Our Story

The initial inspiration to start For Sea and Oats came from two of my favorite things: oats and ocean.

Back in 2014, when I was an environmental science student in college, I spent 4 weeks in Mexico as a sea turtle conservation volunteer. During the 3-mile patrol walks everyday, I was deeply distressed by the plastic-infested beach. In 2017, I moved to New York City and became a climate policy researcher.

Growing up with very sensitive skin, I have been in constant search for skincare products that are gentle yet effective. A few years ago, I had a terrible acne breakout. That was when I discovered the soothing magic of oats and learned the lesson of "less is more."

This experience inspired me to research in detail about different ingredients that go into our daily skincare products and encouraged me to learn how to create oat-based skincare products myself.

"Our mission is to create all-natural, high-performance, and oat-based products for the need of sensitive skin, while providing low-waste alternatives in daily skincare routine to reduce the amount of plastic going into the ocean."

I later enrolled in a diploma program on organic skincare formulation. During the course, I spent hours each week to study skin science, to research ingredients, and to practice formulation techniques. I particularly focused on developing formulations that are safe for acne-prone skin and that use only necessary ingredients to achieve maximum benefits.  

Upon receiving the Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation, I started For Sea and Oats in February 2021 to focus on the two issues that I deeply care about. The mission of For Sea and Oats is to create all-natural, high-performance, and oat-based products for the need of sensitive skin, while providing low-waste alternatives in daily skincare routine to reduce the amount of plastic going into the ocean.

"We want to encourage people to believe that they have the power to make positive impacts to our planet by changing the ways of consuming daily products."

All products at For Sea and Oats feature concentrated oat-based ingredients, including oat oil, colloidal oatmeal, and oat milk. All products are formulated with naturally-derived ingredients, such as plant butters/oils, honey, herbs, fruit extracts, and natural clays, without any synthetic chemicals or artificial fragrances. We carefully source each individual ingredient to ensure the highest quality. Being cruelty-free is important for us. We never test on animals.

Co-launched with the brand is our "Profits for Sea" social impact initiative, under which we donate a portion of profits to support ocean conservation projects globally. Please visit our blog for more project updates and eco-friendly inspirations.

- Sally, Founder