Unlike many women who won’t mind maintaining a seven- or ten-step skincare regimen, most men prefer a grooming routine that’s simplified and straightforward. Consisting of a few products that would easily fit in a small toiletry pouch.
This truth is what’s behind new men’s grooming and skincare retailer Doppkit founded by friends Burt Chua, Kenneth Toh, and Richmond Chong.
The guys have been friends since their high school days in Vancouver, Canada but they each pursue different careers. Richmond is into contracting and distribution of fire alarm systems. Kenneth runs an indoor cycling studio in San Juan called PERIGON. Burt is engaged in the manufacturing business, particularly packaging cosmetics and other fast moving consumer goods.
Kenneth says the idea to put up Doppkit came to them in a conversation. “We were heading into our early thirties and we’re starting to notice the differences in our skin,” he says. They were based in Vancouver in their younger years, and when they moved to the Philippines, they thought there were no brands that really addressed their needs. “We were looking for products that would help guys like us proactively take care of our skin.”
To come up with a curated list of products, they first considered their most trusted skincare brands through the years. “We reached out to them to find out those who are open to exploring a new market elsewhere,” says Burt. As of now, the Doppkit roster consists of five brands with products for the face, body, and hair: Anthony, Reyal, Salt & Stone, Triumph & Disaster, and The Groomed Man Co.
Anthony offers a range of cleansing, moisturizing, anti-aging, and shaving products. It is popular for its award-winning facial cleanser, conditioning beard wash, and treatment for ingrown hair.
Reyal claims to combine the best of science and nature, with ingredients such as Dragon’s Blood, Tiger grass, and Vitamin E that work together to strengthen and protect the skin. Dragon’s Blood is a powerful and protective antioxidant found in sap from amazonian rainforest trees. Tiger Grass has skin revitalizing and regenerative properties. Vitamin E, on the other hand, acts as an antioxidant, helping protect skin cells from damage.
Salt & Stone, formulated with ingredients derived from the sea, is designed for men with active lifestyles. In its product line, it has a body wash, deodorant, sunscreen, and lotion, among others. “They don't use anything synthetic to achieve the benefits that they're promoting,” offers Kenneth.
Triumph & Disaster combines indigenous ingredients such as Horopito oil and Ponga fern extract blended with scientifically proven and natural ingredients from around the globe: clay from Australia, Jojoba extract from Mexico, and Tamanu oil from Polynesia among them. The brand has a range of cleansers, moisturizers, body wash, pomade, toner, eye serum, and salt spray. “This brand is all about rituals. Its products are meant to prepare you for whatever triumph or disaster that will come during the day,” says Kenneth.
The Groomed Man Co. combines science with sustainable, natural ingredients like jojoba oil, rosemary extract, ucuuba butter, activated charcoal and green tea. The brand has shampoos, conditioners, face and body scrubs, and moisturizers.
Richmond observes that there remains among men a misconception that skincare is only for women. Kenneth adds that they find it quite challenging to penetrate the 30s and 40s male market who have not been using skincare most of their lives. “That's one of the challenges—educating them [about the importance of skincare],” says Kenneth.
They may have a wealth of products in their online retail store, but like most men, Burt, Kenneth, and Richmond want to keep their own skincare and grooming regimen simple.
What works for Burt
“I use a face scrub and moisturizer from Triumph & Disaster, body wash from Reyal which is one of our bestsellers, and sunscreen from Dior. We’re not offering the last one in our store,” he says.
What works for Kenneth
“I use a cleanser from Triumph & Disasters. During nighttime, I use a moisturizer from Salt Stone. Then twice a week I use Aesop scrub—we don’t have that one in our store.”
What works for Richmond
He uses The Groomed Man Co.’s cleanser and moisturizer in the morning and at night, and the same brand’s facial scrub twice a week.Kenneth admits it wasn’t until their late 20s when they started really looking into skincare products and making it a part of their daily ritual. But besides realizing the need to take care of themselves more, especially their skin, these young entrepreneurs also found it can be interesting to learn about new breakthrough products in the market.
Thus, expect Doppkit to keep adding more brands in the future. “We're slowly getting into lifestyle products. Recently we brought in candles from Salt & Stone,” Burt offers.
Doppkit will be having a pop-up store in Rockwell sometime in October, so guys can have a look and get the chance to sample their product offerings.
To know more about Doppkit and its roster of products, visit https://doppkit.co/collections, or check out their Instagram and Facebook accounts.