Juice Beauty Founder Karen Behnke Explains What 'Farm to Beauty' Means & That Kate Hudson Collab
/
You may have heard of Farm-to-Table restaurants, but have you heard of “Farm to Beauty” when it comes to the beauty world? Juice Beauty Founder Karen Behnke has pretty much started this “Farm to Beauty” revolution by literally buying a farm and harvesting organic ingredients for her brand. Imagine growing your own grapes knowing that they’ll boast a huge amount of antioxidants and vitamin-rich ingredients which will make your skin radiant with a youthful glow. We chatted with Karen to discuss her journey into the clean beauty category, what life is like on a beauty farm and her must-have products.
From what I’ve read, your journey into the clean beauty space started in 2005, when there were less prominent clean beauty brands in the market. How hard was it to get people on board to create a unique beauty brand with plant-based, certified organic ingredients?
16 years ago--terribly hard! First I had to find a scientist to work with us, as we radically transformed the chemistry of beauty. Working with PhD chemists, physicians, and microbiologists to perfect Juice Beauty’s chemistry. Juice Beauty’s revolutionary formulations started with a basic premise: I believed that by formulating with an antioxidant and vitamin-rich organic botanical juice base, rather than PEGS/petroleum derivatives or water, and combining it with powerful skincare ingredients, would yield better results than conventional or natural products. Multiple clinical testing for our amazing Stem Cellular, Green Apple, Blemish Clearing, and Prebiotix products have proven this premise to be correct!
It was a step-by-step journey solving multiple ingredient problems one by one and finding an alternative for every single conventional chemical ingredient –that could be potentially harmful to animals, the planet, or humans.
Pharmaca was our first retailer, since they are a wellness pharmacy…they understand organic ingredients beauty…and we are so thankful for them! But then a major retailer, ULTA Beauty, took a chance and we launched with them in all stores 11 years ago! ULTA Beauty was a pioneer offering organic ingredients, sustainable products to their customers from coast to coast and we are now in 1,300 ULTA stores and one of their top ten skincare brands.
Just a few more notes that were unique for our brand…
Juice Beauty was born out of a passion for environmentalism, a commitment to wellness, and a healthy beauty products obsession triggered by my pregnancies. As a serial wellness entrepreneur, having built one of the first corporate wellness companies in the country in the early 1980s, I developed a keen interest in personal care products with my first pregnancy at age 40. Experiencing hormonal changes and the beginning of lines in on my skin, I set out to find healthy skincare solutions that delivered visible results.
My goal was to create luxurious organic formulations that performed better than conventional beauty products. I was astounded to learn that, although the skin can absorb what is placed on it, there were very few available healthy personal care products that worked well. Years after my second child was born, in 2005, I bought the name “Juice Beauty” and launched the company from scratch wanting to create meaningful change in the industry and create a company based on wellness and environmentalism.
What are you most surprised about when you reflect on your beauty business journey – from when you started to now?
Well, the constant change of the movement name…from “natural” to “clean”, etc…however, we go beyond all these words to Made with Certified Organic Ingredients to protect humans, animals, and the planet and to yield HIGHER antioxidant levels which are better for your skin! Also, the complete and total lack of regulation for beauty in the United States as well as the rise of social media completely changed the landscape from years ago budgeting for magazine print ads to now budgeting for social media.
If you could go back and give a younger version of yourself (circa 2005) some business advice, what would it be?
Trust your gut! Every time I second-guessed a strong feeling and have allowed myself to be swayed - I got into trouble. But for everyone, follow your passion in life, which for me is wellness and environmentalism—translated to the fun of beauty products! And definitely listen to trusted advisors and employees but trust your gut intuition!
I love the phrase that you’ve coined “Farm to Beauty” and you quite literally did buy the farm! How has life changed since you purchased the farm and what do you love most about it?
We are so excited that our entire mission and values have come together with our Farm to Beauty, Juice Beauty’s organic farm! Located in Sonoma County, our farm brings our brand to life and how organic farming yields high antioxidant-rich ingredients and embodies the California wellness and environmentalist lifestyle that is core to our brand. We are now growing grape for our products which is so exciting and we believe we have some of the highest antioxidants for the skin in the industry! The farm is such a wonderful, relaxing, inspirational, and beautiful spot; however, it is a big responsibility that my husband and I have taken on for Juice Beauty! 20 acres of organic farming is challenging and rewarding. We have figured out to plant clover to add nitrogen back to the soil naturally, how to farm entirely organically (that would take up this entire article to explain!), and more.
What is your #1 can’t-leave-home-without Juice Beauty product and why?
I just posted this on social media as we were roaming around Paris. My must-haves in my purse if I’m walking around for hours and hours…you really can get by with only 4 products.
• Stem Cellular CC Cream SPF 30 for touch-ups—beautiful plant pigment tints and zinc SPF
• Phyto-PIgments Luminous Lip Crayon—I always at least 2 of them depending on if I want brighter or more neutral
• Green Apple Hand Sanitizer—non-GMO plant 70% alcohol—given the crazy Covid times
• Green Apple Age Defy Hand Cream—as I’m constantly washing my hands!!
What can we expect next from Juice Beauty in the coming year?
We couldn’t be more excited to announce our Kate Hudson Loves Juice Beauty Revitalizing + Rose Powder Mask launch! 15 years of friendship and we finally launched a groundbreaking product together. Clarifies and hydrates with unique plant powders. Customizable. Luxurious. Sold exclusively at all ULTA, Sephora Canada, and at juicebeauty.com.
