What is the essence of RAAW By Trice?
Clean and sustainable beauty with a twist of luxury.
How has RAAW By Trice philosophy & vision changed over time? In what ways has the brand grown?
I started RAAW in my New York kitchen – it began as a hobby and for a long time, I made every single product by hand. It was very hard to find a manufacturer who could produce my formulas… they all said that it was “too organic” – meaning that it would cost too much to produce. I interviewed 42 factories before I found the right one.
The philosophy remains the same, but the vision has changed over the years as the brand organically grew. I went from doing everything by myself and now I work with a manufacturer and I’ve got a small power team who is helping me take my visions to the next level. I feel very lucky that RAAW By Trice has evolved so much over the years.
You recently moved production from the U.S. to Europe, can you tell us more about that?
I have lived in New York and Los Angeles for many years, but now as I am back in Denmark, it made more sense to have the production close by. We are focusing on the European market, so moving the production to Denmark definitely optimized the shipping distance as well to make it more sustainable.
Your new body oil “The Velvet Cocoon” is already a bestseller. What is the secret?
I am so happy to hear that 🙂 I would guess it’s the addicting scent… and how quickly it absorbs and makes your skin soft. It’s not a greasy oil and I love that in a body oil.
Which RAAW By Trice product would you consider your “holy grail”?
Blue Beauty Drops. It is such an all-round product and can be applied on every skin type. It is fantastic for oily and acne-prone skin but also amazing for moisture, balancing and to calm down inflamed and irritated skin. All of my products are for all genders, but I have to say that this one especially is great – men tend to love this oil as well, as it absorbs quickly and calms down skin after shaving. This is the product I cannot live without.
Where might you pull inspiration from when coming up with new ideas?
I create a product after specific needs. When I come up with an idea, I ask my friends and family about it and they usually test my creations and then I adjust from their feedback. Ingredient inspiration I get from nature – I am very into the power of nature and I keep finding new, exciting ingredients in herbs, exotic plants and flowers.
Do you have a rule of thumb when it comes to picking the right skincare product?
Less is more. Some of the most powerful products have a short ingredient list.
In what ways does sustainability play a role in your overall process?
We are using glass packaging and recycled plastic, we source our packaging and most of our ingredients locally. One can always be more sustainable, but it is something I try to improve all the time.
What lies in RAAW By Trice’s near future?
A new perfume is launching, which I am very excited about. I have been working on this scent for more than two years and it’s finally ready! It’s a very elegant and mysterious fragrance called ROOM 64.
Any final words for our Amazingy readers?
I am incredibly proud of my family of beauty products – every one of them are made from my heart with responsibility and transparency. To be part of the growing clean skin movement and get a chance to be found back home on your bathroom shelves – makes me very grateful.
Tags: Behind the Brand, Interview, Perfume, Skin Care
J. R. Thesis Smith is a mixed-race millenial in the dawn of their 30s & a wordsmith of sorts. They've spent most of their waking life in the U.S. – in the urban sprawl of NYC that is New Jersey, in the depths of its suburban echoes – but always dreamed of making their way across a bigger pond, to a place where opportunity would knock a little more often. After completing their training at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts (effectively spending three poor years in NYC) as a dance major, they gifted themselves a semester of studying abroad in Berlin, and in doing so kept a vow made in early adolescence – thereby inciting a metamorphosis of promise into full-bodied intention: to eventually fully emigrate to Berlin, the first space that had ever allowed them the freedom to find their own breath, their pace of existence. Now that they finally live there, they're learning how to breathe again – striving to become a more active member of the Undercommons as they continue on the odyssey that is their self-realization as an artistic being. Their most resonant hope is that they will be able to say what is true & necessary & kind; that people will find the time to listen, to themselves and each other; and that their voice will inspire other voices to speak out in turn.
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