New Nutritional Bodycare Brand iota Launches with Focus on Skin Microbiome

In October 2022, iota, a new bodycare brand, was introduced as the first nutritional bodycare line, aiming to transform personal care by emphasizing comprehensive health through targeting the skin microbiome below the neck. The brand launched with two primary products: Supervitamin Body Wash+ and Superplant Body Serum+. These formulations employ a dual approach: a proprietary mix of prebiotics and postbiotics to balance the microbiome and address skin issues proactively, and a selection of multivitamins and essential actives designed to enhance radiance, firmness, hydration, and smoothness. Co-founder Monique Meneses, a beauty industry veteran, stated that traditional personal care often overlooks the root causes of skin problems like breakouts and dryness, focusing instead on quick fixes. She emphasized that iota was developed to raise awareness about skin health as integral to overall well-being, comparable to sleep, gut health, nutrition, and exercise. The brand's visual identity and packaging were created in collaboration with the design agency ROOK/NYC, which worked with Meneses and her business partner Ray Kim. The name iota draws inspiration from the numerous microorganisms in the body's microbiome, and its wordmark features unique kerning and orientation to suggest continuous motion. The aesthetic combines science and luxury, using a sophisticated black and white color scheme with subtle moss green accents on secondary packaging. Mark Christou, Founder and Creative Partner at ROOK/NYC, noted that the packaging design was carefully iterated to highlight the scientific artistry of ingredients without cluttering the layout. The agency team included Managing Partner Rebecca Thomas Christou and Project Manager Lexi Bottern, with photography by Ari Colliard. Deliverables encompassed naming, brand identity, packaging design, tone of voice, and creative direction. This launch represents a shift in the bodycare market toward holistic health approaches.