Founder Story

From One Jar… to a Lifetime of Healing Skin

It started with a gift.

One small jar — passed from a friend — that would quietly change the course of a life.

In the early 1980s, Judy Van Steenkiste was given a lanolin-based skin cream from New Zealand. At the time, nothing like it existed in the United States.

But what mattered most wasn’t where it came from —
it was what it did.

Judy had struggled with dry, irritated skin that resisted everything.
Cream after cream failed her.

Until this one didn’t.

It worked — quickly, deeply, and in a way she had never experienced before.

And once she saw the results… she couldn’t keep it to herself.

The Discovery Behind the Cream

Determined to understand why it worked so differently, Judy traveled to New Zealand to meet its creator, Dr. Chris Martin — a pharmacist who had spent years searching for answers himself.

Suffering from severe eczema, he had tried everything available through his pharmacy — with little success.

Until he noticed something simple.

The hands of local sheep shearers.

Despite working in the harshest conditions, their hands were incredibly soft. The difference?

Lanolin — the natural oil from sheep’s wool.

That observation led to years of trial, refinement, and persistence — until he created what became Merino Lanolin Skin Cream.

And everything changed.

Building Something from Nothing

Judy saw what others hadn’t yet realized —
this wasn’t just skincare.

This was relief.

With no corporate backing, no marketing agency, and no roadmap, she started from the ground up.

A table.
A few samples.
A hospital health fair in Whittier, California.

She placed the cream directly into people’s hands —
and watched their reactions.

That’s how it grew.

One person at a time.
One result at a time.

Soon, medical professionals began to notice.

She was invited into diabetic education classes, medical conferences, and national events — sharing what she had discovered with patients who needed it most.

Over time, Merino earned the trust of:

• Doctors
• Dermatologists
• Podiatrists
• Wound care specialists
• Burn recovery organizations

And most importantly —
people who had almost given up on their skin.

What 30+ Years Teaches You

After decades of working directly with customers, Judy began to see something deeper.

There was a pattern.

People weren’t just dealing with dry skin —
they were dealing with:

• Cracked heels
• Split fingertips
• Severe dryness that wouldn’t heal
• Skin that needed more than a typical cream

Merino helped — tremendously.

But there was still a gap.

And Judy knew exactly what was missing.

The Next Chapter: Crack Blaster

That insight led to the creation of something new.

Not a replacement —
but an evolution.

Crack Blaster Repair Balm was developed as a more intensive, targeted solution — a thicker, more concentrated lanolin-based formula designed to stay in place and support the repair of deeply cracked, damaged skin.

And alongside it came the second step:

Crack Blaster Revive — a daily maintenance cream to keep skin healthy, soft, and protected.

Together, they became a system:

Repair + Revive

Because true skin health isn’t just about fixing the problem —
it’s about preventing it from coming back.

Why This Matters

This isn’t a brand built in a boardroom.

It wasn’t created by trend or marketing strategy.

It was built over decades —
through real conversations, real people, and real results.

Every product, every formula, every decision has come from one place:

Helping people find relief when nothing else worked.

The Mission Has Never Changed

From one jar…
to thousands of lives touched…
to a system built on decades of experience…

The mission remains simple:

Help people heal their skin — naturally, effectively, and with integrity.