In 2023, Susanne Kaufmann celebrated 20 years of her namesake brand. As one of the earliest pioneers of the natural beauty and skincare movement, the secret to her success isn’t difficult to unlock. Born and raised in the Austrian Alps, Kaufmann brought the herbs, plants, and flowers that grow around that region – and are known for various healing properties – down from the mountains and into her products. (She began formulating said products for face and body, to be used in the medical spa of Hotel Post, a retreat in the Bregenzerwald that has been in her family for five generations).
Today, she’s speaking to me over a video call, having just marked the launch of her first-ever face oil. And, I have to ask: why has it taken so long for her to launch one? ‘We have always used the best natural oils in our body products, whether that’s sunflower, apricot, rosehip, broccoli, or celery,’ she explains. ‘They are so very appreciated by our customers, and a lot of them would ask me why we don’t make an oil for the face. It took us a long while to develop it because, in every formula we do, we start from scratch. And taking the time to do proper research into the product is also key to what we do.’
Susanne Kaufmann
The final blend of oils performs in multiple ways to support optimum skin function on the face. Lightweight and readily absorbed, there’s bilberry seed oil to support the skin barrier, astaxanthin, an antioxidant derived from blood rain algae which revitalises and smooths, (and also provides the oil’s deep orange hue), and apricot kernel oil for additional moisture. ‘It was vital to me that we created a product that is suitable for every skin type. No matter if you’re dry or oily, everyone needs moisture. The skin barrier also needs protection, which was perhaps the most important thing we aimed to achieve with this oil. Also, no one wants an oil that sits on top of the skin and doesn’t absorb. It needs to be silky, lightweight and perfect for make-up application afterwards.’
Kaufmann notes that the oil is also ideal for mixing into existing skincare products, such as her day and night moisturisers, for an additional boost of nourishment, or even into her Moisturising Mask.
‘Sustainability’ has become somewhat of a beauty buzzword over the past few years. But Kaufmann, having led the way with authenticity since the start, has no plans to launch any other face oil products. ‘We have made the perfect face oil that works. Every product we make has to be useful and work universally. We never create things just because there is a trend for it. From the very beginning, sustainability was in our DNA. That's why I started with glass bottles, which was a little bit of a fight because people told me I was crazy for having glass bottles in the bathroom. But, it was recyclable. I refused to use plastic. And back then, plastic was even worse [for the environment] than it is now!’
With recent collaborations with the likes of Byredo (Kaufmann and Ben Gohram came together at the end of 2023 to produce a body oil that captured the scent of the Bregenzerwald) and the appointment of a new CEO, the brand is continuing along its balanced trajectory, working with care and intention to speak to its cult audience.
‘The whole whole world is now talking about sustainability,’ Kaufmann continues. ‘It became a trend, but now, I think it’s moving towards an industry standard, and most brands incorporate it into their business in some way. Soon, I believe it will become a law.’ It goes to show that slow and steady really does win the race.
Susanne Kaufmann Face Oil is available now (£65).
