Arko

Arko is a Turkish men's grooming brand built around shaving products. It began in 1957 with Arko Shaving Soap, described as Turkey's first industrial shaving-preparation product [3][5]. Sold as a cylindrical stick in red packaging, that first soap gave the brand a look it still trades on, and it remains owned by Evyap, a Turkish consumer-goods company [2].

According to Evyap, Arko is the market leader in Turkey's pre-shave category by both volume and revenue, and leads the shaving-foam segment in Russia and Ukraine, with a wider presence across the Middle East [2]. In 2025 the brand carried out a full relaunch, updating its logo and packaging and adopting the slogan "Face Your Best Self" [3].

Arko entered the market in 1957 as Evyap's move into men's grooming, starting with a shaving soap. The company's own history does not explain the origin of the name or identify the people behind the first product. The founding year belongs to the brand rather than its parent: Evyap itself dates to 1927, when Mehmet Rıfat Evyap started a small workshop in Erzurum [4]. Evyap's description of Arko as having "nearly 70 years of heritage" is consistent with the 1957 start.

The range widened steadily over several decades. Arko Shaving Cream followed in 1960, described as speeding up the lathering process, and the brand's first shaving foam appeared in 1992 [5]. An aftershave cologne arrived in 1995, a shaving gel in 2001, and an aftershave lotion in 2004. Arko began producing razor blades in 2007, extending the line from preparation products into the shave itself [5]. A logo redesign came in 2015, ahead of the broader 2025 rebrand.

Arko is one of the flagship brands in Evyap's portfolio, which also includes Duru, Arko Nem, Evy Baby, Fax and Activex [4]. Evyap manufactures across three countries — Turkey, Egypt and Malaysia, where it describes operating a very large oleochemistry facility — and positions Arko as part of its personal-care business alongside soaps, shampoos and other categories.

Arko frames grooming as a matter of effort rather than privilege. Its manifesto argues, in the company's words, that "what matters in life is not what you're born with, but what you do with what you have," a sentiment carried by the "Face Your Best Self" tagline [3]. The 2025 relaunch is presented as a renewed portfolio with modern designs and anti-irritation formulas, aimed at a comfortable, confidence-inspiring shave.

The current line spans the full shaving routine: pre-shave products, shaving soap, cream, foam and gel, aftershave cologne and cream, and razor blades. The original red shaving-soap stick remains the brand's signature item and the anchor of its identity.

In 2006 Arko, together with the Evyap brand Duru, received recognition under Turquality, a Turkish state program supporting the international branding of domestic products [4]. The brand also holds a place in Turkish popular culture: the phrase "to smell like Arko" came to signify cleanliness and good grooming, and the red soap stick became a fixture in barbershops and home bathrooms [5].

Arko is active. Its most recent visible milestone is the 2025 relaunch, and it maintains social channels on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook. The brand continues to describe itself as a leader in its home market and a competitor for leadership in several others [2].