When Patrice Chappelle was laid off from her job in IT, she knew where she could place her energy in a challenging situation. 

She previously struggled to find effective skincare products for her now 12-year-old son Bron Echols. The standard soap and lotion dried out the preteen’s skin. 

So Chappelle turned lemons into lemonade by launching a kid’s skincare line with her son. 

MelanBrand Skin offers a range of natural skincare products for children. The 100% organic and gluten-free products address issues such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. 

After Chappelle’s personal experience with her only child, she wanted to ensure other families had safe, effective and affordable skincare for their children. 

“We believe that every child deserves to have healthy and nourished skin, and that’s what we aim to provide with our products,” Chappelle said in a release in May of 2023 when MelanBrand Skin launched. “Our mission is to empower parents to take care of their children’s skin in a natural and safe way, help the parents empower their kids to do the same, every day, and to empower Black and brown kids to feel confident in their skin.” 

MelanBrand Skin is the only Black-owned skincare company owned by a mother and preteen son, according to the release. 

The new line offers a cleanser, toner and moisturizer, plus a bundle starter kit with all three products combined. 

The store will soon have additional options, keeping sensitive and melanated skin in mind.

“When we discuss hygiene with our kids, we never emphasize proper skin care for a daily and nightly routine. It is always brushing your teeth in the morning and at night, putting your deodorant on, taking showers, but never here is how we take care of the first thing that people see; your face,” Chappelle said. “We know how important it is to take care of our children’s skin, and we are dedicated to providing natural and safe options that families can trust.”