the unwash review
This is a brand that is hard to miss even if you’re aimlessly scrolling. Their packaging and unique design stand out from the crowd, sure to stop anyone in their tracks. Herbar came on the scene in 2023 and has been an industry disruptor ever since. The brand has cultivated a line of fungi and adaptogenic skincare formulations that promote beauty inside and out. Much of the brand’s ethos is rooted in Eastern medicine and the power of fungi, particularly on the skin. The adaptogenic craze in the wellness industry has been around for a few years but has been explored less within skin care. The founders of Herbar Catarina Oliveira and Rui Liu knew the usefulness of fungi when ingested and founded Herbar to spotlight the topical benefits.
The Berlin-based company started as a two-year experimentation process to explore the possibility of adaptogenic skincare. Oliveria, a former marathon runner, felt the toll the sport was taking on her body and turned to mushrooms and traditional Chinese medicine to restore her health. After spontaneously meeting Liu at a coffee shop the two quickly bonded over their shared interests in wellness which led to the creation of Herbar. The two worked to create a product line that not only was beneficial for the skin but promoted total wellness through Eastern practices. Their formulations are completely plant-based and use ingredients such as reishi, snow fungus, rose hip, and hempseed.
“We don’t call ourselves a sustainable brand because making new things is not sustainable, but I think we still have an obligation and a duty to be aware of our environmental footprint and try being mindful.” – Catarina Oliveira, Herbar Co-Founder
Herbar is committed to producing its products in small batches and using sustainable materials that can be recycled, reused, or repurposed. The brand’s core products are packaged in glass, ceramic, and aluminum with little plastic usage. The products’ artful and unique packaging makes for an eye-catching display on your vanity, without compromising on sustainability. Herbar is also part of the Fungi Foundation which promotes the growth and conservation of fungi. The foundation also researches their ability to break down organic matter for sustainability advances.
Adaptogenics are nothing new but the founders of Herbar aimed to explore new ways to benefit from these ingredients. The brand gives an alternative to traditional skincare that has been on the market for years by creating innovative uses of ingredients that people already know and love. Fun and exciting skincare doesn’t have to come at a large environmental cost or from a big box company. Small, indie brands like Herbar are consistently reshaping the beauty landscape for more mindful practices. We especially appreciate that Herbar acknowledges that the creation of any new product isn’t particularly sustainable, thus they are committed to sustainability education and transparency for consumers. Herbar brings a new take on a tried and true practice to the beauty industry to draw attention to not just skin health but wellness as a whole.
01
Lesse
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