Brand Architects: Justin Kerzner of Magic Molecule

Justin Kerzner stumbled upon something that seemed too good to be true: a single ingredient that could heal everything from paper cuts to eczema, yet was safe enough to spray in your mouth.

Join Bora Celik as he chats with Justin Kerzner, the founder of Magic Molecule.

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"If you can take water and salt and turn it into this skin healing solution that works on almost every skin ailment and is safe enough to drink, safe enough to spray on a kid, safe enough to spray on an elderly person, any skin type, skin color, age, whatever, it's pretty unbelievable," Justin recalls.

The ingredient? Hypochlorous acid - a substance our bodies naturally produce in white blood cells to boost healing. Think of it as the science behind why cuts turn into scars and sunburns eventually fade. But there was a catch: until recently, no one had figured out how to make it stable enough to sit on store shelves.

From Skepticism to Belief

The journey wasn't planned. While running Naked Retail, a curated retail space in SoHo, Justin and his wife discovered hypochlorous acid around the time COVID hit. What started as curiosity turned into fascination, and eventually, as Justin puts it, "addiction."

The solution seemed almost magical - like the Windex in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" but with actual science behind it. But convincing others wasn't easy. Even dermatologists were skeptical.

"I've spoken to three dermatologists... all three of them had not heard of hypochlorous acid. And once I explained it to them, they didn't believe me," Justin shares. Rather than rush to partner with medical professionals who didn't know the product, Justin took the longer, more authentic route.

Building Trust Through Authenticity

Instead of traditional focus groups, Justin and his team took an unconventional approach: they gave away 2,000 products to people in their network, complete with hand-written cards. The only ask? Try it and leave an honest review.

"We even had people within our network who wrote shitty reviews," Justin laughs. "And we're like, he could have just said no or ignored it, but it's okay." These less-than-perfect reviews actually helped build credibility.

When skeptics appeared on social media calling the product "snake oil," Magic Molecule took an unusual approach. "The angriest, meanest, most horrific customers... we would actually respond to publicly and say, 'Hey, please DM us your address. We'd love to send you a free product to try,'" Justin explains. "You watch how fast they become your best friends."

Breaking into Retail: The Ulta Beauty Story

Getting into 1,400 Ulta Beauty stores wasn't about perfect pitches - it was about letting the product speak for itself. When meeting with Ulta's buyers, who weren't sure which category the product belonged in, Justin had one request: try it first.

"Before you even think about that, you need to use the product. Because without your endorsement and your support and trust that it actually works, the rest of your team's not going to get it," Justin recounts. A month later, every buyer had their own success story to share.

What started as a potential 100-200 store test turned into a chain-wide launch, with Magic Molecule securing prime impulse-buy placement at checkout counters across the country.

The Power of Real Stories

The company's breakthrough marketing moment came from raw authenticity. Their most successful ad featured Justin's wife simply telling her story about using the product before their wedding.

"She had a bunch of mosquito bites about 48 hours prior to the wedding... on her shoulders and arms... All she used was our solution, and by the time of the wedding, within two days later, they were completely gone," Justin shares. That honest, barely edited video helped them sell out their nine-month inventory in just one week.

Looking Ahead

Today, with 28 full-time employees and growing, Magic Molecule faces new challenges, particularly around maintaining creative consistency and team communication across multiple locations. But Justin wouldn't change the path they took, especially regarding FDA clearance.

"Doing it the right way, getting the FDA clearance, that's what sets us apart," Justin emphasizes. "I don't want the personal guilt... I'd rather do it right, take the time, spend the money, figure it out correctly, and deliver a product that's actually legit."

In a world of overhyped products and miracle cures, Magic Molecule is proving that sometimes the most unbelievable solutions are the ones that actually work - as long as you take the time to do things right.

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