Christina and Lovisa Hahn identified a problem in the global skin and hair care market and chose to take matters into their own hands. With support from toxicologists at RISE, they have set the bar higher than what both Swedish and international legislation require.
“In an industry where terms such as ‘clean’ and ‘natural’ lack clear definitions, it becomes difficult for consumers to distinguish facts from marketing. We wanted to change that by letting scientific evidence speak for itself,” says Christina Hahn, co-founder of Under Your Skin.
The skin and hair care market has experienced steady growth in recent years. However, behind this trend and people’s pursuit of a more beautiful appearance are substances that disrupt the body’s hormonal system, cause allergies or harm the environment.
Questioning the use of certain substances
“We began to take a closer look at what the products we apply to our skin actually contain and were alarmed. Consumers tend to believe they are protected, but we found many substances that can be both endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic. Even if the quantities are small, why should such ingredients be used at all? We felt that we wanted to do something about this problem,” says Christina Hahn.
A business idea took shape, and the mother-and-daughter duo Christina and Lovisa Hahn founded the skin and hair care brand Under Your Skin. Everything applied to the skin eventually ends up beneath it became their guiding principle. Lovisa immersed herself in research on natural ingredients, while Christina established contact with a chemist who could assist in the development of the company’s first product range.
“The world is full of skin and hair care brands, but we wanted to do things differently. In the beginning, we faced a great deal of criticism. Many people were sceptical about natural products and actively looked for flaws when we put our business idea forward. It was an incredibly tough period, and we were close to giving up on more than one occasion,” says Christina Hahn.
In an industry where terms such as ‘clean’ and ‘natural’ lack clear definitions, it becomes difficult for consumers to distinguish facts from marketing. We wanted to change that by letting scientific evidence speak for itself.
Scientific evidence supported by toxicological expertise
From the outset, the duo were in contact with Professor Ian Cotgreave at RISE, who believed in the business idea. He connected Under Your Skin with his colleagues Charlotte Nilsson and Behnaz Erfani, toxicological experts at RISE.
Christina Hahn explains why Under Your Skin chose to seek support from toxicology specialists:
“We wanted to show both consumers and the market that we are serious and not just talking. We realised that the best way to do this was to present scientific evidence demonstrating that the products we have developed do not contain carcinogenic, endocrine-disrupting or bioaccumulative substances.”
The toxicologists at RISE began by reviewing and evaluating all ingredients in Under Your Skin’s first range of shampoos, conditioners and serums.
“We gathered information from various databases and searched the scientific literature. The results were compiled in a report that complements and extends the Consumer Product Safety Report that all companies in this industry are required to produce. We have also developed a shortened, more accessible version of the report that Under Your Skin can use in its marketing,” says Charlotte Nilsson.
Safe and Sustainable by Design
Looking ahead, the parties aim to work together in a more proactive way, guided by the principle Safe and Sustainable by Design. The plan is for RISE to be involved already during the product development phase, evaluating ingredients before they are used in new products.
“We can become more effective and better together. Charlotte and Behnaz are very skilled at explaining how things work, while also understanding and listening to us. We meet each other in a constructive way. This collaboration feels truly groundbreaking. This is exactly how cooperation between industry and public-sector expertise should function,” says Christina Hahn.
Under Your Skin is currently present in several European markets and has a team in the United States leading the company’s expansion across the Atlantic. For some time now, the company has also had American co-owners.
“Expansion is the focus, of course with good products that are genuinely needed. We will not compromise on our principles of natural ingredients and transparency, but will continue to raise the bar. We will continue working with RISE on our products, and the next step is to take the same approach when evaluating our packaging,” says Christina Hahn.
