All – Laponie of Scandinavia

Sunscreen 101 - everything you need to know

Proper protection from the sun is a vital part of skincare, and for sensitive and problem skin finding the right kind of sunscreen can be tricky. We asked cosmetic science consultant, PhD Annika Lagut to boil down the ins and out of sunscreen for us.

How to build your skincare routine for sensitive and problem skin part 1: Cleanse

Laponie’s approach to skincare is based on three tried and tested cornerstones: cleanse, treat, i.e. hydrate and care, i.e., nourish and protect. On top of these, your skin may need some targeted care to treat specific issues. To put it simply, you need the right cleanser followed by a product or products containing both hydrating ingredients as well as oils in some form. For specific issues, say dryness or impurities, you can add a mask or a serum. And always remember sunscreen during daytime.

Our tip: When you start building your routine take a look at your skin. What does it need, what does it look or feel like and what possible issue might you need to address? Also think about whether you’re after a simpler or more comprehensive routine. Skincare should also suit your life style.

How to build your skincare routine for sensitive and problem skin part 3: Nourish & protect

Laponie’s approach to skincare is based on three tried and tested cornerstones: cleanse, treat, i.e. hydrate, and care, i.e., nourish and protect. On top of these, your skin may need some targeted care to treat specific issues. To put it simply, you need the right cleanser followed by a product or products containing both hydrating ingredients as well as oils in some form. For specific issues, say dryness or impurities, you can add a mask or a serum. And always remember sunscreen during daytime.

Our tip: When you start building your routine take a look at your skin. What does it need, what does it look or feel like and what possible issue might you need to address? Also think about whether you’re after a simpler or more comprehensive routine. Skincare should also suit your life style.

How to build your skincare routine for sensitive & problem skin step 2: Treat

Laponie’s approach to skincare is based on three tried and tested cornerstones: cleanse, treat, i.e. hydrate and care, i.e., nourish and protect. On top of these, your skin may need some targeted care to treat specific issues. To put it simply, you need the right cleanser followed by a product or products containing both hydrating ingredients as well as oils in some form. For specific issues, say dryness or impurities, you can add a mask or a serum. And always remember sunscreen during daytime.

Our tip: When you start building your routine take a look at your skin. What does it need, what does it look or feel like and what possible issue might you need to address? Also think about whether you’re after a simpler or more comprehensive routine. Skincare should also suit your life style.

Iida's update on adult acne and 3 years of Laponie

A few years back, Iida took part in our skin story project to share her skinjourney with adult acne. Recently, she contacted us to let us know how her skin was doing.

Anna and sensitised and irritated skin

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. A while back we asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Anna’s story about how our products helped her with her sensitised and irritated skin.

How to take care of aging, sensitive skin - our guide

First of all: it's a privilege to get older. The signs of aging are signs of life lived and nobody should feel bad or ashamed about, for example, wrinkles. That being said, taking care of more mature skin has its own quirks and specifics and we're here today to give you some ideas on what you might want to do with your routine.

Kaisa & atopic, acne-prone skin

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. A while back we asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Kaisa’s story about how our products helped her with her atopic, acne-prone sensitive skin.

Milja & Sensitive, breakout-prone skin

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. A while back we asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Milja’s story about how she found help for sensitive and break-out prone skin using Laponie’s products.

Netta & Acne

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. We recently asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Netta’s story about how our products helped her with her sensitive, acne-prone skin.

Marjut & Atopic skin

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. We recently asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Marjut’s story about how our products helped her with her redness-prone, atopic skin.

Krista & Rosacea

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. We recently asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Krista’s story about how our products helped her with her sensitive, rosacea-prone skin.

Jenna & Problem Skin (POD, seborrhea & rosacea)

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. We recently asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Jenna’s story about how our products worked for her rather challenging skin.

