Get luscious locks and healthy glowing skin without damaging the environment or your health? It sounds too good to be true, but Luxsit Organic Care aims to do exactly that. For this very first Behind the Brand interview we spoke to Theresia Dibinger, one of the founders of Luxsit Organic Care. She sheds some light not only on the work she does together with her partner, but also on what inspires them to push natural beauty products to the next level.

The brand was originally founded by Jenny Kärner in 2007, after she completed her Masters in Biomedicine from Sweden’s renowned Karolinska Institute. Having spent years practicing biodynamic cultivation at Stockholm’s Rosendal Gardens, she couldn’t wait to create her own products – products that could be enjoyed with a clear conscience about their environmental impact, yet also provide high-quality skin and hair care, all based on her knowledge of traditional and alternative medicine. In 2008, Theresia Dibinger joined Jenny on this journey, adding her knowledge of medicine and homeopathy to the enhancement of their concoctions.

How did it all start?

When Jenny moved back to Sweden after having spent years abroad in the UK and Italy, she was surprised at how few natural and organic products were available, especially in the beauty segment. She started to read about natural and organic raw materials and their effects compared to synthetics, and ended up experimenting, trying to create a few beauty products at home in her own kitchen. She handed them out to friends and family, they really liked them! Jenny and I met in 2007 when we were introduced to each other by a friend.

How would you describe the philosophy behind Luxsit?

Luxsit stands for high-quality, all-natural luxury that you can enjoy with a clear conscience. We combine the powerful medicines found in nature with a unique phyto-botanical technology. Our goal is to provide exceptional skincare without harming the environment.

How did you choose this name?

Luxsit means “Let there be light” in Latin – I can’t think of anything more beautiful.

What difficulties did you struggle with to launch a beauty line?

We actually didn’t launch anything at first; we spent the first two years researching and experimenting with raw materials, literarily on molecular level. During this time, we also planned the product range we wanted to offer, which involved a lot of product development and testing. By the time we finally launched Luxsit, we had a complete set of facial products targeting different skincare needs.

How do you go from creating pure products for your own use to an international, globe-spanning brand? What were the steps that allowed Luxsit to get this big?

The main focus has been to never deviate from our core values—the production of high-quality skincare products, created in a highly technical way, but at the same time completely organic and natural, without disturbing any of the Earth’s ecosystems. These products have to be able to create a noticeable improvement in the quality and appearance of the skin.
In order to make sure we were delivering on these promises, we implemented long testing periods with volunteers, and implemented regular quality control tests for all raw materials. We have also chosen to certify our product with Natrue to guarantee the quality of every step: from the production from raw materials, to the packaging, manufacturing methods, and formulas used. We have also chosen to look at the market as a global entity rather than trying to sell our products country-by-country.

Do you think organic skin care and green living in general is different in Sweden than in Germany/ Europe/ USA? Are people more conscious about their health in Sweden?

It’s difficult to say, but Sweden is a very clean country, with an abundance of forests, open fields and lakes. Not only this, but Swedes are great when it comes to handling their garbage; we clean up after ourselves after a barbecue in a public park for instance. In addition we value fitness and activities, like hiking.
The food industry also hands out reports each year, showing that Sweden’s demand for organic food is increasing every year. One of the most googled phrases in Sweden in 2014 was ‘how to make chia pudding,’ which to me is proof that Swedes are very interested in general health and wellbeing. People seem to be aware of the connection between organic food and wellbeing, but they aren’t so conscious of the connection between health and organic skincare products. We still need to educate people of the importance of using organic and natural products outside as well as inside their bodies.

Could you tell a bit more about the main ingredients in Luxsit and how you select and produce them?  

A few years ago, we received some feedback from Natrue that we really valued—they said Luxsit is lightyears ahead when it comes to the selection of ingredients. We work mainly with active ingredients from the Nordic/Swedish flora. A blueberry from a Swedish forest up north has a much higher concentration of antioxidants, tilliroside, and vitamins, than a blueberry grown further south. Because we have harsh winters and warm and very bright summers (the sun is up 24/7), the berries up north develop very high concentrations of these powerful substances to protect themselves from ultraviolet light. The same process happens in leaves, flowers, and other types of berries that grow in the north, making these ingredients excellent candidates for inclusion in our active skincare products as well.

We also select our essential oils very carefully, and never mix more than three into one product. Our emulsifiers are made of canola oil and olive oil and are provided by two different manufactures—these are the ingredients that make your skin feel great, together with carefully selected organic ingredients such as plant extracts, butters, and oils. A perfect facial cream must target your skin’s needs, last the entire day (your skin should not start to feel dry or shiny after lunch time), and provide the perfect base for make-up. You need a perfect mix of active ingredients to achieve such a result.

Theresia has a background in homeopathy and Jenny in biomedicine. Sounds like a perfect match—who does what exactly when it comes to product development?

Well, we often do things together, which leads to loads of discussion and brainstorming. Sometimes we develop different products on our own, and on other occasions we take over each other’s projects in the lab—it’s when we do this that we often get the best result.
Jenny is the one that goes through all the raw materials very thoroughly, ensuring that the molecule structure will provide the skin benefits we are aiming for. I am responsible for getting the packaging tested and for getting all labels printed after Natrue has controlled the product.
It’s also important that Jenny and I prefer different types of products and have completely different skin types, so we usually develop products that we like ourselves. We compliment each other’s work in many ways, and even though we think differently, we share the same goals.

