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For this week’s body-care conversation, Glossy sat down with Katie Sturino (@katiesturino; 806,000 Instagram followers), body acceptance influencer, author of “Body Talk” and founder of 7-year-old clean body-care brand Megababe. On Wednesday, Megababe announced the launch of its latest product, Bidet Bar, a dermatologist-approved cleansing bar for areas under the belt. According to Sturino, the brand also plans to launch new Megaman products, catering to its male customers, at the end of the month.
In looking at Sturino’s social media presence, it may come as a surprise to learn that it was only 10 years ago when she had her “breakthrough moment” that allowed her to fully accept her body. “I realized all the women around me who were smaller than me were not satisfied with their bodies, [either],” she said. “I started to question that and think, ‘Why am I punishing myself, trying to get into a size 4 or 6?”
Coincidentally, Sturino’s moment of self-acceptance also fell in line with the rise of the body positivity movement in mainstream media, which led to a new wave of brands, advocates and influencers in the space. For Sturino, watching the category surge, especially in beauty, inspired her to begin exploring the idea of launching her own brand. In 2017, Sturino took a chance on herself and created her brand, starting with Thigh Rescue, its anti-chaffing hero product.
“We’re the experts and owners of chafe; there was nothing [similar] on the market when we launched,” said Sturino. In fact, at the time of Thigh Rescue’s launch, conversations around chaffing, especially in the thigh region, were still a bit taboo, she said. “So many people didn’t understand what we were doing or that this is a problem that women of all sizes deal with in different ways. … We’re trying to shatter shame one layer at a time.”
While launching her brand, Sturino was also building a community as a body acceptance influencer, often sharing the products and tools that helped her unlock her inner and outer glow and boost her confidence. Today, Sturino’s own products — including the Thigh Rescue, Bidet Bar and Le Tush Butt Mask, which, she admitted she sometimes also uses on her face — are among go-tos in her daily product rotation. But her shower routine, shared with Glossy below, also includes other brands’ items she swears by.
“Once a week, I like to use the Le Tush Butt Mask on my full body. And, if [I want to incorporate hydration], I use the Shani Darden Signature Nourishing Facial Mask with Squalane. Then, in the shower, I have been using K18 shampoo and conditioner — I didn’t want to believe the hype, and now I do believe the hype. Sometimes I alternate that with the Suite Reyad shampoo because I love the smell, and it’s good for your hair, too.
For face wash, I use either my Clé de Peau Skin-Refining Clay Scrub or my Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser. I use Space Bar on my armpits. Then I’m using Bidet Bar in my under zone. If it’s bikini shave time, I use a Flamingo Razor, and then I probably, realistically, will just use the Bidet Bar to lather my bikini area. Afterward, I use Après Shave, and then I’m out of the shower.
On fancy days, I use my Lake & Skye 11 11 Fragrance Oil because it has such a great smell. And then on regular days, I just use my Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil.”
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