Anu & Dry, congested & reactive skin

Laponie was born out of our founder Kristina’s need to find products for her sensitive and challenging skin, and now our mission is to help you take care of your skin the right way. We recently asked our customers to take part in a three-week-long Laponie test group, in which we created a customised and individual, daily skincare routine to tackle different skin issues and problems. This is Anu’s story about how she found help in our products for her sensitive and reactive skin, which is also prone to dryness.

Johanna & POD in atopic skin

Laponie was created to tackle our founder Kristina's sensitive and problem skin issues, and our mission is to help you sort out your skin. We asked our customers to tell us their stories, and how our products have helped them. Here's Johanna's story about how our products helped her deal with POD and atopic skin.

Laponie carries the Allergy Label

Something for all of you fellow sensitive and problem skinned friends out there: Laponie proudly carries he Finnish Allergy, Skin and Asthma Federation's Allergy Label for all its products! Read on for why the Allergy Label matters to us – and to you.

Part 3/3: Protect skin from pollution - our routine

Anti-pollution is a current, worldwide and growing trend in cosmetics. This trend is a consequence of the growth of awareness concerning the harmfulness of air pollutants to the skin. The cosmetic approach to skin problems caused by air pollutants is topical products with varying active ingredients meant to prevent damage pollutants cause in skin. At the moment there is no internationally regulated or standardised test which could back up a products anti-pollution claims. In this final part of our blog series of three we'll take a look at how and with what ingredients to protect skin from the effect of pollutants.

Part 2/3: Air pollutants cause skin issues

As skin is one of the interfaces between our body and its surrounding environment, it's a major target for air pollutants. Each pollutant affects skin differently. The most usual effects are the propensity for skin dieases, signs of premature aging and pigmentation changes. In the second part of our blog series of three, we take a more thorough look at the different ways air pollutants can affect skin.

Part 1/3: What are air pollutants and how do they affect skin?

Air pollution is a growing concern around the world and one of today's biggest health risks. Our skin is our largest organ, and a direct target for the harmful effects of different air borne pollutants. Research on the effects of air pollution on skin health is fairly new, which is why scientific data on the long-term effects of pollutants on skin is minimal. Nonetheless, air pollution has been found to have a possible link to numerous known skin issues. The first part of our blog series of three on pollution and skin takes a look at what air pollutants are and how they might affect skin.

Our chemist explains: How to read a cosmetic product ingredient list, i.e. the INCI

Deciphering ingredient lists on cosmetic products can be like reading a book in a foreign language: impossible to understand the plot, but you may recognise a word or two. Keep reading for our chemist Jaana's tips on how to read ingredient lists, also known as INCIs - or why you maybe shouldn’t even bother trying!

Sensitive and problem skin routine update: Spring

For those of us who deal with tricky skin, the changing seasons often require updating our skincare routines. The switch from winter to spring is, in our opinion, the least tricky one, but nonetheless we have some favorite tips and tricks for sensitive and problem skin going into slightly warmer temperatures and more light.

How to repair a damaged skin barrier?

We, as sensitive and problem skinned individuals, are rather familiar with the feeling of having an impaired skin barrier. Skin going cray-cray isn’t exclusive for us with temperamental skin though, and it can happen to anyone at any given time. How to tell if you’re dealing with an out of whack barrier? How to restore it? Keep reading to find out!

Jaana & Atopic skin

Atopic dermatitis, atopy, is one of the most common skin diseases in the Nordic countries and finding efficient but gentle skincare products is often a challenge. Here, our customer Jaana shares her story about sensitive skin and atopy, and how she has gotten help from Laponie's products.

Sensitive and problem skin routine update: Winter

When dressing for cold weather, you layer your clothes, starting with light and thin closest to the body and the work your way up to heavier garments. The same goes for skincare - start with the lightest products and layer on products with a heavier consistency. This is especially useful for sensitive and problem skin when cold weather hits. Read more!

