Fresh vs. commercial skincare – what's the difference?

For many years, the skincare market has looked pretty much the same. Even though the branding, packaging, color, and scent are different, the products fall under the same umbrella, namely commercial skincare. The products we find on store shelves and online are what we call commercial skincare – mass-produced and formulated to last a long time. To make that possible, the products must be filled with preservatives and other additives that ensure a long shelf life at room temperature, under bright light. They must also be able to withstand large temperature changes, such as going from extreme heat to extreme cold, without separating.

It may sound practical – but for your skin it’s a completely different story. Recent research shows that preservatives not only affect the product, but also your skin – It’s not just the bacteria in the product that die, but also the good bacteria on your skin. 

A new way of thinking about skincare

Fresh skincare is about shifting perspective – away from what is easiest for the manufacturer, and towards what is actually best for our skin. When we avoid adding conventional preservatives, we give our skin room to be in balance.

We must take care of the skin microbiome

Skin is alive – home to trillions of microorganisms that work together to protect and strengthen it. This is called the skin microbiome . When we use products full of preservatives, they not only kill the unwanted bacteria in the cream – but also the good bacteria on our skin. This can throw the skin out of balance and trigger redness, sensitivity or even worse eczema and rosacea.

The problem with traditional skincare

The preservatives in traditional skincare are there primarily for the sake of the product – not for the skin. They make it possible to mass-produce skincare, thereby reducing the price and storing the products longer. The advantage is that you can produce more cheaply and fill the shelves to the brim with skincare, which of course sells well. But when we use these products, we can risk our skin getting out of balance, developing redness, rosacea or eczema.

Active ingredients lose their effectiveness over time

Traditional products are praised for their active ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C, or retinol. Research shows that these active ingredients are very sensitive to heat, light, and air. When products are left at room temperature for months—or years—the active ingredients break down and lose their effectiveness. Over time, this can disrupt the skin’s natural balance and contribute to problems like acne, eczema, and irritation. Unfortunately, what’s good for the manufacturer isn’t always good for you.

By choosing fresh skincare, you get products that are freshly produced—the ingredients are potent and have full potency.

Why we produce fresh skincare?

We at RÅ have sensitive skin ourselves – and we know how traditional skincare with preservatives and perfumes can affect the skin. Many products that are supposed to “care” for the skin end up disrupting the natural balance and weakening the skin’s microbiome.

For us, this became very clear on our own skin. It was this experience that was the start of our idea for fresh skincare – an alternative that takes the skin into account, not what is easiest and most profitable as a manufacturer.

We put your skin before our profits

Fresh skincare is about putting your skin first. Not what is easiest or most profitable for us in the factory – our products should only contain ingredients that are good for your skin.

Our products are produced in small batches here in Norway, with shorter shelf lives and fresh ingredients. After production, they are stored cold – so that the contents retain their natural power until you use them. This is a new approach to skincare, and something we are proud to be pioneers in.