A Clean Slate

In 2006, in a darkened movie theater, Gregg Renfrew experienced what psychologists call a paradigm shift - a fundamental reorganization of how we see the world. As she watched Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," something deeper than just environmental awareness took root. Like many transformative moments, this one began with a simple question:

For Renfrew, this question led to an obsessive investigation of her bathroom cabinet. As a new mother, she had carefully chosen what she thought were the safest products for her children - natural oatmeal body wash, gentle baby shampoo, pure mineral sunscreen. But when she began researching these "natural" products on the Environmental Working Group's database, she discovered a disturbing truth: her children's gentle oatmeal body wash scored an 8 out of 9 for toxicity. The products she had trusted to protect her children were potentially putting them at risk.

This revelation hit Renfrew not just as a mother, but as someone who had spent her entire career understanding how businesses could shape consumer behavior. Her journey had taken her from selling copiers in Manhattan's jewelry district to pioneering e-commerce with The Wedding List, which she eventually sold to Martha Stewart. Through each venture, she had learned crucial lessons about timing, market dynamics, and human psychology.

In 2006, in a darkened movie theater, Gregg Renfrew experienced what psychologists call a paradigm shift - a fundamental reorganization of how we see the world. As she watched Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," something deeper than just environmental awareness took root. Like many transformative moments, this one began with a simple question:

1. There was a profound information asymmetry between producers and consumers. Most people simply assumed that if a product was on the shelf, someone must have verified its safety. The reality was far more complicated.
2. The incentive structures in the beauty industry favored opacity over transparency. With no requirement to prove ingredients safe before using them, companies had little motivation to investigate potential long-term health impacts.
3. Unlike food or drugs, cosmetic companies weren't required to report adverse reactions to their products. The system was built on a "buyer beware" foundation, but consumers had no way to access the information needed to beware effectively.

For Renfrew, this wasn't just a business opportunity - it was a calling. She began imagining a company that would do more than just sell safer products. It would need to fundamentally reshape how consumers thought about personal care, how the industry approached formulation, and ultimately, how government regulated cosmetic safety.

In 2006, in a darkened movie theater, Gregg Renfrew experienced what psychologists call a paradigm shift - a fundamental reorganization of how we see the world. As she watched Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," something deeper than just environmental awareness took root. Like many transformative moments, this one began with a simple question:

1. There was a profound information asymmetry between producers and consumers. Most people simply assumed that if a product was on the shelf, someone must have verified its safety. The reality was far more complicated.
2. The incentive structures in the beauty industry favored opacity over transparency. With no requirement to prove ingredients safe before using them, companies had little motivation to investigate potential long-term health impacts.
3. Unlike food or drugs, cosmetic companies weren't required to report adverse reactions to their products. The system was built on a "buyer beware" foundation, but consumers had no way to access the information needed to beware effectively.

For Renfrew, this wasn't just a business opportunity - it was a calling. She began imagining a company that would do more than just sell safer products. It would need to fundamentally reshape how consumers thought about personal care, how the industry approached formulation, and ultimately, how government regulated cosmetic safety.

In 2006, in a darkened movie theater, Gregg Renfrew experienced what psychologists call a paradigm shift - a fundamental reorganization of how we see the world. As she watched Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," something deeper than just environmental awareness took root. Like many transformative moments, this one began with a simple question:

1. There was a profound information asymmetry between producers and consumers. Most people simply assumed that if a product was on the shelf, someone must have verified its safety. The reality was far more complicated.
2. The incentive structures in the beauty industry favored opacity over transparency. With no requirement to prove ingredients safe before using them, companies had little motivation to investigate potential long-term health impacts.
3. Unlike food or drugs, cosmetic companies weren't required to report adverse reactions to their products. The system was built on a "buyer beware" foundation, but consumers had no way to access the information needed to beware effectively.

For Renfrew, this wasn't just a business opportunity - it was a calling. She began imagining a company that would do more than just sell safer products. It would need to fundamentally reshape how consumers thought about personal care, how the industry approached formulation, and ultimately, how government regulated cosmetic safety.