Here are some of the Polish brands that are taking the beauty market and social media by storm. It is a good idea to learn more about them, for they stand out against others, especially when it comes to the formulas of their products – rich in high-quality ingredients – and the interesting designs of their packaging.
The Polish skincare market is enjoying a breath of fresh air. Products come in innovative and original packaging, no longer imitating foreign ideas, and they have attractive names and good ingredients. Relying on local producers, they source their ingredients from plants that are native to Poland, so they go for raspberry seed oil rather than steppe shrubs from New Zealand or Martian rocks.
The brands are also active on social media. Makers stay in touch with customers and consult them about their needs, drawing product feedback from Instagram and Facebook comments. They are not afraid of criticism and do not pretend not to notice the remarks from their customers. On the contrary, they are open to cooperation and have nothing to hide. Let us introduce them!
Alkemie. Natural ingredients in professional concentrations.
The brand's characteristic logo features a dragonfly, which is a symbol of immortality, revival, beauty and happiness. Alkemie's graphic side is created by Khristin Slyvka and the packaging prints have been handmade by the tattoo artist nicknamed Gruba Baba (Fat Woman). But Alkemie’s hallmark is not only pretty packaging, it is also skin care.
“We were the first natural brand to take raw materials known from epigenetics, neurocosmetics and biomimetics, substances that are deeply effective and influence biochemical skin processes, and use them in skincare products. Alkemie guarantees products with highly concentrated active ingredients which have so far been reserved for the professional market. In 2017, at In-Cosmetics London, our brand was presented as a model example of using pre- and probiotics in sensitive skin therapy,” says Justyna Żukowska-Bodnar, the company's co-founder and business development director.
Alkemie combines alchemy, which means natural ingredients, with modern technology. The brand's founders have been working for leading Polish companies in the cosmetic business for the last 15 years. And that is something you notice immediately! The aromatherapeutic scents of their creams, oils and serums go hand in hand with a rich consistency.
“Using skin lifting ingredients is not enough to remove wrinkles. You need to stimulate the skin’s regeneration processes, increase its water reserves and rebuild its damaged structures. Alkemie products have a long-lasting and not just a superficial effect,” concludes Justyna Żukowska-Bodnar. You will usually need to wait several months for such results, but you can feel a noticeable difference even after the first application of Alkemie products. Your skin feels soft, ultra-moisturised and is visibly nourished.
Hagi. The four elements
Hagi Cosmetics is a natural skincare company that takes its brand name from the first names of its founders (Hanna and her daughters Agata and Gabriela). Hanna, who is a chemist by profession, had dreamed of creating her own brand for 20 years, but her friends in the business had successfully discouraged her. She decided to take the risk in spite of them. She had passed on her passion to her daughters, and that is how Hagi was established. The brand’s graphic design is the work of Diana Gawronkiewicz and the Podpunkt Studio. Hagi packaging received an award at the Łódź Design Festival last year.
How are Hagi products created? “We begin by setting the goal: Is the product supposed to moisturise the skin or relax the body? Then we select the raw materials. We try to use as many Polish ingredients as possible. Our collaboration with local presses, allows us access to freshly extracted oils from Polish raspberries, strawberries, apricots, plums, sea buckthorn, rosehip, wheat germs, evening primrose, borage, linseed, camelina, hemp, sunflower and rapeseed. All of our products are good for your skin and a sensorial delight. We have a weakness for beautiful fragrances,” say Hanna and Gabriela Kurcińska.
Hagi products are handcrafted with traditional methods, and at the same time, they meet the standards defined by the certification institutes that test natural and organic cosmetics. They are divided into elements: the Water line (Woda) is for children and pregnant women. The Air (Powietrze) has been created for those suffering from allergies or atopy. The Fire (Ogień) is dedicated to energetic and active people, whereas the Earth (Ziemia) encompasses herbal and aromatherapeutic products for mature skin. Their cornflower bath powder is one of the most pleasure-inducing beauty products in the world – and one proving that ‘Hagi’ is the Polish ‘hygge’.
IOSSI. Naturally gentle
Graphic artist Joanna Hołuj moved to the countryside for several years after giving birth to her daughter. Fascinated by nature and organic food, she decided to create skincare products with organic and natural ingredients – for children and adults alike.
“IOSSI's story began with my love for my first homemade soap. I experienced a sense of elation upon observing oil turn into a substance that produced foam and had cleansing properties. I have been nurturing my passion ever since, never ceasing to experiment. I had previously worked as a graphic designer for 20 years, so I created the packaging design and the logo myself. Everything is minimalist,” says IOSSI's founder, Joanna Hołuj.
IOSSI body butter for baby skin is among the best on the market. It has moisturising and emollient properties as well as a beautiful scent. The company’s oils for specific skin problems are great, too. Often, it is customers themselves who come forward with product ideas. To give an example, there were so many inquiries about a foaming face wash that the brand decided to include one in the range of products.
