Created by many hands, mind and ideas behind Wildsmith Skin is a small team of like-minded individuals passionate about skin health and wellbeing.
With each individual bringing unique insight and areas of interest, collectively we are driven by the same spirit of restless experimentation and progression as our namesake William Walker Wildsmith.
THE INSPIRATION
The guiding light at Wildsmith Skin is the progressive botanist, William Walker Wildsmith. During the late nineteenth century Wildsmith created the gardens and arboretum of Heckfield Place in Hampshire, England. The idyllic estate which is now using biodynamic farming principles to grow Wildsmith ingredients, is our spiritual home.
The trees at the estate are a particular inspiration - they adapt, heal and grow to their environment and this approach is mirrored by our skin automatically, seamlessly and subconsciously every second of every day. Trees have delivery rules just like the skin, if you take a leaf, it is the tip of a much more complex delivery system comprising of branches, trunk and roots. Our skincare and treatments embrace these intricate systems for optimum efficiency.
THE SCIENTIST
Richard, a key partner in our product formulations, explains why a partnership is fundamental to the formulation process:
"Our goal is to develop formulations that continue to break boundaries, exceed customer expectation, effecting positive change for our natural world and ourselves.
With the best industry and market experience, the Wildsmith formulation team embodies the most progressive science and innovation with passion and inspiration. We use ingredients and formulae that respect and work in harmony with nature’s ecosystem.
Sustainability is fundamental to our formulation, we have installed a Froling pellet boiler, with energy efficiency at its core. The complete biomass system has removed our dependency on fossil fuels, saving a huge 85 tonnes of carbon every year. We are committing to 100% renewable energy in all manufacturing processes and work with suppliers who are, at the same time, aiming towards this goal.
Our partnership with Wildsmith Skin allows us to embody our principles and achieve our goals and bring positive change to our lives and the world at large. Celebrating the natural world and our harmony within it"
THE SKIN EXPERTS
Working with Independent Skin Experts has allowed us to navigate and communicate the intricate technology of our products. The proof is in the science:
"As a skincare expert, I look for high quality, innovative, intelligently formulated products with a focus on delivering unprecedented results. Wildsmith Skin exceeds these expectations by making skin health and skin integrity paramount in everything they do. Delivering powerful actives with advanced delivery systems is challenging, Wildsmith Skin push the boundaries of how skincare actives can work effectively within the skin to achieve outstanding clinically proven results."
THE SCRUTINISTS
With a focus on science and nature, the efficacy of our products is fundamental to our approach.
Partnering with scientists on Clinical Trials for our products, the proof is in the science. Our products are submitted for trial on application of the skin, after 14 days and after 28 days of use and on a minimum of 30 subjects. Dermscan technology is used to test a product’s ability to ‘deliver a restructuring effect’ by measuring its impact on cellular renewal via analysis of proteins content.
Further to this, our products are subject to blind testing within consumer trials. In association with The Beauty Bible – whose mission it is to help people navigate through the beauty jungle of skincare products – our products are used by people over a period of 30 days. Their feedback provides us with real transparency around product usage, expectations and results and helps us to shape our approach to releasing the products to market.
THE HORTICULTURIST
The Market garden at Heckfield Place provides us with the ideal location to grow a selection of ingredients for our range.
Grown using biodynamic farming principles, it means that the ingredients are grown without chemical fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides. This, along with other practices must be done for three years before a farm can become certified biodynamic.
In 2020, we grew and harvested calendula and chamomile plants for the first time. We chose these two plants to begin with as they grow well within the UK and are prevalent within our range as either hydrolat, extract or infusion.
We are committed to sourcing our ingredients as locally - and sustainably - as possible, so with this in mind, we are continuing to grow calendula and chamomile, but also expanding to grow nine other ingredients that we will use within our product formulations, including witch hazel, rose and borage.
THE PRACTITIONERS
The gardens, farm and woodland of the Heckfield Estate are more than a source of inspiration. They are the site of our brand home - The Bothy.
Imagined and created to nurture and transform skin health and wellbeing, The Bothy, is a space designed to help provide a path to balance.
Guided by our expert practitioners and concentrating on listening, breathing, touching, feeling and seeing.
Treatments are intentionally tailored to support the body’s circadian rhythm, incorporating essential oil blends and massage techniques that vary according to the time of day.
THE PERFUMERS
Partnering with visionary and olfactory experts; Maurice Joosten and Megumi Fukatsu to create beautiful scent journeys.
“The design of a signature scent for Wildsmith Skin was one of the occasions where we had the privilege to work on location at the Heckfield Estate, across all seasons to fully immerse ourselves in its beautiful surroundings. We collected botanical samples from the arboretum and upper walled garden, followed by blending sessions in the afternoon, trying out new oil combinations and searching for the right note that encapsulated our imaginative vision.
As scent architects we create a direct link and synergy between the visual and olfactory language in the design process. From the beginning of the process, we started out with a certain innocent look, where the nose takes centre stage. Followed by extensive discussions, testing and evaluations which culminated in the creation of The Bothy Candle scent - a scent for all seasons and all homes.”
