In 2011, Hollywood makeup artists started quietly passing around products from a small London lab. While beauty brands were pushing ever more aggressive actives, this lab was quietly revolutionising what 'sensitive skincare' could mean. Makeup artists started recommending us between film sets, then actresses began asking where they could get the products that didn't inflame their skin under hot studio lights.
Saoirse Ronan was one of the early adopters, discovering Pai while filming Hanna. She wasn't interested in another luxury launch or miracle ingredient. It was something far simpler: products that actually worked without causing reactions.
The difference was simple: formulations that actually worked
Thirteen years later, that same obsessive approach to formulation has evolved into something bigger. Yes, we still have famous fans (though they tend to find us rather than the other way around). The celebrity names are nice, but they're not the point. It's why what we make actually works.
Take our approach to rebalancing skin, something Ronan's makeup artists particularly loved. Where most brands throw mattifying powders at the problem, we looked at the biology. The Anthemis, our current daily moisturiser for combination skin, uses German chamomile CO2 extract to actively reduce inflammation (the real cause of excess oil production), while lightweight plant oils maintain barrier function without heaviness.
That film set favourite status? Still there. The Anthemis absorbs in seconds, leaves no residue under makeup, and actually improves skin throughout the day rather than just sitting on top. Makeup artists love products that make their job easier. Everyone else appreciates products that actually improve skin function, not just cover problems.
From cult favourite to biotech pioneer
What started as word-of-mouth recommendations between makeup trailers has grown into something more substantial. Our CO2 extraction technology delivers rosehip oil with significantly more antioxidants than cold-pressed versions. Our Impossible Glow uses sea kelp bioferment to create luminosity without mica or synthetics.
The celebrities still come, but now they're asking different questions. Not just "will this irritate my skin?" but "how does the mushroom adaptogen technology actually work?" and "what's the clinical data on your ceramide synthesis?"
The famous fans are a nice side effect, but they're not what drives our formulations. It's having a lab full of people obsessed with making natural ingredients perform better than anyone thought possible. The celebrity endorsements are nice. The science is what matters.
Discover what skin-strengthening science can do for your complexion with our complete guide to barrier repair.
