An interview with Luzern founders Jennifer Herbert-Coste & Ralph Herbert

We're proud to have partnered with Luzern since the day we first opened our virtual doors (February 14, 2011!). Our founder, Dara, has used at least one Luzern product in her routine consistently since 2003 and can’t say enough great things about this brand. Here, she catches up with Luzern’s founders, Jen and Ralph, to find out what makes the products shown here — Force de Vie Crème Intensive, Crème Nuit, Emulsion 6, and La Defense SPF 30 — such winners, especially during the wintertime.

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Dara: Your Force de Vie Creme Intensive has been one of our top sellers at Ayla since 2011, and I imagine it is for you, too. What do you think makes it so special, and what do people seem to appreciate most about it (especially this time of year)?

JEN & RALPH: Yes, since its birth Creme Intensive has been one our top selling products. It's formulated with the same active ingredients as Creme Luxe, such as Oxygen MFC, Co-Q10, Hyaluronic Acid, Prebiotics and Peptides, but blended to give the skin a little more hydration. It has the perfect level of moisture for someone with some dehydration and dryness.

We find it is especially popular during the winter months, when our clients are exposed to cold air, indoor heat, and wind. As you know, these can wreak havoc on the skin. Like Creme Luxe, one of the unique qualities about the FDV Creme Intensive is its ability to moisturize on such a deep level while feeling light and silky on the skin.

Dara: What led you to create the Emulsion 6? (I personally love the way it can turn dry skin around in what seems like a single use!) 

JEN & RALPH: We’re so happy to hear you have such great results with it, Dara. This has been one of our favorite formulations since the beginning, and we are not totally surprised you find it turns around dry skin in a single use. It is truly a powerhouse of hydrators including 6 nutrient-rich oils, omegas, and Swiss extracts.

Interestingly, it was originally formulated as an oil cleansing balm. Immediately, we began getting feedback that our clients were using it in a multitude of other ways and getting incredible results. I think one of the best things about clean formulations is that it gives people more freedom to play with product and get a bit creative.

So, we found our clients were leaving the Emulsion 6 on for an extended period after cleansing for a hydrating mask, using it on dry patches of skin and lips, or pressing a bit directly onto the skin where they wanted to add an extra glow.

JEN: Because I don't have dry skin, my favorite way to use it is to blend it with a little Essence in the palm of my hand and press it onto my face. Instant dewy glow!

Dara: Love that tip! Especially in the middle of winter.

Next product — you've revised the formula of La Defense SPF 30 many times, and I think this most recent iteration is the best yet. It seems impossibly translucent for a zinc-based sunscreen. Can you tell us how you managed to do that? 

JEN & RALPH: We've always had a philosophy of “open formulating,” meaning we don’t create a product and stop there. Skin care science is always evolving, and when a breakthrough happens that will improve results for our customers, we are excited to incorporate it into our formulas.

Zinc is always challenging because it's chalky and film-forming, making an aesthetically appealing product difficult to create. In the latest version of our SPF, we have incorporated two new technologies. One is an innovative zinc oxide particle with a unique porous structure that allows it to remain highly transparent while providing strong protection against UVA, UVB, UVC, and blue light. The second is an antioxidant from Pongamia Pinnata Seed Extract that naturally boosts SPF levels.

Dara: Creme Nuit is another product you've revised a number of times. Can you tell us more about the journey you've taken with it? 

JEN & RALPH: Creme Nuit has been an interesting journey. It is our only product containing Retinol, which makes it a bit different from the rest. And this is one of the things that I think is somewhat special about Luzern formulations. While we use organic ingredients and ultra-clean formulations, and while we always approach formulating from the perspective of rebuilding and protecting the skin’s natural barrier functions, we also don't shy away from using safe and proven cosmeceutical ingredients.

So, the different iterations of Nuit have come from getting the perfect weight of product and the perfect hydration level to create an environment where the skin can optimally replenish overnight. We have also added our proprietary Retin02, which boosts the power of Retinol with an oxygen component. In some ways, the Crème Nuit is the epitome of our clean but powerful approach to skincare.

5. Is there anything else you’d like us all to know about Luzern right now?

JEN & RALPH: Well, one of the most exciting things happening at Luzern right now it that we have begun formulating products for the body. This is a new challenge for us, but we are really looking forward to bringing our estheticians and clients some amazing new additions! 

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Body care! We can’t wait. Want to learn more about this quiet powerhouse of a brand? Check out our Luzern Brand Spotlight, and shop the Luzern lineup here.