The story of Vegan Skin begins when Founder and C.E.O. Paul Joseph was just 17 years old. From this time until he was 23, Paul was plagued with boils that developed in the trunk area of his body that no doctor could explain. After six years and over 25 surgeries, dermatologists were stumped for answers. Paul tried his luck again at Tufts University while enrolled in graduate school, teaming up with a group of Nurse Practitioners in the student health center dedicated to studying the pathology of his symptoms. In the Spring of 2007, he was diagnosed with Hidradenitis Suppurativa, a rare, autoimmune, disease that affects approximately 1-2% of the population in America and possibly abroad. There is no cure or effective medical treatment for the disease. As a degenerative disease, it also worsens over time. As Paul progressed through his twenties, the disease continuously spread until it eventually colonized half of his body; he was covered in boils from the waist down. On the eve of his 30th birthday, he contemplated ending his own life as a result of the pain and discomfort he was experiencing. It was in that moment when he realized that if there were no products on the market that existed for his unique skin condition, he would have to create them. Guided by the research question,“How did our human ancestors take care of themselves before modern medicine and technology?” Paul got to work and created three signature products that not only began revitalizing his own skin, but also the skin and scalps of his friends and family members. Before long, subscribers from his Facebook support group who’d been following his journey began reaching out to purchase the products only to experience life-changing results. It became Paul’s mission to be at the forefront of the new era in natural skincare products and is the reason Vegan Skin is 100% committed to maintaining a clean and conscious brand.