January is Mental Wellness Month, and I thought it was the right time to share why 31st State really exists—the mission behind the products and the brand.

When my kids became teenagers, I saw firsthand how intense this phase can be. My daughter was navigating all the classic adolescent pain points—friendships, hormones, confidence—there was no shortage of conversation about supporting girls through it all.

But I also watched my sons wrestle with their own issues quietly, privately, often without the words to express their feelings, if anything at all. There was silence from them, the media and parenting experts.

The world wasn’t talking about boys. Everyone assumed they were fine.

In the early days, when people asked why I was launching 31st State, my instinctive answer was practical: I couldn’t find cleaner, better-made skincare my boys would actually use, so I created it.

But when I sat with that question, I realized my purpose ran much deeper. I wasn’t just trying to fix their skin and their smells. I cared fiercely about everything they were going through. Their hearts were hurting, and so was mine.

This was about their well-being—not just their skin.

Globally, mental health disorders—depression, anxiety, and stress—have risen dramatically over the past 20 years alongside the increased reliance on mobile devices. Today, suicide is the leading cause of death among young men. This is not just a statistic. It’s a wake-up call.

So yes, we make simple, effective products that boys will actually use. But the heart and soul of 31st State is their emotional and mental health.

This isn’t just skincare. It’s a movement that refuses to let another generation of boys suffer in silence. We’re championing their overall wellness—because they deserve nothing less.