Male grooming expert Jake Daniels takes a closer look at Vitruvian Man, a natural and organic UK men’s skincare brand that is celebrating its first year anniversary this month.
With #Organic September celebrating all things organic and sustainable, it’s a timely moment to consider this startup grooming range, part of a new generation of beauty pioneers creating a more sustainable future through their exclusive selection of natural and organic ingredients.
Vitruvian Man was founded by young female entrepreneur, Vivian Lau. Following a boarding school education in England, a fine art degree in the US and a pharmaceutical career in Asia, she eventually turned her back on the ‘cubicle 9-5’. Her mission was to explore alternative skincare remedies and treatments inspired by different nationalities and specific self care remedies for men.
After an exploratory and educational world trip travelling to South America, Australasia and Europe, Vivian gathered an extensive journal of learnings alongside professional training about natural botanical ingredients, plant oils, perfumery and remedies passed down through the generations.
“There was so much I didn’t know about the health giving qualities in a range of plants which excited and inspired me,” she told me. “I was amazed by the rejuvenating qualities of the exotic Resurrection Plant which can survive in arid conditions but responds rapidly to air moisture – resurrecting its growth and plump appearance. I also learned about the powerful soothing qualities inherent in Nut Grass Root. This plant extract is cultivated and harvested in India and once harvested, undergoes a lengthy drying out process. Its anti inflammatory and anti bacterial qualities are great as part of the post shave skin cleaning and soothing routine.”
With a business focus on natural and organic ingredients, Vivian began designing her unique formulations. Her mission was to help men take better take of their skin with ingredients that avoided chemical additives.
“My light-bulb moment came when one of my close friends was experiencing a lot of work pressure and as a result he developed skin allergies and depression. He took a range of pills for his skin but this appeared to make his symptoms worse,” she explains. “I realised from his personal experience that how we feel inside intrinsically influences the way we look on the outside and becomes particularly evident in the skin – from signs of dehydration to rashes and spots.”
“It inspired me to want to create a health and wellness brand that did more than treat the skin’s appearance so I became focused on developing a range of products that helped support customers in both body and mind and hence Vitruvian Man was born.”
A key signature style of Vitruvian Man are the relaxing essential oils used in all the products. As well as nourishing the skin, their purpose is to create an aroma that calms the senses, helping to reduce stress or anxiety.
Vitruvian Man has two foundation products with a wider range of new skin products soon to be added to the range. The brand’s resurrection cream is a rich moisturising formulation containing a collection of natural botanical ingredients sourced worldwide to hydrate and soften the skin. These include Pongamia seed oil, snow mushroom, ginger root juice and the resurrection plant. Vitruvian Man’s impressive resurrection cream also has broad spectrum SPF20 using only mineral sunscreen zinc oxide to protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
The company’s innovative anti pollution cleanser and toner is also designed to protect against urban pollution, cleansing the skin from dirt and oil greases without drying. Ginger root juice, citronella, rotundus root extract and coconut extracts are some of this products star ingredients.
As Vitruvian Man evolves its collection, there is a defined purpose behind the brand which will never change. Supporting men (and women’s) positive health and self care is key to the brand’s enduring mission.
Vitruvian Man’s natural and ecological product ingredients help protect and nurture human bodies against the assaults of modern living. Not to mention the caring effects on the environment! But the company is also committed to supporting good mental health, often caused by the stresses and strains of urban living and working too.
Three per cent of Vitruvian Man profits are donated to positive mental health causes, including charities and campaigns, and this will be a constant factor as the company continues to grow and develop.
For further information about Vitruvian Man, visit vitruvian-man.com