 

[row] [column size=”1/2″][/column] [column size=”1/2″][/column] [/row]

Could you give us a glimpse behind the scenes: what does a day in the life of Jenny and Theresia at Luxsit look like? Do you still work in your lab and get your hands dirty from time to time?

We love to get our hands dirty, so yes and yes!
We are in the process of product development even as we speak, so we are spend as much time in the lab as we can. I’m also in charge of business development, the purchasing of raw materials, packaging, and logistics. Jenny is in charge of production, product development, laws and regulations, writing texts for packaging, and the web page and such. We have a great staff and everyone is super involved.
The typical route to a product starts with handing recipes to Sanna, our production manager, several times a week. Then we have follow-up meetings, test groups, and loads of discussions about the results. We both jump in on the production process when someone gets ill or, basically, whenever we sense it is needed.

How do you manage your work-life-balance? After all, being women with careers, owning a company and having a family can be challenging to manage.

We are lucky to have great family support! Our children spend a lot of hours on the premises. They are incredibly supportive and they actually help out in the warehouse and production when it’s needed. Of course, they get a bit annoyed sometimes, especially during those periods when working continues into the late hours and we have to spend our weekends glued to the phone. We try to tell each other at the end of the week that we’ll definitely have a real weekend this time, that we won’t call each other unless it’s very urgent. After all, it is important to do nothing and recharge from time to time.

My daughter Hedda, who lives in Berlin, is an excellent photographer and works for us at events like fashion week. She also maintains our Instagram account. My sister Saga-Mariah Sandberg is our art director and manages all our design work.

Living 20 minutes outside of Stockholm, Jenny and I both are able to have big gardens, so that helps with to recharging and relaxing. Gardening and growing edible and healthy things like zucchini, cucumbers, kale and lots of other things is a passion for both of us. Whenever we manage to actually have free time during the weekends, you can usually find us in our gardens.

What is the best advice you can offer anyone looking to transition from conventional cosmetics to natural products?

Looking up the Inci list (ingredient list) online, educating yourself about what exactly is in your products. After that, it’s easy! An extra tip for people with sensitive skin or oily skin that has a tendency to break out, is to remember that it can sometimes take a while to get the skin balanced out again. Give your skin a few weeks to adjust to natural and organic products, and you will never go back!

What’s next? Any goals, aspirations, or new products in the pipeline for 2015 and 2016?

Absolutely! We are launching some fab new products in Q3: A fruit enzyme-based mask that cleanses pores, boosts collagen production, and reduces acne scars.
Another one is a Radiance serum, which has shown amazing results on pigment spots. At the moment we are also negotiating for distribution in other countries, and of course we have a lot of ideas about new collaborations.

Could you describe your own daily beauty routine?

I start with a big glass of lemon water with a teaspoon of turmeric mixed with a hint of organic honey from the bees from my own garden. After the shower I use the Balance Body Lotion for the body, the Luxsit Hydrating Facial Mist, followed by the Luxsit Regenerating Serum, and finish my skin care routine with the Luxsit BB Cream Fair Opal. I usually only wear mascara and lip gloss, keeping my makeup basic.
Jenny starts the day with some easy yoga to wake up the body and a glass of water. After a splash of water to the face, she uses the Luxsit Calming Facial Cream, followed by Luxsit BB Cream Fair Opal, some organic Mascara and a bit of eyeliner. Before going to bed, she cleanses her face with the Luxsit Remineralizing Facial Wash and applies Luxsit Age Defy Eye Cream and Luxsit Calming Facial Cream to help her skin regenerate during the night.

Best beauty DIY-tip or beauty must-have for readers?

There are so many. Number one is definitely to drink more water. A great trick for keeping a healthy glow throughout the day is also to fix your make-up with our Luxsit Hydrating Facial Mist. Another tip is to change your facial creams, masks, and serums between winter and summer time, as your skin has different needs during each season. When you live in the northern hemisphere, there is a huge seasonal variance in temperature and humidity, so your skin needs a lot more protection during the cold season. And last but not least: always wear organic/natural sun protection during spring and summer to protect your skin as much as you can.

Find out more about Luxist products in the Amazingy webshop!

 

Raffle!

Feel like giving the Luxsit products a try yourself? You’re in luck!
We are giving away three Luxsit skincare sets, each set containing the following three products:

• Balance T-Zone Facial Care, 50ml (store value € 49)
• Enlight anti-blemish gel, 30ml (store value € 26)
• Hydrating Facial Mist, 150ml (store value € 34)

If you’d like the chance to get your hands on one of these sets, simply leave a comment below this post, and like and share it through our Amazingy Facebook Page.
Please use a valid email address in the comment form so we can reach you at the end of the contest in case you win!

Good luck!

[box title=Terms-Conditions] [spoiler title=”Raffle: Luxsit Behind the brand“] Everybody over the age of 18 can enter one time. The winner will be notified per email. Exchanging for cash is not allowed. We will not use your info for anything else than this post. Employees of Amazingy can not enter the raffle. Closing date is 12.07.2015 at 23:59h. Good luck! [/spoiler] [/box]

 

 

Pin this article, share it on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!