Local green beauty brand Dermtropics launches their newest brand ambassador in celebration of environmentally responsible hair and skincare.

When it comes to beauty, body, and haircare brands, the formulations are often infused with a range of scents—be it lavender, bergamot, vanilla, or something citrusy. And while these products often have a relaxing effect and leave a pleasant fragrance, they can lead to a few skin problems for those with more sensitive constitutions.

Dermtropics is one such local “green beauty” brand that prides itself on its range of products that are all void of any scents. Founder Margaux Arambulo-Lucena was raised by her dermatologist mother Dr. Julieta Arambulo, who imparted one of the tenets of good skincare growing up: to avoid products that use harsh chemicals that can harm the skin over time.

What started as personal use of “unscented soap” lead to witnessing wonders for skin concerns like dryness, acne, and hypersensitivity. Seeing this led to the foundation of the fast-expanding Dermtropics, as the local brand has developed a collection of unscented products, all with raw coconut:

The raw coconut is mixed with a range of non-toxic ingredients, from colloidal oatmeal in hand and body wash to aloe vera in their low foaming shampoo, argan oil in intensive repair conditioner, and one of the bestsellers, the raw coconut gentle cleansing bar. This raw coconut makes up the central DNA of the brand, in the form of wet-milled virgin coconut oil, considered the purest and most potent of VCOs.

Dermtropics shampoo — The hydrating raw coconut + aloe vera gentle nourishing shampoo

skincare products on sand — A range of travel-size products by Dermtropics.

Margaux, together with her husband Dermtropics CEO and Head of Business Development Miko Lucena, strove to create a brand that uses ingredients that are not only natural but local. Through immersion with the communities in Mindanao, the brand has provided livelihood opportunities for Filipino farmers and craftswomen in the area. With extensive knowledge in farming, Miko Lucena was essential to the process of refining the wet-milling techniques for the coconuts.

Dermtropics founders — Founders of Dermtropics, Margaux and Miko Lucena

What started as a small business from home during the pandemic has expanded in a short amount of time to become a go-to brand for those that favor non-toxic and environmentally responsible products.

Just last July 2023 marked Dermtropics’s unveiling of their first brand ambassador Rissa Mananquil Trillo. The former president of the Professional Models Association of the Philippines and a well-known beauty businesswoman, Trillo fits the bill well. She upholds a personal advocacy for everything sustainable and says, “What excited me the most about Dermtropics is their farm-to-skin process for ingredient sourcing while embracing conscious beauty standards. For me, Dermtropics is a green beauty brand that is perfect for the new generation of mindful consumers.”