Cheryl Capobianco
Where Fashion Meets Function… Get Fun Done in the Sun with “The Tiki Hat®”
A skin condition called melasma, is what inspired Cheryl Capobianco, and CEO of Tiki Hut Livin, to create the Tiki Hat®. The hormonal changes while pregnant, caused hyper pigmentation on her face, and sun exposure made it worse. Unfortunately the only recommendation from her doctor was to “stay out of the sun”, as it would likely get worse. With her active lifestyle and small children, that seemed like a prison sentence. “I would have been happy to simply purchase an attractive hat that would protect me from the harsh sun, but it didn’t exist. Living in South Florida, it’s impossible to avoid sun exposure”. Multiple trials and prototypes, over several years, finally yielded the unique design that integrates a convertible, interchangeable UPF 50+ scarf with magnetic attachments. This patent-pending design makes it the perfect solution for women who love being outdoors. The magnets secure the connection in high winds, so it’s perfect for cruising vacations. “I would never put my convertible top down during the day, for fear of a sunburn, but now I feel a bit like Grace Kelly while driving around town”.
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It was precarious timing that it was launched at the beginning of the corona virus pandemic. This created some business challenges, as her target markets, like the cruise lines and med spas were shut down. The silver lining in this is that the Tiki Hat® provides stylish face coverage, to comply with the widespread policies for cloth face coverings in public. Debbie Schwarzberg, Founder and President of The RDK Melanoma Foundation in West Palm Beach, is proud to be affiliated with The Tiki Hat , for its sun safe qualities. “I am delighted to endorse the Tiki Hat® for all of our members, as it addresses full coverage, including the ears, neck, shoulders and face”. “Ms. Capobianco shares our passion for education and prevention, as well as philanthropic campaigns, to provide sunscreen dispensers in local parks.” Photo, hair and makeup: Face Works International, Maria Miliotis
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