-- Most consumers never think to question the ingredients in their toothpaste. For Maxime Renfrew, after months of painful perioral dermatitis, she discovered that her toothpaste was triggering her skin sensitivities.
“I noticed a connection between my dermatitis symptoms and the ingredients in my toothpaste,” she explains. “But I couldn’t find a product I could safely use.”
That realisation led her to create one.
Why Ingredients Matter
In exploring alternative toothpastes, Renfrew found that many still relied on the same foaming agents, preservatives, and synthetic fragrances which her dermatology patch test had revealed she was severely allergic to. Because toothpaste is regulated as a cosmetic rather than a food product, these ingredients remain widely used, despite their potential to irritate:
“It struck me that something we use twice a day should be held to the same safety standards as anything else we consume,” says Renfrew.
Monkey + Moon’s product innovation has been recognised by Xraised, which named Renfrew a leader in allergy-safe mouth care. The brand’s unique combination of ingredient innovation and sustainable packaging has also earned multiple awards, with recognition including Gold at the Free From Living Awards, a Green Parent Natural Beauty Award, and a shortlisting at the international Nourish Awards.
A Minimalist Approach
Renfrew learned the foundations of effective tooth care from her mother, an NHS dentist with over 35 years of experience. She combined this clinical knowledge with her own experience of living with severe contact allergies to develop pared-back blends that focused only on essentials: mineral-based ingredients to clean and protect teeth, charcoal to gently lift stains, and food-grade flavourings.
“I remember my mum at the kitchen table, grinding charcoal from a local tree surgeon with a pestle and mortar. After years of refinement, we created a formula that not only works better than existing toothpastes, but also tastes great.”
The result was Monkey + Moon, a preventative mouth care brand built on a simple ethos: less is more.
“Every ingredient has a purpose,” Renfrew says. “Preventing bacterial build-up, breaking down and brushing away plaque, gently polishing away stains, and helping to neutralise acidity for a healthier mouth: these are the key elements of long-term oral health and effective mouth care.”
Meeting an Overlooked Need
Each product is made fresh to order and supplied in durable, refillable glass jars, with compostable refill pouches. The system is 100% plastic-free, designed to reduce the 300 million toothpaste tubes discarded in landfill every year. And because toothpaste is something everybody needs and uses daily, Monkey + Moon makes switching to a sustainable, plastic-free option simple and hassle-free.
Despite the global toothpaste market projected to reach $20 billion by 2030, very few options meet the rising demand for low-chemical, ingredient-led products, especially for people with allergies, dermatitis, or sensitivities. With skin conditions now affecting an estimated one in four adults, demand for safer, minimalist alternatives is accelerating:
“I know what it’s like to spend hours deciphering long ingredient lists and still feel unsure, never knowing when a severe skin reaction might be triggered,” she says. “But Monkey + Moon is not just about creating mouth care for people with skin allergies, everyone should be avoiding these harmful ingredients in their daily routines.”
Media contact: [email protected]
Website: https://www.monkeyandmoon.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monkeyandmoonco/
Contact Info:
Name: Gianmarco Giordaniello
Email: Send Email
Organization: Xraised
Address: 950 Great West Rd
Website: https://xraised.com/
Release ID: 89168288
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