Just because your muscles get a workout doesn’t mean your skin must too. Weekend warriors and serious athletes know the importance of measuring their heart rates, working their muscles to fatigue and improving their running times. But with all that lifting and running, they may overlook the largest organ of their body—their skin.
 
And that’s where SBR Sports comes in. The Santa Ana, CA-based company was created in 2004 to meet the cosmetics needs of those with active lifestyles. SBR founder, president and triathlete Karen Allard took to the idea like, well, a fish to water.
 
“Being in the pool, training four days per week, led me to the idea of Triswim,” recalled Allard.
 
The Triswim line of hair and skin care products is said to remove chlorine, bromine, salt water and chemical odors from skin and hair. The shampoo moisturizes hair with aloe vera, vitamin A and provitamin B5, while the conditioner hydrates and conditions hair with keratin and protein. Similarly, Triswim Chlorine-Out body wash moisturizes with aloe vera, vitamin E and provitamin B5 to help soothe dry skin, while Triswim lotion reconditions skin damaged by salt water, sun and chlorine.
 
Building on the success of Triswim, Allard and her team rolled out Trislide, an anti-chafe/anti-friction skin lubricant spray that makes putting on wetsuits and bike pants a breeze. Unlike vegetable or petroleum-oil based formulas, the silicone-based Trislide formula won’t damage neoprene material. It eliminates chafing, blistering, irritation and hot spots caused by swimming, biking and running, according to SBR. More recently, the company introduced Foggies, a line of anti-fog towelettes for swim, ski and snowboard goggles.
 
All three lines have helped Allard build a business with annual sales in excess of  $1 million and encouraged her to enter the highly competitive skin care market with Dermasport, a new four-step line that promises to cleanse and protect skin.
 
Allard maintains that this product is unique to the market, not only because it is the first product specifically geared toward men and women with active lifestyles, but also because of SBR’s direct and constant communication with athletes.
 
“This is what sets us apart; we know what athletes go through. We sponsor events. We sponsor over 250 athletes. We know what they need,” remarked Allard.
 
Being around the athletes on a constant basis gives Allard the opportunity to hear their concerns and ideate a solution.
 
“I am the idea person,” she stated. “I bring an idea to our senior chemist, who then consults with an aesthetician about what ingredients should be in the product.”
 
The Dermasport skin care line, produced in the US through a contract manufacturer, is directed toward those whose active lifestyles expose them to damaging UV rays, chlorine and ultimately, dry skin.
 
Making matters worse, “These elements, over time, cause an acceleration of the aging appearance,” asserted Allard. “Dermasport performs a barrier function to allow skin to do what it does best. Dermasport helps to restore and protect.”
 
When athletes follow the four-step Dermasport regimen, their skin will improve in just one week, according to the company. It all starts with Athletic Face Wash, which is said to liberate the face from environmental factors like salt or chlorine. The antioxidant and mushroom extract-based formula gently exfoliates skin and unclogs pores. With time, users even report improvement in skin firmness, according to Allard.
 
Next is the Athletic Clarifying Toner Mist. The formula contains alpha hydroxy and salicylic acids to restore pH levels and promote cell turnover.  The third step of this four-step regimen is the application of the Age Defense Moisturizer, which contains peptides to promote collagen formation, according to Allard. Finally, the Multi-Tasking Eye Cream contains ingredients like marine collagen, shea butter, antioxidants and peptides to hydrate, replenish and brighten skin.  
 
Allard is convinced that Dermasport is a winner.
 
“Our other products are more niche markets, but with skin care, everybody has a face. This product will explode once it takes off,” she insisted.
 
Launched this fall, Dermasport is available on the company website, www.sbrsportsinc.com, as well at Shop.TRISWIMBeauty.com, SwimOutlet.com and Amazon.com and The Triathlete Store in Poway, CA.
 
For now, Allard is focused on making the Dermasport launch as successful as possible, before gradually adding more products to the line. Outside the US, SBR Sports is adding distributors in China, Vietnam and Mexico.