Meet our chemist Jaana

Cosmetic chemist Jaana Ailus is Head of R&D at Laponie of Scandinavia and the one in charge of product development in our laboratory in Otaniemi, Finland. We talked to her about getting into cosmetics chemistry, about the most interesting parts of her job and also about the challenges of creating simple, yet effective skincare.

How to choose the right serum for sensitive and problem skin

Our serums are real multifunctional superheroes for sensitive and problem skin. They’ll sort you out gently and without irritation, whether it’s breakouts, congestion, redness, scars, pigmentation, dullness or uneven skin tone. Use them locally, on your entire face, layer over each other or mix with your other products. Read on for more!

Ingredients: Bakuchiol

Bakuchiol, how we of sensitive and problem skin provenance love thee! If you’re as nuts about skincare and ingredients as we are, you are bound to have heard about bakuchiol and how it tackles pigmentation, fine linesand congestion and impurities – without irritation. Small wonder we stuck it in our Renewing Serum. Read on for more bakuchiol greatness!

Dr Schröder: Atopic dermatitis 101

Atopic eczema is a chronic skin disease which is very common especially in the Northern countries. Dermatology specialist and MD Marika Schröder talks us through the root causes, how to treat atopic skin and what to consider in skincare. Read more!

Ingredients: Glycine soja seed extract

If you’re a skincare geek, like we are, you’ll know that an emulsion will always require an emulsifier, to enable mixing water and oil into an emulsion. The tricky part, though, when dealing with sensitive and problem skin, is that emulsifiers are surfactants, and surfactants can be hell on finicky faces. So imagine how stoked we were when we found the non-ionic (e.g. gentle) soy-based lysophospholipid emulsifier we use in the Hydrating Face Mask & Cream and Renewing Serum! Read on for more INCI porn.

13 ways to use our 2-in-1 Hydrating Face Mask & Cream

Our light but nourishing 2-in-1 Hydrating Face Mask & Cream, gives sensitive and problem skin an intensive hydrating kick. We’ve packed it with vegan and plant-based ingredients specifically selected to pamper sensitive and reactive skin, leaving it feeling hydrated, nourished, and soft. As with so many of our other products, the Mask is a skincare multitasker – use it as you would a traditional face mask, as a richer moisturiser or even as body care to spot treat rough patches. Read on for our favourite ways to use the Mask.

Dr Schröder: Seborrheic dermatitis 101

Is your skin oily and flaky at the same time? Chances are you've been hit with seborrheic dermatitis. We sat down with dermatologist Marika Schröder to hear more about what seb derm is, how to treat it and what to consider in terms of skincare. Read on!

Top DIY sensitive and problem skin face masks with our Gel Cleanser

Sensitive and problem skin routine update: Summer

Those of us who battle sensitive, problem and reactive skin know the impact of weather. Be it warm, cold, windy, humid or dry, the elements often play a role in how our skins look and feel. We sat down with experienced etshetician and trainer Jessica to hear more about how summer in particular affects finicky faces. Read more!

Skincare myths: Toners

Let's talk toners. Some swear by them, others avoid them like the plague. There are many misconceptions about toners in skincare, so we asked our chemist Jaana to break down three common myths. Read on to find out more about what toners do for your skin, what they contain and whether they really are necessary for your skin.

Ingredients: Giant kelp extract

Giant kelp extract from the Macrystis pyrifera kelp is a legendary skincare ingredient with top notch smoothing and hydrating properties. We tailor make our extract in France, so as to get the ratio between solvent and kelp the way we want. Read on!

Ingredients: Propanediol

It hydrates, dissolves, penetrates (sorry) and boosts preservative effect. Without any further ado, let us present propanediol, the glycol to end them all. And yes, it's plant-based, vegan and non-irritatating. Read on!

How to choose skincare for acne-prone skin

Finding suitable skincare products for acne-prone skin can be a hassle - we know. Both our founder Kristina and chemist Jaana have dealt with a variety of acne, including cystic acne, and we at Laponie are on a mission to help you deal with caring for all types of problem skin, including acne. Here's our take on choosing products and going it gentle.

