizer, developed to re-hydrate and protect skin after cleansing, it also looks to help prevent and clear existing acne and breakouts;
- Charcoal, Tea Tree Oil and Vitamin E Overnight Detox Serum, an overnight treatment designed to prevent and clear breakouts;
- Vitamin E and Tea Tree Oil Breakout Control Facial Exfoliating Scrub, which was designed to remove dirt, oil and impurities from the skin;
- Tea Tree Oil & Vitamin A Breakout Control Spot paste, a direct treatment that targets breakouts and reduces redness; and
- Tea Tree Oil & Glycolic Acid Breakout Control Cleaning Pads, which was designed to resurface and retexture the skin, leaving a brighter and smoother complexion.
Though the launches mentioned above are not the only innovations the brand has up its sleeve. There are plans for additional products to hit shelves later this year.
“Later this year we shall launch our Liquid Cleansing Wash which is the same formulation as our iconic Facial Cleansing Bar. We wanted to bring the same efficacy in a practical liquid solution,” Taylor said.
Carbon Theory products can now be found at Ulta Beauty and Walgreens.