Keys Origins and Pedigree. Thanks for your support and loyalty

Dear Keys Patrons

2001 was a historical year around the world. Keys parent corporation, Orion, was in the mode of expansion from our Washington DC-based operations to Amsterdam. 9.11.01 Terrorist Attacks dashed that plan, but what bloomed out of that was a much stronger relationship with our US clients like Pfizer, Qualcomm, and the motion picture industry. 2001 was the origin of Keys products in their early prototype form. Some brilliant people at Pfizer urged us to promote our first products’ natural benefits as natural medicines. We are forever indebted to these bright minds.

Almost immediately, in 2004, Keys walked two lines. In the foundational days of the EWG, we walked the natural functional medicine skincare track. Slightly hidden from view was our new relations with the Environmental Media Association. EMA is the equivalent of the EWG, but within the Hollywood movie and TV industry scene.

Eye Butter was outrageously successful because it worked better than conventional eye creams and had not junky chemicals. It made the actors look good on camera, which was all-important and it is clean. Luminos was born from Eye Butter and Tortuga Lotion as a facial moisturizer for the TV show, “Ghost Whisperer.” They needed something that would make the actors’ skin luminescent and shimmery on camera. The makeup artists loved it. The Director of Photography was amazed. So much so that the makeup artist started to wear Luminos for those “after the shoot dates.” They just asked us if we could tone down the shimmering to a soft glow. Luminos quickly moved into first place in the Keys product line.

That was the start of a long and interesting relationship between Keys and Hollywood. Actors like Sarah Jessica Parker, Leo Di Caprio, Elle Keat, and Mary Louise Parker are fans. Movies like Shutter Island and the Insidious series used Keys for the actors. Too numerous to list here, we have been adopted by Hollywood simply because we are natural and make the actors look good. The TV series Weeds, Breaking Bad and Mad Men used Keys as their core products in the vanities trailers. Keys Solar Rx and Luminos had a featured spot on Season 4 Episode 10 of Weeds. Maria Shriver featured Keys Eye Butter and Solar Rx for three years running at the California Women’s Conference when she was the First Lady of California. Speakers like Oprah, Jane Fonda, and hundreds of other celebrities were gifted Keys products. They responded by being long term customers. Makeup artists like Kathleen Beaton and Kerry Malouf have been Keys promoters and users for years.

The other side of the Keys business has been our dedication to natural skincare and natural skin medicines. All of our products have been spawned out of the needs of our customers. We were the radical promoters 15 years ago that chemicals in conventional skincare products caused most skin problems. Our fight against Sulfate, Parabens, and Phthalates resulted in FDA bannings and diminished usage in the industry. The best selling book by our founder, Bob Root, titled Chemical-Free Skin Health® polarized the industry and launched controversy even with the likes of the EWG senior leadership. Sometimes the truth hurts, and we will never stop calling a wrong, no matter who has wronged the public.

Incorporation of ancient remedies from natural healers, aboriginals, and Ayurvedic naturopaths lead us into new regions of skin health. We were one of the first companies to join the NIH Microbiome project, and it spawned an entirely new look into Probiome ingredients that quickly solve problems and even begin to reverse skin damage and aging.

Over the years, we have written many stories and backgrounders that range from simple taglines to almost book-length stories. All with the intent of solving skin problems and making people feel and look good as a mission.

2020 is a year of strange focus because of the worldwide pandemic, but it has not slowed our dedication or development. Frankly, we have been stunted by our inability to source ingredients in enough volume for the production of new products. That does seem to be changing, and we hope to get some overdue products out soon.

A special thanks to our loyal customers in front of the camera, behind the camera, our loyal customers wanting solutions, and wanting to feel good about their looks.

In all of this gunk and uncertainty, we are doing well and on a path for a record year because of our customers. To you, we are totally indebted to your loyalty and your suggestions. Ideas truly fuel our imagination!

Thanks

Wendy Steele,

CEO