Freshness makes Nuori skincare unique in two distinct ways: It ensures 100% efficacy, as active ingredients are not weakened by time-related breakdown. It also allows products to be extremely pure – free from synthetic additives normally used to prolong the shelf life of beauty products.
NUORI was born from the ambition to bring the ideal of freshness into skincare” Could you begin with a little bit of the brand back-story? How NUORI came to be, and what differentiates it?
The idea for my own skincare range came to me already while I was working at L’Oréal. This was over 10 years ago, and at the time we were implementing the new EU rules for labelling of cosmetics. One of the new requirements was that all cosmetic products should have a visible expiry date. But there was an exception to this rule: If a product has a minimum durability of more than 30 months (meaning 2.5 years or more), it does not need to have an expiry date. Not surprisingly, these 30 months very quickly became the minimum industry standard for shelf life.
When I became aware of this fact, I began looking for information about the effect of time on cosmetics. I was surprised to find several studies showing that commonly used active ingredients, such as vitamins, start losing their beneficial properties in just a matter of a few months after blending because of oxidation.
Another downside of long shelf lives is the use of synthetic preservatives and other additives, which are needed to preserve and stabilize the formulas over time.
I became more and more convinced that there was a need for a fresh skincare alternative on the market. And it is almost 6 years ago I finally gathered up the courage to quit my comfortable corporate job and took the frightening leap into entrepreneurship.
Our philosophy is therefore called “Fight for Fresh” and our whole concept is built around the simple fact that freshly blended skincare gives us the unique opportunity to create the purest formulas with the highest level of efficacy:
- The efficacy of any given NUORI formula is higher since active ingredients are not weakened by time-related breakdown.
- Our products can be kept truly pure and highly potent, as no synthetic preservatives or other additives are needed to artificially prolong the stability and shelf life of the products.
- And to ensure this high level of freshness, our NUORI products are blended in small batches every 10 to 12 weeks in the laboratories and promptly delivered to our retail partners around the world.
I am a big fan of your concept of moving away from the beauty standards for shelf life (30 months and over), and having a shorter shelf-life. Why do you think this is important?
When it comes to conventional skincare products with long shelf lives, there is first of all a need for high concentrations of preservatives and stabilizers that basically have no other function than to ensure formula stability over a longer period. That leaves less space for ingredients that actually are beneficial for the skin.
Active ingredients also break down over time no matter the packaging. For years, we have known that food is more nutritious when it is fresh and the same goes for skincare. A formula containing water molecules will start breaking down as soon as it is blended so you can imagine that a product that has been sitting on the shelf for 3,4 or even 10 years – which is quite normal in the beauty industry – there is basically no actives left.
I understand your manufacturing facilities uses their own water source? What other steps are you implementing towards sustainability?
We are first of all making sure to source our packaging from places close to our production facilities. We also ensure that all our packaging – bottles, tubes, boxes etc – don’t have added weight or size that will cause excess usage of resources during transportation. We are of course also transitioning into using more environmentally friendly packaging such as FSC-certified cardboard as well as both recycled plastics and bioplastics.
Our formulas are of course also important to keep in mind. When you use natural, plant-based ingredients you are not altering, destroying or polluting the environment. Unlike synthetic chemicals, these ingredients come from nature and will return to naturFinally there is increasing concern about the impact of our environment which could negatively impacts our health and is shown to accelerate the skin-ageing process. What are your ‘top tips’ for those of us who want to protect our complexions from pollutants?
First of all, never skip your skincare routine in the evening. During the day, skin is exposed to oxidative stressors and pollutants, and you should to make sure to remove these properly from the surface of your skin.
I would of course also recommend using skincare products with protective and balancing benefits.
Formulas containing plenty doses of antioxidants and fatty acids help counteract the disruptive effects of environmental stress, strengthen the skin barrier, and reduce the inflammatory responses.
And always make sure to wear high protection sunscreen during the day. Exposing skin to the damaging UV rays can cause skin-aging to an even greater extent than pollutant
Do you have a favourite ingredient and why?
I spend a lot of time researching the newest ingredient innovations, and I have quite a few favorites. But if I have to pick one right now, it would be Sytenol® A, which we have just included in our new Bio-Fusion Serum. This plant-based bakuchiol derivative is the first true natural alternative to retinol – but without any of its negative side effects. Several studies have proven this ingredient to be just as effective as retinol and in some areas even more so.
Just as with retinols, this ingredient protects against oxidative stress, inhibits pro-inflammatory enzymes and by doing so prevents breakdown of collagen and elastin proteins that can result in premature aging of skin. Unlike retinols, this ingredient can be also be used at daytime and during pregnancy since it is photochemically stable.
What is your morning routine?
I am naturally using NUORI products in my daily routine and I wouldn’t be able to live without these products!
I spend most of my time in urban environments and live a rather hectic life. After reaching 40, I am focusing a lot more on a skincare routine than can guarantee superior protection against both internal and external stress factors and at the same time make sure my skin stays hydrated and deeply nourished.
I wish I had more time in the morning, so when I wake up I only splash cold water onto my face, and then apply NUORI Vital Unifier. I then use our Vital Eye Cream and Bio-Fusion Serum and finish with Bio-Catalyst Day. After brushing my teeth, I apply loads of NUORI’s Lip Treat. I need to leave for school with my boys at 8am, so my makeup needs to be fast: some concealer, mineral powder, blush and black mascara and I am out the door. Although, on some really busy mornings, a pair of cool sunglasses allows me to go out without the makeup.
What do you feel most grateful for?
When I first started NUORI, a lot of people in the industry told me that it was a crazy idea creating a brand with such a production and distribution model. Most brands operate the exact opposite way and manufacture large batches of products that have long shelf lives. After being on the market for over 4 years, NUORI products are now available in over 25 markets across the world – and I grateful that I have been able to prove that the freshness concept is not such a crazy idea after all!
I am of course also very grateful for being surrounded by such bright and intelligent people in the NUORI team. I find constant inspiration in these talented people. And I am naturally also very thankful for having a husband who is supportive of what I am doing. He encouraged me to start the company, and today he is a great sparring partner.
