Making of Maris Dae: A process

How we got into the sea algae business, and how it's going.

Where did this business even come from? It starts with a personal mission to make bodies, healthier.

The real start was from personal loss that fuelled a mission to do something more with myself. That lead me to start Better Basics, a business on a mission to reduce plastic waste. When I found that it wasn't quite resonating in the way I wanted, I started with an honest + tough question: how can I make Better Basics, better.

I listened to our community. It was through the pursuit of more local, Canadian manufacturing, natural ingredients that actually perform for you, and the need we heard from our customers for little moments of self care that work, that we have been on the evolution journey of Better Basics to Maris Dae.

The beauty industry can feel like an exhausting cycle. You're constantly trying to decode what works, what’s clean, and what will actually improve your health and wellness in the long run. We saw a need for better-designed products that don’t mask your natural skin, they protect it, they enhance it, and they help you feel like your most vibrant, natural self.

So many ingredients that are used on the market today can have adverse side-effects, or environmental impacts, however, many of the 100% natural products just don't perform to standard.

Our mission is to bring science‑backed wellness products, for your body, skin and gut; rooted in the power of sea algae.

Our deeper purpose? To connect people back to nature and to their most natural, healthiest selves. We think the beauty industry is riddled with misinformation, unrealistic expectations, and doesn't value a more raw, authentic and natural healthy look. So, we're here to change that.

What We’ve Achieved So Far

Formulation milestones: We’ve completed 12 prototypes for a body wash and a body serum, and started our broader customer testing on these products. We developed an exclusive scent, as well as our exclusive formula and sea algae extract. It was been fun, and a rollercoaster. (Instagram)
Lab & sourcing adventure: We have met with our formulation chemists, our seaweed farmers and biologists, as well as experts on sea algae extracts and the future of algae for skincare and gut health. We've been geeking out over teh science of sea algae and the origins and benefits of it in the Pacific Northwest. (Instagram))
Community engagement: We’ve been keeping our community involved throughout the journey, they chose the bottle colours, some of our product attributes, many provided insights and testing on the product line, and many have pre-ordered with the excitement of the product. (Instagram))
Brand clarity: After evolving out of our previous brand iteration, we’ve developed a new brand, logo, mission and lifestyle for Maris Dae. We're rooted in the Sea to Sky where we operate, and are inspired by nature, adventure, playful, outdoors‑aware, smart‑beauty for the body. (Thanks to the “wild ride” pivot post. (Instagram))

The Challenges (yes, there were a few)

1. Formulation complexity

Turning face‑serum potency into bodycare is trickier than it sounds. Most lotions are rich in oils and butters like sea butter, but we found them sticky, and they don't mix with all of our water-based actives that actually penetrate your skin and create lasting barrier repair. Balancing lightweight vs rich feel, ensuring actives stay stable in body‑wash vs serum formats, and ensuring that it has a lovely scent with staying power, but doesn't lead to allergic reactions have been a challenge. We’ve had to revise our serum and body wash 12 times already in the lab. (Instagram)

2. Ingredient sourcing & algae work

Sourcing a high‑quality algae extract and testing, meeting with our supplier to develop our exclusive formula has taken time. We’ve invested extra time into testing multiple extracts and verifying their performance.

3. Packaging design + sustainability

We’re picky. The packaging has to align with the aesthetic our audience loves (beautiful, clean, minimal‑but‑interesting) and with our sustainability values (recyclable, refill‑friendly, low‑waste). But design + sustainability often cost more and take longer to prototype.

4. Brand pivot & audience expectation

We started from one idea, how can we make Better Basics better, and pivoted to Maris Dae. That has meant a new brand, website, some new partners along the way and be transparent about this evolution, managing expectations, telling our story clearly. These transitions take time and careful communication so our audience stays engaged, not confused.

5. Timing/production logistics

As a brand aimed at mid‑luxury positioning, we want small‑batch, higher quality, maybe even local manufacturing in the Sea to Sky region. That introduces lead times, complexity, higher cost. Balancing budget, speed, and quality is an ongoing tension.

The Wins That Make It All Worth it

Every time a formulation iteration feels right: how my skin feels after using it for days, new scent profiles, and finally getting the application and texture right, I feel like we've made little wins for the busy, health‑and‑wellness woman will reach for.
When we see the community respond to our behind‑the‑scenes content and say “I’m in” that means we’re building more than a product, we’re building trust.
Aligning all of this with a lifestyle that feels truly authentic and inspirational to us: time outdoors, rooted in athletic adventures, appreciation for the beauty of nature, balancing our health and having fun. We are really excited to create a community around these values and start hosting some fun events, like our future hike club!

What’s Next: Where We’re Headed

Finalizing the formulas: We’re nearly there. Just one more round of testing.
Pre-orders are open: We're aiming to ship in November (fingers crossed).
Packaging is ready: Once the formulas are locked, production is go.
Brand events & gifting: We’re excited to get products into the hands of our favorite people: friends, family, partners, and our community.
Transparent storytelling: We’ll keep sharing the real behind-the-scenes. R&D, algae sourcing, lab notes, packaging design, the highs, lows, and more.

A Message to our community.

If you’re reading this, thank you. Whether you’re hitting the trail, running a board meeting, doing your skincare ritual at midnight because life happens, this line is for you. For the woman who knows her ingredients, who cares about the environment and where her products made, who wants to feel naturally beautiful, strong, and vibrant in her own skin. We’re building this for you.

With gratitude & energy,

Sam Rayner, founder + operator Maris Dae