My name is Drew Plotkin, and I started Derm Dude out of necessity. I got my first tattoo when I was 19 at Sunset Strip Tattoo in Hollywood, and I paid about $25.
As I became a more passionate tattoo collector, they started costing a F**k-ton more than $25. If you think about it - Tattoos are basically an investment into your body & overall appearance.
Like most investments, if not managed & cared for properly, tattoos will lose their value - or, in this case, their brightness and vibrancy.
And so began my search for anything to keep my body art looking new, bright, vibrant & healthy, especially as I turned 30, & 40, &now today, passing age 50.
I tried typical petroleum-based products along with the ‘magic potions’ & other tattoo aftercare products, usually marketed by clueless ‘corporations’ & peddled on reality TV shows.
A few years ago, I went on a life-changing tattoo journey to Bali. Just hours after finishing a 2-day epic chest tattoo by my friend and insanely talented tattoo artist, Balaz - I decided to hike up a volcano to watch the sunrise.
While I did see the best sunrise of my life, my amazing brand-new tattoo was drenched in sweat and coated with thick lava ash. Even worse, I was flying back home in a few hours. I had to do something to protect my new tattoo and didn't have much time.
Itchy, scratching, & fairly certain I saw signs of tattoo infection, I asked the driver taking me to the Bali airport to stop in the town of Ubud - Coincidentally, Ubud roughly translates to "medicine."
I stopped at a shop and loaded up with a myriad of all-natural hydrating aloes, soothing balms, & moisturizing gels. My 24+ hour trip home became my own chemistry experiment - testing various mixtures & in-flight 'tattoo remedies.' Whatever I did, it worked because the tattoo didn't get infected & healed perfectly.
Upon returning to California, where I’d spent 15 years working with high-end skincare brands, I was obsessed with developing an all-natural, no-BS tattoo aftercare line for passionate tattoo collectors. It needed to help tattoos heal better, look more vibrant & brighter after every use, & help protect against fading from dryness, pollution, and the sun.
A full year later & with endless tests, versions, & reformulations, Derm Dude™ was born. A short time later came Derm Dude Beard, then Balls, then Body Wash, Hair, Men’s Trimmer, Shaving Cream & everything any dude could ever need for the very best in men’s grooming & hygiene.
As a general rule in life, I think rules blow. At Derm Dude™, we only have 1. Our ‘zero compromise’ rule. We get it 100% right, or we start over. We never compromise when it comes to anything we put on our own tattoos, our own beards, & our own bodies. We would never expect you to compromise, either.
Our ‘Dude Parts’ help tell our personal stories & life’s journeys. I’m excited to share the Derm Dude™ experience with you.
Enjoy the ride. See you out there, Dude.
- Drew Plotkin (Chief Dude Officer)
2 comments
I love how passionate you are about this!! Keep killin it 😎
I love how passionate you are about this!! Keep killin it 😎