Meet the Founder: NUORI

In today's blog, we're interviewing Jasmi Bonnén, the founder of the elegant skincare brand NUORI.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career path

I was born in Finland but moved abroad from the age of 6, spending my childhood living in various countries. As a young professional, I moved to Denmark where I started my career as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Co. I quickly found out that some of my favourite areas were pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and marketing. This led me to apply for a position at L’Oréal. There, I started out as a Product Manager for L’Oréal Paris make-up and was then promoted to Marketing Manager for the L’Oréal Paris brand. Before starting NUORI, I also worked as Senior Partner and Managing Director at Kontrapunkt, a Danish design and branding agency, for several years.

What inspired you to start your company and what is your philosophy?

The idea for my own skincare range came while I was working at L’Oréal. I became aware that most cosmetics are formulated to have a shelf life of at least 30 months (2.5 years) – and in many cases, 4 years or longer. This is done to avoid the ‘hassle’ of expiry dates and to allow manufacturers to produce huge batches to bring down unit costs. When I learnt this, I started reading about the effect of time on cosmetics. I was surprised to find several studies showing that commonly used active ingredients, such as vitamins, start losing their beneficial properties in just a matter of months - and not years - after blending due to oxidation. Another downside of prolonged shelf life is the use of synthetic preservatives and other additives, which are needed to preserve and stabilise the formulas over time.

I became more and more convinced that there was a need for a fresh skincare alternative. Six years ago, I finally gathered up the courage to quit my comfortable corporate job and take the frightening leap into entrepreneurship.

Our philosophy is built around the simple fact that freshly blended skincare gives us the unique opportunity to create not just ‘clean’, but all-natural formulas that deliver real, proven results:

1. Our products can be kept both all-natural and highly concentrated, as no synthetic preservatives or other additives are needed to artificially prolong the stability and shelf life of the products.

2. The efficacy of any given NUORI formula is higher since active ingredients are not weakened by time-related breakdown.

What’s the story behind the name of the brand?

NUORI actually means “young” in Finnish and the word also contains the Scandinavian word “nu” which means “now”. I thought this was a nice way of combining my Finnish heritage together with the concept of time – both in terms of us making the freshest skincare on the market but also in terms of appreciating the moment we are in right now.

Where do you see your brand in 5 years time?

I see us as a serious player at the forefront of all-natural skincare innovation. And I hope that our company will still feel like one big family – just spread out across a few more locations.

Which NUORI product is your favourite?

This a difficult question – like asking which of my children is my favourite!

The product I have used every day since its launch is NUORI’s Vital Foaming Cleanser. It is really an amazing formula because it is completely sulfate-free and still has this luxurious, creamy foam. The fruit enzymes gently remove dead skin cells and impurities, while the natural glycerin and oat kernel extract leave skin feeling soft and hydrated. You really feel and see the difference in your skin.

I am also addicted to our Supreme Moisture Mask. It is a highly concentrated formula with natural hyaluronic acid, soothing betaine and skin-perfecting niacinamide (vitamin B3). The mask turns transparent a couple of minutes after application, so you can wear it all night for that perfect glowing, dewy skin in the morning. It’s also perfect for long-haul flights or after a day on the beach.