In May 2022, Carly Guerra, a seasoned executive in the beauty industry, received a life-altering diagnosis: breast cancer. After working with renowned brands like La Mer and Dior, Guerra faced the daunting challenge of navigating her new reality. As a young woman grappling with this illness, she embarked on a search for topical products specifically designed for breast care. To her surprise, she found a glaring gap in the market. This realization set the stage for Guerra’s mission, which blossomed into the foundation of her own breast care brand, Savoir, launching next month with its flagship product, the Beauty Breast Serum priced at $111.
Guerra described the shock of her diagnosis, emphasizing her youth in confronting such a major health issue. “I had no idea what was ahead of me,” she reflected. This uncertainty compelled her to reevaluate the beauty products she had faithfully used over her 18-year career. While searching for something tailored for breast skin, she uncovered a concerning truth: although the beauty industry boasted a myriad of products for enhancement and aesthetic benefits, there were none formulated to genuinely address the health and care of breast tissue. This painful yet enlightening discovery ignited her passion for creating a solution that would focus on nurturing breast skin.
Driven by this newfound purpose, Guerra launched Savoir, which means “to know” in French. The brand embodies the ethos of education and empowerment, with its tagline, “Beauty in the Know.” Teaming up with two experienced chemists, Guerra meticulously crafted a formula meant to care for the delicate skin of the breast. This skin is not only thinner than other areas of the body but also undergoes changes in elasticity and size over a woman’s menstrual cycle. With the guidance of a board-certified dermatologist, she developed the patent-pending Beauty Breast Serum, ensuring that it addresses multiple needs for breast care including hydration and irritation relief.
At the heart of Savoir’s product is a unique blend called FloraFusion, composed of fermented botanicals like tomato seed oil, radish root, guava leaf, snow mushroom, and parsley. The inclusion of parsley holds special significance for Guerra; it pays homage to her grandmother, who also faced breast cancer at 88. Guerra recalls the lessons learned in her grandmother’s garden, where she cultivated herbs and vegetables, instilling in her a respect for the healing potential of nature. The formula not only celebrates these personal ties but is anchored in enhancing women’s health, targeting eight essential attributes for breast skin care.
While Guerra’s journey was sparked by her diagnosis, Savoir is ultimately a brand for all women. She emphasizes the importance of normalizing breast health conversations, transforming the often taboo topic from one of fear to one of empowerment. With alarming statistics indicating that one in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer—10% of whom are under 45—Guerra is committed to fostering awareness and education. To further this mission, Savoir plans to launch a robust social media campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, along with educational resources on the brand’s website, including a video demonstrating self-examination techniques.
As Savoir prepares for its direct-to-consumer launch, Guerra is strategically eyeing future retail opportunities to broaden the brand’s reach. She’s dedicated to ensuring that the Beauty Breast Serum aligns with clean beauty standards, meeting the requirements for platforms like Sephora and Credo Beauty. Furthermore, she is actively seeking capital for team expansion and product line development. With an ambitious vision in mind, Guerra plans to introduce a comprehensive breast care system, anticipating new product launches by early 2026. Through her journey from diagnosis to brand creation, Guerra embodies resilience and a commitment to nurturing women’s health and beauty.