Ingredients: Argan oil

All hail argania spinosa! If you’ve tried our Face Oil and All-Around Balm, you’ve likely noticed that we are fans of argan oil. It's the base for both these products. Argan's been a skin and hair care superstar for many years now, but for us, it also boils down to some serious personal love - as our founder and CEO Kristina is fond of saying, nothing in terms of skincare impacted her finicky skin as much as switching her regular face cream to argan oil.

10 ways to use our Face Cream

Sometimes your skin needs a drink - and a hug. Our hydrating and nourishing, gel-cream-textured Face Cream gives it both. It’s packed with skin-pampering superstars in a light but moisturising base without added fragrance, making it ideal for all kinds of sensitive and problem skin. Here we share our favourite ways to use the Cream.

9 ways to use our Face Oil

One of the most important cornerstones of skin care is proper hydration, and in order for skin to also retain moisture it is vital to use an oil-based product. For this, a face oil is the perfect choice. A face oil nourishes and protects skin, and helps lock in the moisture by slowing down water-loss. For us, our own vegan, plant-based and fragrance-free Face Oil is skin's best friend, with ingredients chosen specifically for dry and oil sensitive and problem skin. Check out 9 ways (at least) for how to use it!

Iida & Adult acne

Laponie was created to tackle our founder Kristina's sensitive and problem skin issues, and our mission is to help you sort out your skin. We asked our customers to tell us their stories, and how our products have helped them. Here's Iida's story about how our products helped her deal with adult acne (and POD).

Minimalistic skincare and minimalistic skincare routines

We at Laponie believe that less is more when it comes to skincare, and especially when dealing with sensitive and problem skin. For us, minimalistic skincare means a few, combinable and multifunctional products with a minimum of ingredients and simple packaging.

Emily & Extremely dry skin

Laponie was created to tackle our founder Kristina's sensitive and problem skin issues, and our mission is to help you sort out your skin. We asked our customers to tell us their stories, and how our products have helped them. Here's Emily's story about how our products helped her deal with sandpaper dry skin.

Nutritional therapist Sonia: 5 sensitive & problem skin foods to avoid

Proper diet and eating right is one of the absolute cornerstones of healthy skin. Conversely, avoiding certain foods can also support the well-being of especially sensitive and problem skin. We asked Sonia, nutritionist at Nordic Nutrionist, what foods to potentially avoid when your skin is sensitive or when struggling with e.g. acne, rosacea and POD.

Viivi & Reactive skin

Laponie was created to tackle our founder Kristina's sensitive and problem skin issues, and our mission is to help you sort out your skin. We asked our customers to tell us their stories, and how our products have helped them. Here's Viivi's story about battling highly reactive skin.

Päivi & POD

Laponie was created to tackle our founder Kristina's sensitive and problem skin issues, and our mission is to help you sort out your skin. We asked our customers to tell us their stories, and how our products have helped them. Here's Päivi's skin story about perioral dermatitis, POD, and how our our products helped Päivi get her skin back.

Hanna & Acne

Laponie was created to tackle our founder Kristina's sensitive and problem skin issues, and our mission is to help you sort out your skin. We asked our customers to tell us their stories, and how our products have helped them. Here's Hanna's skin story about acne and how our Clarifying Treatment helped lessen inflammation.

11 ways to use our Balancing Essence Mist

Our Balancing Essence Mist is the ultimate treatment essence spray to balance, hydrate, soothe and condition sensitive and problem skin with multitasking, natural ectoin, smoothing giant sea kelp and calming liquorice root. It´s a true multitasker - read on for our 11 tips on how to use it to tackle dryness, irritation and redness the easy and gentle way!

Dr Schröder: Perioral dermatitis (POD) 101

Red spots around your mouth, nose and eyes - but they don't respond to acne treatments? Skin feeling sore and hot - but heavy creams only make it worse? We sat down with dermatology specialist and MD Marika Schröder to get the 101 on perioral dermatitis, or POD, a common but relatively unknown skin disease.

