With a focus on natural ingredients, ethical ingredients and biodiversity, these are the best female-owned skincare brands you need to look out for this year.
There used to be a time when all skincare brands cared about was providing a youthful glow for all types and tones. Today, ensuring products are made using cruelty-free ingredients that respect the environment is just as important, and it’s in large part thanks to the female innovators that are driving the industry forward. Here are five ethical, female-owned companies to support this year.
The one for plant-based makeup remover
Following her father’s philosophy of ‘If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin’, Trish Alkaitis has been proudly continuing the legacy of Dr Alkaitis Organics since her dad’s passing in 2021. Its product range, which includes the award-winning Organic Nourishing Treatment Oil, contains only certified organic, biodynamic and wild-crafted ingredients. Its all-in-one makeup remover, meanwhile, is composed of seven deeply regenerative, cold-pressed edible plant oils.
The one for repairing stressed skin
Skincare expert Annee de Mamiel launched de Mamiel with a focus on combining natural ingredients with Western science and Eastern medicine. Handcrafted in the English countryside, her naturally sourced products like First Fix Serum are composed with a number of plant actives and extracts to soothe, protect and repair stressed skin. Its latest product, Fatigue Fix Serum, aims to revitalise tired, dry skin and restore radiance, while four uniquely concocted seasonal Facial Oils are designed to add balance all year-round.
The one for renewing day and night cream
Inspired by the wellness benefits of the flora in the Austrian Alps, Susanne Kaufmann launched her eponymous beauty brand in 2003. The natural formulas in her range combine plants and botanicals that are carefully chosen for their efficacy and skin affinity. The Renewing Day & Night Creams activate the processes of tissue regeneration and support collagen and moisture production, while the Rejuvenating Day & Night Cream is designed to prevent the appearance of ageing. Sustainability is also key to the brand, with products made in a factory that runs entirely on solar, thermal and green electricity.
The one for organic lip balm
Shawnelle Prestidge is the New York-based make-up artist to the stars who launched Prestidge beauté Active Organics in 2017. Its range includes the Ageless Skin Serum, made from nutrient-rich, organic plant botanicals, while the Sacred Tonic is designed to cleanse and balance oily and blemish-prone skin. There’s also an organic lip balm made from carrot seed oil that’s been formulated to reduce wrinkles and fight against sun damage.
The one for nutrient-rich moisturiser
With just two products in its range, quality over quantity is very much the ethos of April Gargiulo’s California-based company Vintner’s Daughter. Active Treatment Essence is a deeply hydrating formula containing over 70 water-soluble nutrients, while Active Botanical Serum, formulated with 22 nutrient-rich botanicals, is designed to nourish skin and restore moisture. The brand’s slimmed-down operation ensures that fewer natural resources are needed to be extracted from the earth for production. Meanwhile, Gargiulo also donates 2% of profits for every bottle sold to charitable organisations and nonprofits around the world.
