Dr. Watson’s was started in 2014 as a biotechnology company where we worked with the FDA to develop tests for harmful ingredients in cosmetic products and, as a result of our findings, Dr. Watson’s began development of engineered clean hair and body care products. Today we have seven products, which include: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, pomade, dry wax, hair oil and beard balm.
Dr. Watson’s is different because we started with the mission of developing methods to detect harmful ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products in order to prevent dangerous allergic reactions. In 2014 Dr. Watson’s was awarded a contract from the FDA to test a range of cosmetic products for harmful latex proteins. Over the two-year contract we invented two assays for detecting harmful latex proteins, which can cause dangerous anaphylactic reactions in users of products containing natural rubber latex. Our tests were applied to 75 individual products selected by the FDA, which included stage cosmetics, face paints, hair and eyelash adhesives and liquid eye-liners. The results were shocking with 59 of the products testing positive for harmful latex antigenic proteins of which 6 made false or misleading claims on their labeling. Our results were peer reviewed by PhD level scientists at the FDA and presented at the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC). Even more troubling was that 10 of the products were marketed towards women of color and specifically these products included hair and eye lash adhesives. Our goal is to apply our test methods to help guide the next generation of regulations for personal care and cosmetic products. This would fulfill our mission to leave a mark on enhancing product safety and create a safer marketplace for all.
After our experience working with the FDA, Dr. Watson’s set out to create a line of products rooted in science and made with only clean, safe ingredients that would be widely applicable to consumers. This philosophy has become known as Dr. Watson’s “engineered clean” which means developing products, which never contain harmful ingredients such as sulfates, parabens, petrolatum, phthalates, etc. Dr. Watson’s has spent over two years applying the knowledge we gained from working with the FDA towards formulating a hair and body care product line including shampoo, conditioner, pomade, dry wax, hair oil, beard balm and body wash. Dr. Watson’s experimented with over 300 different formulations to arrive at our final family of products. Our shampoo uses gentle surfactants instead of sulfates to cleanse, which is pH adjusted to match the natural balance of human hair, while our conditioner is loaded with Vitamin E, B5 and Argan oil to provide lasting nourishment throughout the day. Our styling products use natural mango and shea butter along with bees and carnauba wax to hold hair instead of petrochemical based ingredients like petrolatum. The Dr. Watson’s collection of products is intended to give consumers everything they need to cleanse, style and nourish their hair as well as wash their bodies while ensuring the highest standards for product safety.
San Diego, California
