The old oneThe Cutbeauty editor Christina Han dreamed of opening a Korean swimming pool, but quickly realized that many people rejected the idea of public nudity, common in traditional Korean baths. While the modern spa experience is private, quiet and often seen as a self-care ritual, Korean bathhouses double as healthy community centers. “It’s a bathtub — a big bathtub — and people are there to get clean and catch up on the latest gossip,” Han told Ujo Shop.
To bridge the gap between Korean spa signature revealing treatments and consumers’ precious privacy, Han and business partner Esther Nordlinger created Sluff, a body care company that launched Tuesday with a $48 kit that brings the bathroom experience (minus the public nudity) to your shower.
Image: Hosted by Sluff
Sluff’s three-step process begins with its Pre-Sluff Bar to remove what Han calls “sluff”, and remove all creams, lotions, body oils, SPF and other surface oils from the skin. The bar soap is made with coconut oil and olive oil, as well as charcoal and pumice for a textural experience. The inclusion of charcoal and pumice was also inspired by Jeju Island (“the Hawaii of South Korea,” Han adds), which is home to volcanic cliffs.
“I just wanted these small but meaningful elements of my Korean heritage to be brought into the products to honor that,” he said.
After washing off the suds, manual scrubbing with a light green Sluff abrasive mitt will follow. That’s where the magic happens: “Your skin starts to curl like an eraser shaving,” says Han. “It’s so satisfying, it’s disgusting.” The 100% viscose mitt (which features thumb holes for extra grip) removes dead skin, product build-up and sweat to reveal soft, smooth skin.
“The second you step out of the shower, it feels like you’ve shed a pound of skin,” Han said. “By scrubbing and moving and your intensity, sure, you get the blood pumping, so you go out and feel refreshed, rejuvenated, all of the above.”
Image: Hosted by Sluff
The third and final product in Sluff’s line — a lightweight eucalyptus body lotion — stands out as Han’s favorite. However, post-shower lotions weren’t made for the glass skin trend that currently dominates the body care space using shimmery body oils and shimmery creams. In fact, Han rejected that “feeling of wetness” completely. “I really wanted something that penetrated the skin and didn’t leave that heavy layer on top,” she elaborates. With a gel-like consistency, the matte-finish lotion delivers moisture with jojoba oil, aloe vera leaf juice, centella asiatica extract and rice protein.
Han recommends using the Sluff System once a week for deep scrubbing, but it can also be used daily for gentle elf removal. Sluff is launching exclusively through its direct-to-consumer channel, sluff.com, but is also looking at possible partnerships with retailers like Ulta Beauty or Target in the future. As for its big-picture goals, “Sluff House,” or the brand’s modern take on the traditional Korean bathhouse, could also finally become a reality. For now, however, Han is focusing on producing a functional range of body care products. As he says, “no fluff, just Sluff.”
“I want to take your shower and I want to make sure that everyone actually leaves with clean, soft, smooth skin,” Han added. “But really, I want to continue making products that don’t really add clutter.”
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