Sweden — where the Northern Lights meet Scandi minimalism — is a country driven by the beauty of simplicity. Its love of streamlined design and smart technology has given birth to some cornerstones of modern living (Ikea, Spotify, Skype), and has also translated to a beauty and skincare culture where sleek packaging and clean ingredients reign supreme. Swedish beauty brands such as Byredo and Sachajuan have done well in spreading the gospel of Scandi luxury with sharp branding and sophisticated formulas; skin experts Verso and Foreo prove that the future of beauty lies in new science; and niche labels L:A Brucket and Estelle & Thild harness the powers of natural, local ingredients to protect your skin against the harshest of environments. Ahead, we round up the best Swedish beauty and skincare brands, and the products to buy from each.
Sachajuan
Sacha Mitic and Juan Rosenlind launched Sachajuan in 1997 as a hair salon in Stockholm. They introduced their first products in 2004 as a means to simplify the complex world of haircare by breaking it down into a simple three-step routine: cleanse, condition, and add treatments if needed. With slick packaging and sophisticated scents, each Sachajuan product is founded in the label’s patented Ocean Silk technology — a cocktail of proteins and mineral extracts derived from sea algae that weightlessly boost your hair’s elasticity, moisture, and shine while protecting and strengthening it.
Byredo
Byredo was founded in 2006 by Ben Gorham as a project to explore the connection between scent and memory. Named after the phrase “by redolence,” meaning “the way something smells,” the cult fragrance label developed a strong following within the fashion world for its evocative scents and distinct visual identity: clean, monochrome labels in sleek glass bottles with glossy black caps. Today, Byredo has expanded its range of luxury products from fragrance and skincare to home, leather goods, and accessories (including eyewear).
Verso Skincare
Potent anti-aging properties in award-winning packaging. Verso skincare — named after the latin word for “reverse” — is based on the brand’s proprietary Vitamin complex, Retinol 8, which is clinically proven to be eight times more effective than traditional retinol of the same dosage. The Stockholm-based brand was launched by Lars Fredriksson in 2013 and is firmly rooted in science, creating high-quality products with a low ingredient count.
L:A Bruket
The insider’s brand-to-know, L:A Bruket is a natural and organic skincare and haircare label made on the west coast of Sweden in Varberg, where harsh coastal conditions and over 200 years of spa culture led founders Mats Johansson and Monica Kyle to develop a range of nurturing and protective formulas. Their products combine age-old sea therapy practices, such as seaweed bathing and using algae as a key active ingredient, with delicate scents that calm and soothe the sense.
Estelle & Thild
One for the clean beauty devotees, Estelle & Thild is a Stockholm-based skincare and beauty brand that uses the purest bioactive ingredients and exclusive raw materials with cutting-edge scientific research. All formulas are certified organic by Ecocert and have been clinically proven to target specific skin concerns ranging from sensitivity to ageing. The brand was launched in 2007 by Pernilla Rönnberg, who named it after her two daughters.
Foreo
Since its launch in 2013, beauty-tech brand FOREO has slowly but surely replaced every Clarisonic brush with its LUNA cleansing device, the first sonic action medical-grade silicone skincare tool of its kind. One year later came the ISSA, a silicone electric toothbrush, followed by the UFO, a smart mask device that combines optimal temperature, pulsation and LED wavelengths to activate the benefits of its single-use face masks. These brightly coloured beauty devices have since received over 100 awards and continue Sweden’s strong legacy of innovation.
Maria Åkerberg
Maria Åkerberg’s Deepskin Organics skincare line is made only with organic vegetable oils and plant-based ingredients. With over 400 products, the Swedish label believes in using several specific products to work deep within the skin together for a tailor-made routine. This means everything from olive cream cleansers to a fortifying eyebrow oil and a handful of award-winning formulas in between.
Editor
Joanna Fu
