it is 2023. december, to be precise. a routine indulgence—a monthly spa treatment, facials, nails, hair, and all those quaint vanities. a subtle offering to self, calm and restorative, yet what began as an exercise in gentle gratification soon led to something far more foreboding. for no discernible reason, my skin rebelled. acne. hyperpigmentation. irritation of an inexplicable sort. it was abysmal. yet, as the old adage goes, "every problem births opportunity." thus began my spiralling descent into the murky waters of trial and error—an inquiry into dermatological quagmires that offered me only a precipice to peer over. dermatology, i found, is nothing short of a labyrinth, where commerce and care intermingle. in the hands of the practitioners, your skin becomes a perpetual experiment—a monetized merry-go-round of products, prescriptions, and promises. inundated, but not surprised, i took a step back.
enter aristoman.
you see, self-care has always been something close to my chest. for women, it's practically instinctive, engrained into the cultural psyche. for men, it’s like spotting an ancient relic—rarer than you'd believe. yet, here's the truth: our skin, whether male or female, speaks the same language. cleanse. moisturize. protect. it’s really that simple. as some regions begin to shed their dated notions about men's grooming, the message is clear: we’re no longer merely surviving the agricultural or industrial ages. in the 21st century, self-care is critical for all.
then came the revelation. if i were to build a brand for men—beyond skincare—what would it encompass? hair loss struck me as a curious epidemic. men, even in their late teens, were going bald, and in my part of the world, it was accepted with an alarming casualness. i couldn’t help but investigate deeper. male pattern baldness? sure, genetics play a role. but food? lifestyle? there were gaps to be filled. africans, on the whole, often exhibit a laissez-faire approach to nutrition. “what i see, i eat,” could easily pass for an anthem. i recall one particularly stubborn exchange at the gym, where a man swore his ten wraps of fufu were healthier than any avocado smoothie i could recommend. the dialogue was circular, his points farcical, yet in this, i saw a broader cultural trend—one that needed challenging.
and so, the building phase began.
now, i like to think of myself as a builder. not just of ideas, but of actual things—though my domain had always been technology. i’ve written about it often enough. i’ve built tech products, brands, the works. but here, i found myself in uncharted waters. my last foray outside of tech was a misstep, a failure i’ll speak on someday, or maybe never. still, i knew one thing: if aristoman was to take flight, i needed to immerse myself in the intricacies of this new niche. from d2c sales to ecommerce, from marketing to supply chains, the learning curve was steep, but necessary. while i stayed close to the product development, i placed my trust in a seasoned research scientist to spearhead our haircare solutions. in the words of phil knight, “don’t tell people how to do things, show them what to do and let them surprise you.” so i gave her the space to work her magic, while i handled the rest.
but i digress.
the essence of all this, the crux, the sine qua non: aristoman is about making men feel and look their best. the status quo is changing. it’s 2024, and frankly, we shouldn’t have to belabor this. working out, eating right, reading, grooming—these aren’t luxuries; they are essentials. and aristoman is here to ensure that more men embrace this shift.
as of now, we have over 12 collections on our shelves, from skincare to haircare, beards, grooming kits, and more. visit aristoman.co and see for yourself.
until then, stay focused.
PS PS: if you are ever in lagos, hit me up. i’ll send you a dedicated care box. from me to you.