Meet our founder & CEO Kristina

Kristina Pentti is the founder and CEO of Laponie of Scandinavia. Here, she shares her story of an almost lifelong struggle with skin issues and the road to healthy skin, and how it all lead to the creation of Laponie.

Dr Schröder: Rosacea 101

What is rosacea? Our founder Kristina has an on/off relationship with rosacea, so we jumped at the chance to get the 101 on this common skin disease affecting girls, boys, women and men of various ages. Here, MD and dermatology specialist Marika Schröder guides us through the what and why of rosacea.

Dr Schröder: Acne 101

What is acne? Both our chemist Jaana and founder Kristina battled acne in their teenage years and also in adulthood, so we jumped at the chance to get the 101 on this common skin diseases affecting girls, boys, women and men of various ages. Here, MD and dermatology specialist Marika Schröder guides us through the what and why of acne.

Ingredients: PCA salts in skincare

Sodium PCA, copper PCA and zinc PCA are all PCA salts, and are widely used in skincare, including ours. Here we break down the what and the why of these amino acid derivatives that pack a mean hydrating punch - while adding calming, skin-barrier strengthening, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and sebum-regulating care.

Nutritional therapist Sonia's 5 foods for healthy skin

Especially during winter many of us struggle with dry and irritated skin, and there are days when no amount of creams or oils seem to get the job done. Rather than just add some more topical care, it’s a great idea to care for tight and tired skin from the inside as well, with the right kind of food. Read on for nutritional therapist Sonia's take on how to eat for healthy skin.

The "No Cream Set": Our Face Toner and Face Oil are best friends

Our Balancing Essence and Face Oil are best friends. First balance and prep, then care and nourish. Not a fan of creams? A couple of pumps of toner under a few drops of oil does the trick. Or just mix the two together in the palm of your hand for one step hydration and nourishment. Perfect when you're sensitive to emollients, and also great if you want to avoid preservatives, as the Oil is formulated without any.

Catta & POD

When you're struggling with skin issues, it's easy to feel like you’re the only person in the world with that specific problem. We want to remind you that you’re not alone! In a new series, we’re sharing the stories of people who have struggled with skin issues and survived. Today, we’re sharing the story of Laponie user and POD-sufferer Catta.

How to use our Complete Routine for Sensitive & Problem Skin

Our Full Routine for Sensitive & Problem Skin is made up of our six Core products, which are simple cornerstones for every skin day. Use them for a full routine, combine them for different needs or use them together with your other favourite products. The Core products are formulated around three basic skincare steps: cleanse, hydrate and care.

Ingredients: Rhamnose

What brings that soothing punch to our Calming Serum? A cocktail of three: madecassoside, ectoin and last, but not least, something called rhamnose. Let’s take a look at what rhamnose is and why it’s wonderful for battling irritated and inflamed skin – while decreasing fine lines.

Ingredients: Thickeners in cosmetics - a short guide

When formulating cosmetics, one of the key aspects is viscosity – do we want a thick or a thin product? Thickeners are ingredients that increase the viscosity, i.e. thickness, of a product. They can also improve product stability (e.g. keep a cream from separating into oil and water), affect how a product looks, make application easier, and affect how the product flows, say, out of a tube. Our chemist Jaana explains more!

Ingredients: Algae-derived silica

Silica has been used in cosmetics for a long time, as an absorbing agent and a mattifier. It’s found in in sandstone, clay and granite, plants and animals, but the one we use in our Clarifying Serum is derived from the silica shells of a Swedish micro-algal group called diatoms and comes with one major additional benefit: cleansing and hydration in one go. Suffice to say it's great for sensitive and problem skin.

