Local Inventor Develops Patented Skincare Applicator
After a bout of melanoma, Penfield resident created Solo Beauty, a product that makes skincare easier
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Necessity is the mother of invention for Penfield resident Kathe D’Alfonso, 55.
After a bout of melanoma, D’Alfonso realized she needed to up her selfcare regimen to include more sunscreen application to her skin.
But applying the product to her back wasn’t easy.
She wanted a tool that would enable her to quickly apply it.
That’s why she developed one: Solo Beauty.
It’s a wand with a flexible, mitt-covered head that angles to access hard-to-reach areas of the back. The mitt options include lotion applicator (the material resists absorbing the product), body exfoliator and
face exfoliator.
D’Alfonso had never invented a product before, which made her patent acquisition in April 2024 exceptional.
“My attorney told me that not everyone gets a patent,” she said.
Consumer response has proved positive since she launched the product.
“Customers absolutely love it,” she said. “It solves a lot of problems and has been helping people.”
She added that people with conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson’s and flexibility issues find that Solo Beauty offers more independence for using skincare products. It’s also handy for people who need to apply topical medication without exposing the skin on their hands or for people who, like D’Alfonso, need assistance to get products on their backs.

“I don’t know anyone who can reach the middle of their backs,” she quipped.
D’Alfonso spent three years developing Solo Beauty, including creating prototypes until she found one that could stand up to the rigors of machine washing. She has washed hers more than 550 times.
She tried eight prototypes until she felt satisfied with how the product looked, felt and worked.
“The biggest thing is it has the right angle,” she said. “Just hold it up and put it over your shoulder. The mitt can be washed and dried. There’s no product out there that does that. People are saving money.”
It also saves landfill space, considering similar wands with thinner handles and non-washable heads need replacing more often.
D’Alfonso began selling wands at the Webster Farm Market and she now operates a shop in Irondequoit, Solo Beauty. She also sells online at
“It’s been incredible,” she said. “Some customers use wheelchairs. They go through a lot of struggles and this helps.”
She cuts all the materials and has a local worker sew the mitts. She sources the wands from a local supplier also, ensuring that it’s all local labor. Customers can select their favorite mitt color and D’Alfonso is willing to make custom mitts, such as one customer who wanted a Holstein cow print.
“It’s been such a nice experience with everyone who’s buying it,” D’Alfonso said. “For the average person, this product solves a problem and makes your life easier. Once you use it, you’ll never stop.”
Solo Beauty retails online for $28.99. A mitt without the wand is $12.99 to $14.99.