Our Story
We are Brandon and Jess - first cousins and co-founders of Pristine. We were both attorneys, but we left our law practices to create Pristine. Here is our story!
Jess is a mom of three, which means that, at one time, she wiped four butts daily. She is essentially a butt wiping expert! Her newborn daughter was suffering from severe diaper rash and skin irritation. She tried nearly every brand of diapers and wipes, but the problems persisted. Even the wipes labeled as "natural" would cause abrasions on her daughter's skin because the synthetic fabric in the wipes was rough. She consulted her pediatrician who said "ditch the wipes." So, she did. She was relegated to washing her daughter's bottom in the sink with warm water and mild soap! It worked, but this method was not sustainable for a busy mom.
Her son (4 years old at the time) was learning to use the potty on his own. She had given him "flushable" wet wipes (as opposed to dry toilet paper) to help with the monumental task of wiping. But, he was flushing the wipes. And, guess what? They didn't flush, they clogged. After a flooded bathroom and yard, she ditched those wipes too.
"I needed another option that did not contain harsh chemicals
and that was friendly to my plumbing and the environment.
I did not find any other wiping options that are easy
and functional for a busy mom and a new potty user.
But, I did find tens of thousands of other parents
with the same issues!"
At the same time, Brandon was an adult wet wipe user. He didn't pick up the habit, he just . . . never really quit from childhood. One day, he developed skin irritation. It persisted for over a year until he realized it was his wipes. He too had to ditch the wipes, but the comforts that wipes provided were not easily forgotten. Brandon transitioned to wetting toilet paper and paper towels in the sink, something that every adult wipe user has begrudgingly tried in a pinch. Anyone who has tried this knows that it simply doesn't work, but there was no other option!
We were surprised to find that we both had similar issues with wipes, and we both needed an alternative.
"We found that there was no mainstream alternative
to wipes. So we created one!"
We knew that we wanted a spray solution that would work with toilet paper. We were incredibly selective with the ingredients that we chose. Even before Pristine, Jess heavily researched and selected more natural personal care products, which required her to be a diligent label reader too. She has a laundry list of ingredients that she will not use on herself or her family. We approached the creation of Pristine the same way when choosing ingredients. We chose only the highest quality and most natural ingredients that had been thoroughly researched and deemed safe.
We created and tested hundreds of different formulas, literally mixing batches in our kitchens with hair nets, beakers, and boiling pots of water. We then took our ideas to formulators and chemists. After months of R&D and testing, consultations with chemists, and discussions with manufacturers, we developed a spray formula that is effective enough for a grown man's rear-end and gentle enough for child. Pristine is now dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and proudly manufactured in the United States.
In 2019, the early successes of Pristine took us all the way to the exhilarating stage of ABC's "Shark Tank," where we had the opportunity to tell 5 billionaires that they have been wiping their butts all wrong! After Shark Tank, we heard from hundreds of like-minded people who were looking for an alternative to wipes for a wide variety of reasons - their home operates on a septic system, they preferred a more portable option for travel or work, they were looking for a more eco-friendly option that is truly flushable, to name a few. This feedback and our desire to continue to offer more natural personal care products led to the creation of our body cleansing sprays - a shower-in-a-bottle that provides a true cleansing option and alternative to body wipes.
Since Shark Tank, Pristine has appeared everywhere from CNBC to Good Morning America and is the top-rated Amazon brand offering alternatives to wipes. We are incredibly humbled by how far Pristine has come, and we are forever grateful to all of Pristine's supporters. We both personally respond to all emails and messages, so if you have any questions or would just like to say hello, we would love to hear from you!