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Scandi products loaded with Arctic ingredients are this winter's skincare hack

Lumene Scandi skincare: Lumene
Lumene Scandi skincare: Lumene

Brits are great at talking about the weather.

But preparing for it is a different matter entirely — particularly where safeguarding our skin is concerned.

Those who call the Arctic home, however, know there’s more to winter skincare than a good lip balm.

Just as Australia is renowned for sunscreens and salt sprays, its polar opposite — with one of the harshest climates on the planet — is the place to find some of the most powerful natural ingredients uniquely equipped to cope with extreme cold. From crystal-clear glacial water to antioxidant-rich Arctic berries which thrive on dark, frozen landscapes, here are the brands to help you face the season like a Nordic native.

Eleni & Chris

The brainchild of Norwegian mother-daughter duo Inger Ellen and Christinah Nicolaisen, Eleni & Chris is dedicated to championing rare and unique Scandinavian ingredients. It’s hero is precious cloudberry — known by locals as “Scandinavian Gold” — which grows just once a year under the midnight sun, the natural summer phenomenon when the usually dark region is flooded with 24-hour daylight.

Eleni & Chris (Eleni & Chris)
Eleni & Chris (Eleni & Chris)

Rich in vitamins A, B, C and E, as well as calcium and magnesium, the seeds of these super-berries power products split into two categories: The Fjords, which span a cleansing oil (£27) and face mist (£27) laced with glacier water and marine minerals for a intensively hydrating hit; and The Woods, an anti-ageing range of smoothing serums (£95) and antioxidant-rich eye gels (£68).

Lumene

Founded in Finland in 1969, Lumene first said “hei” to the UK last year. Inspired by the fresh and authentic approach to beauty celebrated in Nordic culture, the brand harnesses botanicals sourced from certified organic forests and pure Arctic spring water from the region’s 187,000 lakes and 32,000 natural springs.

Lumene Nordic Arctic Berry Oil Cocktail (Lumene )
Lumene Nordic Arctic Berry Oil Cocktail (Lumene )

Cloudberry seed oil, extracted from cloudberries handpicked in Lapland, is among the hero ingredients used in all its products and contains up to four times more vitamin C than an orange, along with omega-rich lingonberry seed oil. Lumene’s Arctic Berry Oil Cocktail serum (£29.90) also contains brightening Nordic cranberry, while its thirst-quenching Hydration Recovery Aerating Gel Mask (£19.90) is rich in replenishing Nordic birch sap for an intensive moisture boost.

Polaar

A pioneering French skincare brand founded by arctic explorer Daniel Kurbiel, Polaar’s approach to skincare focuses on what it calls the seven wonders of the Arctic Circle. Boreal algae and glacier water, renowned for their exceptional restorative and regenerative properties, are among the prized ingredients in products such as its hero Polar Night Cream (£43).

Polaar (Polaar)
Polaar (Polaar)

Siberian ginseng, which thrives in the frozen tundra, is also said to contain a high concentration of radiance-enhancing micro-nutrients. Arctic cotton, grown on the wild Scandinavian plains far from pollution, is used for its deep cleansing and soothing properties, while tiny red berries known as Arctic bays provide nourishment.

Hardy nunatak flowers, which bloom in adversity, also help strengthen skin, along with bark extract from taiga pine trees, which can survive for up to 700 years. If you buy only one product this winter, make it the Genuine Lapland Cream (£31) — a protective all-purpose balm that’s a wonder for chapped skin.

Bioeffect

Since its launch in 2010, Bioeffect is now used by more than 30 per cent of Icelandic women — a number which has grown to include many of London’s most discerning beauty buffs since it landed on our shores. Its secret?

Bio Effect (Bio Effect)
Bio Effect (Bio Effect)

A bio-engineered replica of EGF, a naturally occurring human protein, grown in barley which is planted in volcanic pumice and fed with pure subterranean glacial water in a negative carbon footprint greenhouse powered by the region’s natural geothermal energy.

If that seems a bit mind-boggling, the formulations are brilliantly straight–forward, with Bioeffect’s flagship EGF Serum (£125) containing just seven ingredients proven for effective anti-ageing and optimum hydration.

It has also incorporated the same Nobel Prize-winning technology into eye serums (£65) and sheet masks (£13), alongside a Volcanic Exfoliator (£30) powered by microcrystalline lava.