What makes some skincare brands more expensive than others?
Have you ever wondered what sets apart a £4 from a £40 skincare product? Does it have anything to do with quality, or is it just marketing? While it makes sense that...
Radiant skin starts with a gentle cleanser
Lift makeup and SPF with the gentle-as-water cleanser
Featured in
“I was given this a present and liked it so much that I have just bought some more. The balm feels so hydrating and makes my skin feel super soft and I've not had a single spot since I started using it.
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“I have been struggling with dryness ever since I started using vit c and retinol and the hyper-gentle balm-gel has really helped, I will now be a devoted fan!
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“I just love it so much. My mom and sister love it too now. I will never be without it...!
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“It has completely changed my skin for the better - my skin is far less reactive, much softer, less reddened and I have experienced
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far fewer breakouts. It feels luxurious to use and I enjoy using it for a facial
massage too!
“My skin gets red and irritated easily.
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This has not irritated my skin at all, its calming and just as I hoped it rinses off clean without having to use a cloth, as my skin gets red
from the friction.
“I like to use this after working out and it's so refreshing, and makes my skin so soft!
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“I started using this cleanser about 3 weeks ago and have notice a massive improvement in my skin.
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A different way
While irritation can take 4-5 days to emerge, the duration of a patch test to make a dermatologically tested claim can be just 1 day.
This means slightly irritating skincare can look, from the packaging, like it's gentle.
We use a different method instead.
Gentle as water
The Balm-Gel cleanser was categorised as non-irritating using the precise XtraMild test.¹
It achieved the mildest possible score — the same as pure water.
This result means you can feel confident your cleanser is working for, not against, your skin.
Sensitive skin rituals
French pharmacy sensitive skin brands are the most reliable, but using them can feel like being on a skincare diet.
We combine indulgent textures with beautiful plant and bio based ingredients, so you can look forward to your skincare ritual, every day,
¹ Using In Vitro Assessment of the Skin Irritation Potential following the XtraMild ET50 method
Unique formulation
Designed from scratch by an independent chemist with personal experience of highly reactive skin.
Gentle as water
Verified non-irritating using an extra sensitive mildness test.
British Made
Manufactured in the English countryside with third party certification of GMP ISO 22716 and ISO 9001 standards, to ensure the highest quality.
The library
What does 'Dermatologically Tested' really mean?
Although Dermatologically tested isn't tightly regulated as a claim, it usually means the product has been patch tested in some way. Although this sounds reassuring, the problem is there is...
Indie beauty, fast beauty and the machine behind the skincare boom
When Harborist started in 2017 (or 2015 if you count R&D) independent skincare brands were a bright speck on the landscape. Following this venture capital money began to flow into the beauty industry,...
Skincare vs. your microbiome
Your skin has 1 billion microorganisms per square centimetre. No two people’s microbiomes are the same, and yours will vary throughout your life, influenced by multiple factors including the environment, age, hormones, and...