Cancer treatment is brutal on the skin. So why isn't skincare part of the treatment?

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After helping build some of the world's most respected brands—including Jo Malone, La Mer, and Naturopathica— SKIN UNION CEO and Co-Founder, Cathy O'Brien thought she understood skincare.

Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

While every aspect of her treatment followed a clear protocol, she found herself having to navigate one of the most common side effects alone. "People don't leave chemo wondering what anti-nausea medication to take," says O'Brien. "But routinely they leave wondering what they're supposed to put on their burning, itching, cracking skin. That didn't make sense to me."

That experience became the foundation for SKIN UNION, which she co-founded with award-winning skincare formulator Kristen Sgarlato. Bringing together O'Brien's firsthand experience as both a beauty executive and cancer patient with Sgarlato's expertise developing high-performance skincare formulas and her own deeply personal experiences with cancer, the company was built on a simple belief: supportive skincare should become part of the standard of cancer care—not an afterthought patients are left to figure out for themselves. "I've spent years developing beauty and skincare products," Sgarlato says. "Watching my mom go through a double mastectomy, and both of my grandmothers go through cancer treatment changed the way I thought about that work. It wasn't about creating another moisturizer. It was about creating the products that people could trust when their skin needed them most."

Although cancer treatment has advanced dramatically over the past several decades, improving the outcomes for millions of people, supportive skincare has remained surprisingly undefined. Patients are frequently advised to "use something gentle," leaving them to navigate crowded drugstore aisles and internet recommendations at a moment when their skin is the least equipped to tolerate trial and error. "Cancer care has become incredibly sophisticated," says O'Brien. "Why does supportive skincare still rely on guesswork?"

Skin Union was created to answer that question.

Together, O'Brien and Sgarlato recognized something few people were positioned to see. Beauty companies know skin. Oncology teams know cancer. Yet no one had truly built products specifically for the unique needs of treatment-compromised skin.

Clinically tested with an oncologist & dermatologist, and reviewed by a toxicologist, Skin Union simplifies supportive skincare into three products: The Wash, The Cream and The Balm. The system provides a clear protocol designed to cleanse, moisturize and protect skin experiencing dryness, irritation, inflammation, cracking and barrier disruption during chemotherapy, radiation and other cancer treatments.

Every decision was informed by the realities of treatment. Easy-open packaging accommodates neuropathy and reduced grip strength. Multi-use formulas reduce the number of products patients need to manage. Every ingredient was selected for both efficacy and tolerance.

Skin Union is also being evaluated in a 28-day home-use study among people actively undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy, approved by the European Ethical Committee. The study combines instrumental measurements of skin hydration and transepidermal water loss with patient-reported assessments of tolerability and efficacy.

"We spend a great deal of time helping patients manage the side effects of cancer treatment, but skincare has historically been one of the least standardized parts of that conversation," says Dr. Angela J. Lamb, board-certified dermatologist, onco-dermatology specialist, and advisor to Skin Union. "Products created specifically for compromised skin help remove uncertainty for both physicians and patients, allowing supportive skincare to become a more intentional part of cancer care."

After careers spent building prestige beauty brands, O'Brien and Sgarlato made a deliberate decision not to create another one. Their goal wasn't to launch the next luxury skincare line—it was to help establish supportive skincare as an expected part of cancer care, making clinically developed products accessible and affordable for everyone who needs them.

"More people than ever are living full, active lives during cancer treatment," O'Brien says. "They're working, parenting, traveling, and showing up every day. Caring for their skin isn't about appearance, it's about caring for the whole person."

The collection includes three products that simplify supportive skincare into one clear daily routine:

THE WASH (16 fl oz $23/3.4 fl oz $15) A gentle, sulfate-free daily cleanser for the face, body, and scalp. Its ultra-mild cleansing system removes impurities without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier. Aloe vera, glycerin, sunflower seed oil, and Oat Kernel Flour help preserve hydration, calm visible irritation, and reduce the dryness and tightness often associated with cleansing sensitive skin. The 16 fl oz bottle features an easy-to-use pump that helps support independent daily use while the 3.4 fl oz is designed with a portable format.

THE CREAM ($23) A lightweight, high-potency moisturizer for the face and body, formulated to nourish and soothe while helping restore healthy barrier function. A biomimetic Ceramide Complex featuring ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, and skin-identical lipids helps replenish essential barrier components, while sunflower seed oil, oat beta-glucan, Aloe Vera, and shea and cocoa butters provide hydration and comfort. The easy-open cap was developed with treatment-related dexterity challenges in mind.

THE BALM ($13) A concentrated treatment for the lips, face, and body that provides targeted support for areas experiencing intense dryness, cracking, irritation, and moisture loss. Formulated with sunflower seed oil, shea butter, calendula extract, madecassoside, and coconut oil, The Balm combines protective moisture with barrier-supporting and soothing benefits. Its portable format allows patients to address discomfort throughout the day without adding complexity to their routine.

Skin Union launches in October 2026.

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE SKIN UNION