A Little Bit of Chemistry, A Lot of Dog Hair and Two Little Humans: The Story Behind Serotoninkc

Some businesses start with a big business plan. Others start with a problem that needs solving.

Serotoninkc started with a little bit of chemistry, two boxer dogs and a desire to make something better for the dogs we loved.

I’m Roxxie, the founder and formulator behind Serotoninkc, and while the business has grown considerably since those early days, the reason we started hasn’t really changed.

We wanted to make better products for dogs.

 

It all started with Karl

I’ve always loved science and chemistry. At University I studied Chemistry (with honours) and have worked in product development, formulation and technical compliance since 2007.

Before Serotoninkc, my work included developing household products and ultra gentle skincare products for babies.

So when our boxer Karl started experiencing dry, itchy skin, I naturally started looking at the products we were using.

Our vet recommended a well-known medicated shampoo, but unfortunately, it left his skin feeling even drier.

I started wondering whether I could formulate something gentler.

Drawing on my experience developing baby skincare, I began experimenting with organic aloe vera and gentle plant-based surfactants.

The idea was simple: create a shampoo that would cleanse effectively without being unnecessarily harsh on his skin.

And so, the first Serotoninkc formula was born.

 

Then Charlie came along

When Charlie joined our family, she brought a few additional challenges of her own.

She suffered from significant seasonal allergies, including grass allergies that left her uncomfortable after walks. She would lick her paws at night, and she also experienced seasonal alopecia.

We started using our own formulations with her, and we were delighted with the results.

Her nighttime licking improved, and we saw a positive difference in her seasonal coat issues too.

It reinforced something I was already beginning to realise: dogs have different needs, and the products we use should reflect that.

 

From one boxer formula to something much bigger

Our first product range was designed for boxers.

I was happy with the formulation, but then a friend tried it on their Poodle.

It wasn’t quite right.

Rather than deciding that one shampoo should work for every dog, my curiosity got the better of me.

What would happen if I changed the formulation to better suit a Poodle’s coat?

I started experimenting with different ingredients, surfactant combinations and formulation ratios.

That was really the beginning of our breed specific philosophy.

As more friends and customers started asking for products suited to their own dogs, the range continued to grow.

Each breed brought a new set of considerations, and I loved the challenge of developing something specifically for those requirements.

Today, we have more than 27 breed specific ranges, each developed with its own formulation considerations.

 

A business, two babies and a very long website launch!

The official Serotoninkc journey began in January 2020, when I started refining and expanding the original formulas.

Our daughter was born in mid 2020, and we finally launched our website in March 2021.

I can still remember how long that period felt!

There was formulation development, testing, product preparation, branding, website work and all the other little things involved in starting a business.

All while preparing for a new baby.

Looking back, I think I underestimated just how much work would be involved. Not just in that moment, but across the years. 

Years later, we have two little ones and have learnt a lot along the way!

Heck, for two young ones, they know a remarkable amount of dog breeds for their age! Learnt mostly from the beautiful dog pictures emailed in. 

We’re still excited every time we launch a new product, and I find it absolutely wonderful to see other dog owners discovering the products.

 

We’re still learning, experimenting and developing

One thing I never want to lose is the curiosity that started this business.

I’m still the person developing our formulations. I’m still looking at ingredients, testing ideas, refining products and thinking about how we can make things better.

We’ve expanded into conditioners, sprays, balms and our professional Groomers Collection, but the same approach applies to everything we make.

We don’t simply create a product because there’s a gap in the market. We want to understand the problem, consider the formulation requirements and develop something with a genuine purpose.

 

A family business with a big appreciation for its customers

One of my favourite parts of running Serotoninkc is hearing from our customers.

We love hearing about your dogs, seeing their before-and-after photos and finding out how you’ve been getting on with your products.

Some customers have been with us since the beginning. Others have only just discovered us.

Every message, review, photo and recommendation means a lot.

We’re a family business, and we genuinely love connecting with the people who use our products.

Our customers have also helped shape the business. Your questions, feedback and suggestions have inspired new products, new breed ranges and improvements along the way.

 

What’s next for Serotoninkc?

We’re still a family business, still formulating our own products and still learning as we go.

There are always new ideas to explore, new things to improve and more dogs we’d love to help.

But our original philosophy remains the same.

Dogs aren’t all the same, so why should their shampoo be?

Thank you for being part of our journey, whether you’ve been here for years or have only just found us.

And if you ever want to tell us about your dog, ask a question or simply share a photo, we’d absolutely love to hear from you.

After all, dogs are where this whole adventure started.

Roxxie
Founder and Formulator, Serotoninkc