bareLUXE's Journey From a Mother's Love to a Sustainable Brand

Have you ever seen a baby in pain with red flaring and itchy skin caused by eczema? It's a heartbreaking sight that left Dr. Heather Smith, a mother, partner, and experienced ICU doctor, feeling powerless. She knew all too well the pain her baby was going through and was determined to find a solution. That's how bareLUXE was founded. A clean beauty brand that claims to use natural and least processed ingredients in its products.

The bareLUXE team believes in the performance of their plant-based skincare products and even chose to participate in the 8th Clean Beauty Awards. This brand also promises to leverage the conscious consumers' demand for more sustainable packaging options and has just launched its first product packaged in Sulapac material, a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic.

What started as a hobby turned into a full-fledged business. Keep reading to discover this brand's unique founding story at the height of the pandemic and what sets them apart.

Can you tell us about the history and founding story of your clean beauty brand?

6 years ago, I was standing over a hysterical baby with eczema and covering him in petroleum jelly. We were all crying. I'm a physician and I logically know I wasn't harming him, but my mom-brain wanted better. I got pretty obsessed with reading labels and couldn't find anything I liked. Plus I had some serious breastfeeding injury and I think the nipple ointment I was using was sensitizing and worsening both his rash and my non-healing wounds. I started making my own remedies and everything got so much better.

When COVID hit, I expanded many of my own products in a quest to deal with maskne. I also needed to sink myself into something that was joyful as a method of coping with the burnout and stress of being an ICU physician during the pandemic. I didn't initially intend to become an entrepreneur, but my friends and family were in love with my products and I was so energized by everything I was doing, that I knew it had to become more than just a hobby.

What problem or need did your brand see in the beauty industry that inspired you to create a solution?

I was appalled at the amount of plastic I was generating and knew that I would never take another step towards starting a business unless I could find something better. I started to research and learn about all the novel materials and replacements for traditional plastics that were being developed. That's when I knew I could potentially make a difference.

What sets your brand apart from other clean beauty brands in the market?

bareLUXE specializes in oil serums. I developed an entire line of simple face oils (for each skin type), but I really started to question whether they were effective or different enough from one another to be distinguishing. When I started to add oil-soluble active ingredients and active botanicals, the results really began to shine and each product began to truly meet the needs of different skin types. I think our commitment to integrating novel materials in our packaging sets us apart. We do struggle a bit right now because we are still in an early-business stage and can't always meet the minimum quantities needed to use certain products, but I'm very determined.

What is one of your hero products? And why is this a product worth boasting about?

Our hero product is the Bakuchiol Age Support Elevated Face Oil and our customers can't get enough of it. It's the perfect mix of moisture without greasiness and the active botanicals really get the job done. We've also just launched our refill packet program as well as our first product packaged in Sulapac material (a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic). Sulapac is industrially compostable which is a problem in North America because we're so far behind Europe. However, it's also been tested in the open (marine and landfill) environment and will biodegrade without leaving any permanent microplastics behind.

What is your brand's long-term vision for the future, and how do you see it evolving in the coming years?

I still have several more oil serums and treatment balms to release in stages over the next few years. They're pretty exciting and I'm working to organize clinical testing (not just in-use surveys), which is sorely lacking in the natural skincare world. On the technology side of things, advocacy and activism are needed to push for novel materials integration and to push for better end-of-life-cycle options. The bigger we grow, the more of a voice we can have and the more R&D and partnerships we can develop. bareLUXE will hold true to our core values and as we grow, we intend to become a changemaker within the industry.

Incorporating salad-inspired ingredients to clean beauty products may sound strange, but BYROE New York has found a way to make it work. This brand aims to take a holistic approach to skincare and promotes a healthy and nutritious diet for your skin, just like you would for your body.


 

This brand is driven by clean, vegan, and antioxidant-rich superfoods and claims to work wonders for your skin, and its commitment to quality and efficacy is further validated by its participation in the Clean Beauty Awards, where it will be evaluated based on its products' performance.

Don't miss out on learning more about this brand by following them on their socials. And, if you're new to the clean beauty world or looking to try something new, check out our article on 42 Clean Beauty Brands in the USA You Should Try. This article will help you discover new products and the most coveted clean beauty brands in the USA that may align with your values and skincare needs.