Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Presents The Start-Up Diaries

April 21, 2019

Hello, my name is Timmy Ma. Along with my brother Kevin, we wanted to create a shower gel designed for sports athletics. To give a short background, we grew up in a very small town just outside Edmonton, Alberta. Growing up, we never had the same opportunities to play sports like our classmates did as our parents owned the token Chinese restaurant in our small town. We would have to head straight back home after school to help at the restaurant. Not until we graduated and moved out of town for post-secondary education, we each somehow found our calling to team recreational sports such as hockey. For me, it was hockey and a martial art called Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As we all know, especially in Canada, the hockey odor is a distinct smell that all hockey parents dislike. With Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we practice exclusively on mats, which bacteria’s can dwell on. My brother and I’s dream is to create a shower gel brand that aims to keep athletes clean and safe from the sport they love.

Through our journey in developing our product, I was referred to Margarita Sidorova through a close friend. Margarita provided the time and knowledge in our first steps into the cosmetic industry. Without her help, we would not have found the contacts and sources in Alberta to start our development. Initially, Margarita was a candidate in our formulator selection but because of geographical reasons we wanted to find a formulator in our region. Although we did not choose Margarita as our formulator, she still gladly helped us in finding the right contacts for us in Alberta. We appreciate all the insight Margarita has given us and we look forward to her continual achievements in her Canadian Cosmetic Cluster organization. Our first blog will be the first of many with Margarita and we hope to achieve the same success she has had with her guidance.

Thank you! 

Timmy Ma 
Masoap Inc.