The Kabana Story

The creation of Kabana spans 15 years of personal development and education and represents a particularly good blend of Erik’s interests and expertise.  His undergraduate studies at Stanford University during 1993 to 1997 promoted his understanding of biological processes and chemistry, and graduate work there the following year cemented his passion for learning and thinking about how life works.  Subsequently he worked with colleagues from the Stanford Medical Center to startup a Silicon Valley-based dermatology pharmaceutical company chartered to commercialize a drug transporter molecule derived from an HIV protein that had an amazing capacity to cross cell membranes with various drug cargos.  At this company, he was the 5th person on full time payroll and the youngest and least formally educated, with just an MS in biology.  He worked there for 5 years doing everything from becoming the primary lab equipment manager due to his understanding of machines and physics, to a great deal of front line R&D work enhancing the efficiency of the transporter molecules, and has patents pending (1) (2) derived from this research.  He gradually discovered that laboratory bench work, while exciting from the broad scientific perspective, was rather boring and demanded a great deal of tedious manual labor day-to-day.  In 2000, he moved from the lab into project management as his technological understanding and interests were better applied in development of the company’s drug pipeline.  He undertook management of preclinical toxicology of the company’s flagship drug for psoriasis and attempted to spearhead another application of the technology in cardiology, which was eventually rejected by the board, but is currently the subject of another startup.

It was Erik’s experience with the clinical trial process that jumpstarted his interest in skin care formulae.  It seemed quite intuitive that skin care ingredients should attempt to reproduce the skin’s natural chemistry, yet nearly all skin care formulae available in the market and in pharmaceutics use synthetic chemicals as opposed to biochemicals that are structurally similar to skin.  A particular epiphany occurred when Erik was assisting management of the multimillion dollar clinical trial for the company’s psoriasis drug (the entire developmental program was about $20MM!) and had been reading piles of medical literature describing how many of the commonly found skin diseases are greatly improved simply by application of emollient moisturizers.  The Phase III clinical trial results came in, and it was apparent that the drug everyone had been working so hard on worked no better than the petrolatum placebo, which had a statistically significant improvement associated with it, compared nothing at all! The fact that the petrolatum placebo worked, (petrolatum is a petrochemical derivative and has very little in common with the biochemical structure of skin) further promoted thought about how Erik might make an emollient that reproduced the skin’s innate structure, as opposed to simply sealing in moisture with petroleum-based compounds, like plastic wrap on a tomato. He had always appreciated Vitamin A & D Ointment’s emollient properties, yet it too was mostly petrolatum. He knew better systems had to be possible.  

So, disillusioned with the drug company’s failed approach, yet armed with a great amount of information regarding the nature of skin disease, he left the company to return to Colorado and attend the MBA program at CU Boulder.  In December 2003, after doing a lot of label reading and ingredient research, it was clear that most mass produced skin care products are mixtures of synthetic chemicals that have little or nothing in common with the skin’s chemical structure. He ordered an assortment of natural raw materials, largely of tropical origin, and began experimenting with formulae specifically designed to mimic the skin’s innate moisturizing chemistries. After a great deal of empirical observation and many strange failures, (including the creation of mixtures that would crawl right out of the container upon cooling!) Erik developed the first viable iterations of the Kabana Crème™ formula. It is composed of natural, botanically sourced ingredients complemented with lanolin, specifically based on the chemistry and structure of human skin and designed to reproduce the complex system of moisturizing compounds that are gradually lost during the aging process. 

In March 2004, Erik filed articles of formation for Kabana Skin Care LLC.  The burgeoning wave of nanotechnology hype led him to discover how the mineral Zinc Oxide could be integrated into his formulas to serve both as a high performance sunscreen and enhance formula stability, while concurrently delivering its astringent, mild antimicrobial and skin-protective properties.  This discovery promoted development of Sunsei™ UV protective soap, as well as the Green Screen™ line of sunscreen.

By testing Kabana on himself, his girlfriend, willing friends and fellow Burning Man participants, he’s discovered that the theoretical science behind the product actually works, and works very well. Erik continually seeks to improve his rigorously natural formulae and processes. Kabana users have found the products effective to nourish and soothe many skin ailments, from psoriasis to atopic dermatitis, and particularly those unusual conditions that the medical community has failed to diagnose or address well with their expensive prescription drugs and clinical trials.    

Erik graduated with his MBA in May 2005.  He is passionate about skin care.  Erik created Kabana within a vision:  Kabana’s products represent a package deal of the best of all possible skin care offerings – its ingredients are designed by nature to complement, nourish and protect the structure of your skin, and the beneficial properties of its ingredients are supported by biochemical fact. Kabana is delivered to you in a way that’s fundamentally understandable and supports a transparent business ethic that seeks to continually enhance the quality of life for its customers, primary raw material producers, the environment and society in general. Simplicity and elegance are Kabana’s mantra.

Kabana continues to be a Boulder, Colorado-based company.  Kabana products serve the ever expanding market comprised of people who demand to understand the products they use and materials they put on their bodies every day.

Kabana is designed to ensure you feel secure in body and mind. 

Love your skin.  Kabana does.™