Short Cuts

The skincare trends that are currently being adopted - a shortened routine or an emphasis on the all-natural - can be traced back to one non-confirming Australian trailblazer: Grown Alchemist.

- Bryan Goh

When the global stock market collapsed in 2008, economists the world over were proven wrong regarding a concept that had been sung for decades — the beauty industry was not recession-resistant — and it was to the miserable tune of US$8.38 billion. However, the downturn became an uptick for Australian brand Grown Alchemist with their emphasis on its brand philosophy. The premise was simple — natural ingredients in skincare should not just be limited to an audience consisting of hippies or the healthconscious because it is the sure standard for good skin and its biocompatibility with the body.

“Although it’s now widely talked about, we were an early pioneer of taking a holistic approach to skincare. It was based on the idea that the skin is a complex, fascinating, living organ and plays a vital role in our health and wellbeing,” says its current CEO, Anna Teal. She adds that the brand was the first to pioneer several other trends widely adopted today, like IV drip therapy during facial treatments.