Inspired by childhood summers spent in rural Galicia, with its rich variety of flowers, plants and herbs, our founder Alex quickly embraced and explored the natural health benefits of botanicals and their impact in skincare and aromatherapy. Her insatiable curiosity led to a deep understanding she was keen to share. And so, 15 years ago, the unique blend for our Balancing Face Oil was born – a true botanical force of nature. A seed was planted, and now all-natural skincare has a new name; Alex Carro, a tribute to her Galician grandmother, Jacinta Carro.
Alex Carro select the most effective, luxurious, natural ingredients and combine them in innovative, intelligent formulations for maximum impact on skin with no waste, and no fuss. Healthier, smoother, better-looking skin has never been simpler. A five-piece skin essentials collection using distinctive, carefully selected natural botanicals gives you everything you need for sensuous, sustainable, next-level skincare.
“We believe that having healthy, radiant, balanced skin should be simple, sustainable and natural”
1. What does skincare and wellbeing mean to you?
It means health, it means making time for yourself, even just a few minutes, it is the intention and realisation of self-care – every day. Guilt-free, pleasurable positive moments, just for you.
2. What is your daily self-care routine?
I have a family and a business, and my routine reflects that. I have a very quick and effective morning routine, and a long, sensorial, relaxing evening routine.
In the morning I mix Exfoliating Powder and Face Cleanser and leave it on for a couple of minutes before I hop in the shower. If I have more time I’ll use the Detox Superfood Mask instead of the cleanser and leave it for five minutes, as a treat. It leaves your skin really fresh and clean. A couple of drops of my Illuminating Matrix Liquid and some Face Cream and I am ready to go.
The evening is all about unwinding and relaxing. I love cleansing my skin, I use the Facial Cleanser and really work into my skin, the gel to oil texture is fantastic. I use a warm muslin to remove. I like to do a more complete active exfoliation a few times a week, my favourite is using the Exfoliating Powder and Balancing Face Oil together; my skin feels so much smoother and softer immediately. In the evening I spend time massaging the Balancing Face Oil into my face and neck, it eases the tensions of the day and the blend of aromatherapy oils work to soothe and calm my thoughts ready for a restful night’s sleep – the most restorative ritual I know!
3. You have a range of beautifully designed skincare products. What do you look for in these products that fits with your values?
Thank you! In a nutshell: Innovative, intelligent formulations using only natural ingredients that do stuff. Maximum impact on skin; no waste; no fuss.
Our genderless range is conceived with a modern approach to how we use skincare, and the concept of mixability reflects how we all use products in the real world, according to our own needs and preferences.
Most brands want you to fill your bathroom with products with a specific purpose. We give you total transparency about what you’re using and how to use it; mixing really smart products can give you so much more. It’s better for the environment, more sustainable and ultimately better value. This is what I do, and I encourage others to learn and do it themselves.
4. What do the following terms mean for you?
- Clean
- Organic
- Natural
- Sustainable
- Ethical
For me it’s about transparency and sustainability. That means I know everything that’s in it. It means it’s all-natural, and it’s responsibly sourced. The clean beauty movement is forward-looking. Now more than ever we should all be thinking about changing our habits to move forward together in a better way. Beauty and skincare are a part of that. Buy less, buy better and buy smart is the message.
5. What is the story behind the launch of your own natural and sustainable skin care brand?
I’m half French and half Spanish, but I grew up in London. I worked for a long time in museum and exhibition design, and at heart I’m a nerd. I think obsessively sourcing and archiving things ties into how I approached an aromatherapy course I did; I ended up researching and cataloguing essential oils at home.
I had always wanted to come and live in Spain – I spent my childhood summers in Galicia – and when I moved my family over to Barcelona it was an opportunity to start something. I had been making my own skincare for years, but I turned a hobby into a brand, and now I have an amazing team and we are growing in exactly the way we want to.
6. Any projects or launches planned for 2021?
Rather than just keep adding products, I start from a personal point of what do we need and want to use? What do we all need to make our skin healthier and looking its best? What we all want to achieve for our skin in terms of health and appearance informs our new products, along with how they fit with the rest of the ‘family’. We need a routine – essentials that protect, repair, maintain and enhance – so we started with that.
We are a truly small-batch local skincare brand and proud of it. It takes time to build relationships with suppliers to ensure there is that commitment to quality. Everything happens in and around Barcelona – our studio, our lab, our creative team – and we all work together to ensure anything that comes out is imagined, developed, manufactured, and branded according to our standards.
At the moment we are developing a light weight SPF, very excited about the formula!
7. What do you feel more grateful for?
My health, my loved ones, that I am privileged enough to be living the life I am. That I continue to surprise myself. THANK YOU!
