Since 2013, one of our favorite times of year has been the sea buckthorn harvest in Bollebygd, Sweden, when multiple generations of the Johansson-Bäckström family gather on their farm to harvest the sweet-tart, EFA-rich berries they use in their famously soothing, nourishing MyHavtorn skincare products.

Check out their note about this year’s harvest below the serene image of their farm, taken just a few days ago.

Greetings from Bollebygd and MyHavtorn,

August is always a special time here in Sweden. The evenings are still light, but there is already that first hint of autumn in the air. The forests are beginning to change, the Sea Buckthorn berries are turning bright orange, and life is slowly moving into a new season.

A lot has changed for us over the years. When we first started MyHavtorn, much of our work revolved around the Sea Buckthorn harvest itself. Today, the farm is still our home, and Sea Buckthorn is still very much part of who we are, but our everyday life looks a little different.

More of our time is now spent in our small production lab here in Bollebygd, developing and making skincare in small batches. We stay close to every part of the process, from testing new formulations to mixing, filling, and packing the finished products.

Product development is rarely a straight line. Our shelves are often filled with small jars and bottles of different versions of the same idea. Some are almost right, some clearly are not, and every now and then we find something that immediately feels special.

These days, we think less about creating more products and more about creating products that have a real place in someone's everyday routine. Much of our focus is on helping skin stay hydrated, comfortable, strong, and healthy through different seasons and stages of life.

At the same time, MyHavtorn is still very much a family business. Our three boys are part of the rhythm around us, and life is often a lively mix of production, parcels, school, preschool and football practices.

MyHavtorn has grown and changed, but it is still something we are building here as a family, close to the place where it all began.

We feel very fortunate that products made here in our small corner of Sweden continue to find their way all the way to California. Knowing that there are people on the other side of the world who have followed our journey for so many years means a great deal to us.

With love from Sweden,

Robin, Ingrid & family