Profile | Meraki

I don’t often blog about beauty and skincare, but every now and then a brand pops onto my radar which I just have to share. Meraki is one such brand – beautifully packaged, accessible, made entirely from natural ingredients, and created with a simple Scandinavian aesthetic. What’s more, it was founded by one of my favourite Danish interiors companies, House Doctor.

I chatted to Meraki’s resident cosmetologist, Mariane Schou Andersen, to find out more about the ethos behind it…

Please can you tell us a bit about Meraki?

“Meraki is all about everyday luxury. It’s a lifestyle and skincare brand based on simple, clean principles, and it encompasses everything from face creams to scented candles to washing-up liquid. The entire range is inspired by Scandinavia, and created with gentle, natural ingredients that have been carefully selected for their qualities and fragrances.”

How did the brand start?

“Being a design company, we at House Doctor are constantly on the search for new ways to pamper our customers’ senses. We’re always looking at new trends and what our customers want, and we discovered a desire for cleaner and more natural skincare products. By using our experience in branding and product development, Meraki was shaped.”

Why is using natural materials and ingredients so important for you?

“Nature has so many incredible ingredients that work wonders on the skin, so it makes sense to us to use them. But every consumer has a choice, and we’re not here to dictate; we just believe that effective, environmentally friendly skincare shouldn’t only be available to a select few. We also believe that you should be able to choose ethical products without compromising on aesthetics or comfort.”

How does Scandinavia influence your range?

“Many people associate Scandinavia with simplicity, purity and nature, and that’s exactly what Meraki is all about. The landscapes here have so much to offer, and that’s reflected across our range.”

What do you want customers to experience when they use Meraki products?

“We want them to have a sense of everyday luxury, of well-being and of quality pampering. In a busy life it’s important to take time out to do something for yourself and your body – light a few scented candles in your bathroom and pretend for a brief moment that you’re at the spa. It’s simple and yet totally addictive!”

Do you have any personal favourites from your range?

“I just love the Meraki Pure Oil with orange and geranium. It can be used as so many things – as an extra moisture boost with your face cream, as a conditioner for your hair and scalp, as a body lotion… You can even use it when removing makeup, shaving or blow-drying your hair.

“I’m also very fond of the new Meraki serums, Serum H and A. Serum H works wonders for sore and dehydrated skin, as it’s rich in Vitamin E and antioxidants that nourish and protect. Serum A, on the other hand, strengthens your skin’s natural elasticity and combats the fine lines and wrinkles that come with age.

“When my skin needs extra moisture, I use the Meraki Vitamin Mask. It’s a luxurious vitamin bomb that moistens, nourishes and strengthens the skin.”

What next for Meraki? Do you have any future plans or new products on the horizon?

“We’ve just launched our new face range, which covers cleansing products, refreshing face mists, moisturisers, anti-aging serums and lip balms. But we won’t stop there, and we’re already working on developing new products. We can’t reveal too much at the moment, but we promise something exciting!”

Thanks Mariane!

Head over to Meraki’s website to see the full range and find details of stockists.

Photography by Meraki