Since its launch in 2017, the body care brand Megababe has carved out its own space in the beauty industry by focusing on the issues that seemingly no one wants to talk about. Founded by Katie Sturino, alongside her sister, Jenny, and her friend Kate McPherson, Megababe was created to address the underwhelming selection of thigh-chafing solutions on the market as well as solutions for other “taboo” body issues like body acne, boob sweat and even stinky feet. The brand’s popular rose-scented deodorant and bestselling Thigh Rescue have both earned spots on our Editors’ Picks lists for good reason. Formulated with clean ingredients and manufactured in the US, Megababe’s cruelty-free beauty products (which are available at retailers like Ulta and Target) are affordable as well, with most products falling under the $20 mark.
To learn more about Megababe, we spoke with Sturino about her products, the history of the brand and its direction.
Katie Sturino: I knew there had to be something better than what was on the market for chafe. I didn’t know that it was going to be successful truly truly until we had paid for branding design, paid for the website, bought all the product, gone through all the labs and launched it and had 20,000 units sitting in my parents’ garage. But I knew we had something when we sold out of that entire SKU lot in the first month that we launched.
For people who have never tried your products before, what do you most want them to know about your products and your brand?
KS: Our ethos is all around making anyone with chafe and sweat know that it’s not taboo to have your thighs rub together. It’s not a taboo topic to talk about how you’re sweating through your bras during the summer. We are a solutions-oriented company , and we want to make people feel comfortable and confident.
What would you say sets your brand and products apart from similar brands on the market?
KS: One thing that we do is listen to our customers and use their feedback. People loved our body powder, but they wanted a puff to apply it, and so we made them a giant puff to apply the powder. We’re also authentic. We ‘re not some brand that was made in business school or in an incubator lab for a big company. We really are a small, women-owned business that cares. There’s a heart behind it, and I think you can really feel that. I also think we’re really consistent with the fact that we don’t use questionable ingredients. We don’t test on animals. We are constantly trying to evolve our environmental impact. We’re always trying to do the right thing.
KS: Thigh Rescue because that’s a product for me. I really love that I made a product that was voted product of the decade, that people tell me consistently is changing their life and the way that they live their lives in spring and summer.
KS: Being an entrepreneur in this space never gets easier. That you trade problems … you always find that it just never gets easier, the stage just gets bigger.
What three words would you use to describe your brand and why?
KS: We are inclusive, celebratory and — this is two words — but we make real solutions. The beauty industry was not very inclusive until recently. I think even with the body acceptance movement gaining so much momentum, beauty didn’t necessarily catch up until recently . Now we’re able to have a conversation about things like boob sweat and thigh chafe and BO and butt acne and stinky feet. This is not the beauty industry of 2017, because when we launched these were conversations that major retailers told us were not ready for mainstream.
Can you speak a bit about your bestselling products and what makes them so great?
KS: Our bestselling product is our Thigh Rescue, which was our first product, and it’s bestselling for a reason. It works; it’s innovative; it’s got a great smell. Our deodorant, Rosy Pits, is our second bestselling SKU. People have just been obsessed with that formula. I think it has a very elevated scent. It goes on clear; it works. I think it’s a unique deodorant in the space.
Out of all your products, do you have a personal favorite? And which products do you find yourself recommending the most to family and friends?
KS: Thigh Rescue is my favorite product. It’s my “desert island” product. I don’t leave the home without it during the spring and the summer. I really like to listen to what people are looking for, so it’s not that I recommend one specific product. My friend’s husband is a big golfer and he was talking about how sweaty he gets on the golf course, so I was like you need Dry Guy.
KS: We will just continue to put out products that are solution-based. I think we will continue to destigmatize things that shouldn’t have ever been stigmatized in the first place. So allowing people, especially women, to just feel comfortable in their bodies.
This detoxifying charcoal soap bar works extremely well to keep armpits and feet smelling fresh. The smell of tea tree oil in this product is unmistakable but paired perfectly fine with the other products in my routine. Like other bar soaps, it can leave your skin feeling a bit stripped of moisture, but it also left me feeling extra clean.
While I don’t usually struggle with thigh chafing in the summer, the Thigh Rescue stick created a lot of slip between my thighs and also at the point above my knees. It has a subtle smell to it that reminds me of baby powder and a balm-like consistency. While the stick glides onto the skin effortlessly, it did need to be rubbed in as I found too much product would come off.
Formulated with plant-based alcohol, this citrus-scented hand sanitizer is a new staple in my handbag. Not only does it not dry your hands out after use, but it also doesn’t leave any annoying sticky residue behind. It has a pleasant scent that isn’t overbearing, and I appreciate that the smell lingers on your hands for a little while.
For the most part, this aluminum- and baking soda-free deodorant worked to keep any body odor at bay while I went about my life. The Smoothie Deo didn’t leave my skin feeling irritated or itchy and was easy to apply. While I ‘m not a huge fan of the deodorant’s fruity smell, it’s a unique scent that is pleasant enough. There is an adjustment period (as with any natural deodorant), so that was something I kept in mind when I noticed toward the end of the day I wasn’t smelling my freshest.
The Le Tush Butt Mask has a thick, creamy texture that reminds me of yogurt … in the best way possible. Applying the mask was a bit messy, but it washes off easily and doesn’t leave behind a mess in the shower. The exfoliating beads in the mask added just the right amount of exfoliating action into the mix. While I didn’t expect to see results right away, it was nice to pamper that area of my body, and it didn’t leave my skin feeling dried out or irritated.