We recently connected with Christina Kuklinski and have shared our conversation below.
Christina, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I must have been dreaming. I’m in the waters of the Galapagos. I’m surrounded by hundreds of hammer head sharks. Everywhere I look another emerges from the deep blue – I look to my left and one swims so close that if I stick my hand out I swear I’ll touch it. To my right is my dive buddy and new friend, Justin, equally as stoked as I am. A kook is one whose ideas or actions are eccentric, fantastic, or insane. We make eye contact and give each other the double ok – if this doesn’t embody that, I don’t know what does.
I’ve been a water person my whole life— jumping in fearlessly for my mommy and me swim lessons as a baby to doing open water triathlons as a teen. I feel most free and at peace when I’m in, on, or near the ocean. At 17, I learned to scuba dive with my dad and I was hooked. Diving gave me a whole new world to explore and way connect with the ocean.
Later in my 20s, when I was living on boats and diving up to three times a day, my hair took a major hit from constant saltwater exposure. It was impossible to shower and treat it properly between dives and I wasn’t finding anything reef-safe, water resistant, and UV absorbent on the market that I actually enjoyed using.
In 2023, while diving in Palau, I shared my frustrations with Justin. We realized we could take matters into our own hands to make the products we wanted and needed. I decided to call our brand KOOK, it felt like the perfect way to honor my love of the water and the bold choice to start a company of my own.
Someday, I hope to open a full dive-and-surf shop, using KOOK as the launchpad. My ultimate vision? Growing older without giving up the adventures I love, staying strong, healthy, and maintaining that confidence and self-expression that come from not just looking good, but knowing I’m doing right by the reefs and wildlife that fuel my passion.
In the end, my purpose found me through the very waters I’d always loved. Diving isn’t just a sport—it’s a lifestyle and a community that brings me joy when I need it most. Now, I get to create products that help others enjoy the ocean without sacrificing their hair, skin, or the reefs themselves. It’s this fusion of passion and practicality that drives me every day.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Founded by two scuba divers with a combined 30 years experience (and the hair damage to prove it!), KOOK exists to give surfers, divers, and all ocean adventurers the best of both worlds: high-performance, long-lasting protection paired with eco-conscious formulations that don’t compromise the reefs. What’s special is that each product is tested not just in a lab, but out in the water – where our customers spend their time. We source carefully vetted ingredients that lock in moisture and defend hair and skin from the sun and salt, but we also ensure they’re vegan, reef-safe, and cruelty-free. The dual-action benefits of being good for you and good for the ocean are always our north star.
The most exciting development right now is the launch of our very first product: a pre-swim hair mask that offers up to eight hours of saltwater protection. It’s water-resistant, UV-absorbent, and specifically formulated to prevent dryness and breakage even after multiple surf sessions or dives. It’s made with coconut oil, aloe vera, bentonite clay, carnauba wax, and shea butter – all natural ingredients that nourish and hydrate hair while providing a protective barrier between the strand and the saltwater. It’s been exciting to get feedback from fellow divers and surfers saying how “it feels awesome in my hair” and “post dive, my hair didn’t have the normal dry brittle feeling.”
Beyond our products, we also see KOOK as a community. Diving brings together a community of like-minded people rooted in our connection to the ocean and desire to protect the reefs we cherish exploring. It’s this group of good people, getting out in the water together that really makes the sport. It literally has a built in buddy system which is how I met my co-founder, Justin.
We plan to honor this by hosting beach cleanups, supporting educational programs on reef conservation, and partnering with ocean advocacy groups in the months ahead. The big picture is about more than just selling products; it’s about safeguarding the places we love and inspiring others to do the same.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1) Build Authentic Connections: Forming genuine relationships with surfers, divers, labs, and sustainability advocates became our superpower. These connections foster trust, provide valuable feedback, and organically spread the word about KOOK.
Advice: Engage with your community—both online and offline. Be transparent about your journey, your wins, and even your missteps. Real connection fuels loyalty and drives improvement in your product and mission.
2) Stay Agile: Formulating KOOK’s products required a lot of trial and error. Some eco-friendly ingredients just couldn’t handle repeated saltwater exposure. We had to pivot fast, sourcing alternatives and tweaking formulas without giving up our values.
Advice: Embrace mistakes as part of the process. If one route fails, see it as a clue guiding you toward a better solution. Agility also extends to business operations—markets shift, regulations evolve, and staying flexible keeps you ahead.
3) Be Curious: This led me to deep-dive product development, sustainable chemistry, and the specific needs of surfers and divers. Knowing how certain ingredients interact and benefit both the user and the environment – works specifically ocean ecosystems—helped me formulate truly reef-safe solutions.
Advice: Stay hungry for knowledge. Talk to experts, read scientific journals, attend workshops, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about anything and everything related to product and business development. The more you learn, the more confident you’ll be in creating something meaningful.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Absolutely. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in teaming up with people and organizations that share our devotion to the ocean and the environment. Specifically, we’d love to partner with:
Surf & Dive Communities: Local surf shops, dive centers, or instructors who want to introduce reef-safe, high-performance products to their customers and students.
Ocean Conservation Groups: Nonprofits or researchers focused on coral reef preservation or marine life protection—so we can support cleanups, fundraising, or educational events.
Influencers & Athletes: Surfers, divers, swimmers, wind surfers, paddle-boarders, and other ocean adventurers who live the lifestyle and can authentically share how KOOK helps them.
Eco-Conscious Brands: We’re open to collaborative campaigns, product bundles, or pop-ups with other companies that maintain high ethical and sustainability standards.
If anyone reading this is interested, they can reach out to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram @got.kook. We’d love to connect, brainstorm, and figure out how we can uplift each other’s missions while making a lasting impact on our oceans.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gotkook.com
- Instagram: @got.kook
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/got.kook
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gotkook/
Image Credits
David Saxum
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