“I am currently fascinated by plant fermentation, so I want to launch a foam of fermented rice and coconut. I didn't expect that knowing about acids contained in oils would become my obsession. I create each product as if I was doing it for myself. I send them all to external labs where they undergo challenge, dermatological and application tests. Beautiful scents and highly concentrated active ingredients are IOSSI's signature,” adds Joanna Hołuj. This is indeed hard to deny! It is a delight to use IOSSI products and their fragrances are exceptional.
Ministerstwo Dobrego Mydła (Ministry of Good Soap). Sisters and Monty Python
The brand started by producing rosemary, coal or rice soaps, wrapped plainly, with a pressed logo. Today, the Ministerstwo Dobrego Mydła also offers excellent balm sticks, oils, body butters and peelings created by two sisters. Aesthetic and minimalist, manually wrapped in kraft paper and signed by the person who packed them, – the products are unique.
“My sister Anna has been blending clays, oils and soaps for years. When she drew up a business plan for the brand, won a competition and was granted EU subsidies, within 5 minutes, I gave up my architecture studies to start working hand in hand with her. The first moments in our company resembled Monty Python's Ministry of Silly Walks, which inspired the brand name Ministry of Good Soap,” says Urszula Bieluń.
The logotype and the packaging (which combine seaside landscape with lab aesthetics) were designed by Paris+Hendzel Studio. The sisters think about their products day and night, and, as they themselves confess, they do so obsessively. Sometimes it is a specific plant that fires their enthusiasm, and at times customers themselves express their needs.
“We test each product on ourselves or on family and friends; we like to say jokingly that this isn't forbidden. We both have demanding skins: in summer we turn red from the sun, while in winter we get ‘as dry as dust’. We develop formulas on our own, or sometimes with our technologist friend. What we value most are high-quality ingredients, the best possible formulas, excellent service and contact with customers. We invite people to our studio. We have nothing to hide,” they add. You can sense this honesty and the joy of creation in every product marked by the brand’s logo.
Miya. Full of colour and ready for anything
Creams and essences by Miya can be found in the kits of the best make-up artists, for they do a great job in preparing the skin for make-up. Miya products are made for active women who do not have time for complicated skincare regimens. The rich and fast-absorbing facial cream MyWONDERBALM can also serve as a make-up base, face mask and an under-eye cream. That is the pure essence of female multitasking.
“It all started with our needs. We wanted to use beauty products that were based on natural ingredients, produced good results and were quick and easy to use. We wanted products that could be combined in any way, depending on the desired outcome and whether we had 5 or 15 minutes to spare,” say Anna Białas-Bednarczyk and Anna Koss.
When making their products, Miya creators take into account the opinions shared by customers on Instagram or Facebook, and if necessary, are ready to change the capacity of the serum container or the consistency of their creams.
The brand name Miya can be associated with the Polish words ‘moja’ (my) and ‘ja’ (I). This is an allusion to a skincare that can adapt to our needs. All products come with the hashtag #JestemGotowa (#ImReady). You put on the cream and are ready to go.
“Thanks to Miya products, women can feel great in their own skins. They are well-formulated and effective; apart from that, they smell lovely and are beautifully packed. Characteristic colours, witty product names, simple and stylish design – we have worked on all branding elements together with Brisbane Digital agency, which designed, among other things, the heart in our logotype,” explain Anna Białas-Bednarczyk and Anna Koss.
Flower and coconut essences by Miya are perfect for winter days and the times when the skin is dehydrated, while myWONDERBALM is set to become a classic – thanks to its versatility and its exceptionally gentle formula (suitable also for sensitive skin).
Yope. For small and big kids
It started with a concept for a gentle hand soap. Now, Yope offers unique bath products, candles, creams and even floor cleaners, containing 90 per cent natural ingredients. They have lovely scents (the verbena and the fig tree have their own fan clubs on the Internet!) and come in characteristic pastel-coloured containers featuring fabulous creatures. You can spot them in cafés, hotels and nail bars.
“It was my husband, Paweł Kosowicz, who came up with the idea of creating Yope. He is responsible for the business side of the brand’s development. My task is to create – new products, new fragrances, the brand's image. We started off with soap, but we wanted more... It was quite a surprise for the market when we launched a line of natural cleaning products certified with the Ecolabel,” says Karolina Kuklińska-Kosowicz.
The name Yope brings to mind the English word ‘soap’: yope – soap. All drawings and the animal figures on the packaging were created by Paweł Piotr Przybył.
“After deciding to make soap for kids (with our daughters in mind), we made it our priority to create a product that would care for their delicate skin and was enjoyable to use (hence the concept for packaging, the animals, colours and fragrances). With our technologist, we have developed a light, easy-rinse consistency for our products. Yope formulas include aloe gel and natural extracts: from coconut, mint, marigold, jasmine (each of them having different caring properties). Yope soaps have a neutral pH, which is why they do not damage the natural protecting barrier of the child's skin,” says Karolina Kuklińska-Kosowicz.
”The animals, the fragrances, the joy of just using the product – it is not only children who appreciate these elements. Adults adore Yope too. Just have a look at the numerous Instragram accounts that have been seized by the Yope-craze.
Translation Elżbieta Pawlas/Solid Information Solutions
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