Ingredients: Madecassoside

Tigers are said to roll in it to heal their wounds, so what’s not to like? The Centellla asiatica plant, also known as Gotu Kola or Tiger Grass, is a perennial favourite in traditional Eastern medicine. It packs a powerful soothing, healing and hydrating skincare punch, and none so more than one of its main molecules, madecassoside.

Which cosmetics ingredients are safe?

Which cosmetic ingredients are safe? There's a lot of talk about “clean” and “non-toxic” ingredients in skincare, and we receive a lot of questions on what is safe to use. Which cosmetic ingredients are safe? Here our chemist Jaana runs you through the basics of ingredient safety.

The story of Laponie's packaging artwork

The abstract elements on our packaging come from a unique piece of art, created for us by the talented Aino-Maija Metsola, a Helsinki-based illustrator and designer. With a particular interest in colour, Aino-Maija creates bold but subtle images using a diverse selection of techniques, from water colour to ink, markers and gouache. Read on to get the inside story of how Aino-Maija created our look.

Ingredients: Rosehip oil

One of the four oils in our Face Oil is organic, cold pressed rosehip oil. Often a lovely reddish colour when undiluted, rosehip is a real powerhouse when tackling sensitive and problem skin.

What is the skin's acid mantle?

The skin's acid mantle is a very thin, slightly acidic film on the surface of human skin containing beneficial microorganisms. It works as a protective barrier against bacteria and viruses. The skin’s acid mantle is there to protect the body’s largest organ, your skin.

Welcome to the Laponie lab

If you take the metro West from central Helsinki, you’ll eventually reach Otaniemi. Here’s where Laponie’s lab is located. It’s a delightfully retro space, where our chemist Jaana and founder Kristina work their magic. Every Laponie product is developed right here, in our own lab. For a skincare start-up having an in-house lab is quite rare. However, we always knew we needed and wanted ours. Why?

Ingredients: Glycerine - the queen of humectants

Glycerine is one of the most common ingredients in skincare, and is used in pretty much all kinds of products. Here our chemist Jaana breaks down what it is, what it does and why it's such a great and versatile material.

Sulfates in skincare

Sulfates, specifically SLS, in skincare receive a lot of negative attention. Here our chemist Jaana breaks down what they are, for what they are used and whether sensitive and problem skins should be concerned.

Ingredients: Our top calming skincare ingredients

For sensitive skincare, ingredients that soothe and calm skin are crucial. Here are our four favourites.

How to choose the right face cleanser for sensitive & problem skin

It all starts with a good cleanse. Choosing the right cleanser is key in caring for sensitive and problem skin - often at the root of many skin issues are wrong and often too harsh cleansers, that disrupt your skin barriers. If you have moody skin, it can also be a good idea to keep two different cleansers on the shelf. Some days your skin may need a good but gentle cleanse, other days it needs a deep cleanse that doesn’t strip your skin. Or maybe you prefer to double cleanse. Our Cleansers can be used separately or together, depending on your skin day and how you like to cleanse.

Dr Schröder: Sensitive skin 101

At Laponie, all our products are formulated for sensitive skin. In practice this means we spend a huge amount of time researching and testing ingredients, and then slap the products we develop on our own sensitive-skinned faces. But what does sensitive skin mean from a medical point of view? We sat down with MD and dermatology specialist Marika Schröder to find out.

Skincare myths: Face oil

There are many myths about oil in skincare. Our head of R&D, cosmetic chemist Jaana guides you through some common ones and sheds light on why oil is your friend: the right oil won't clog your pores and make your skin oily, and will work very well under makeup. Read on to learn more!

Laponie x Fazer Mills

The oat oil we use in our Face Oil, Face Cream and All-around Balm is sourced from Fazer, a Finnish family-owned, 128-year-old food and food service company, who produce their oat oil using Finnish oats. We spoke to Markku Mikola, head of R&D at Fazer Mills Finland, to dig deeper into oats and their skin and health benefits.

Party prep for sensitive & problem skin

It's not always easy to go glam when your skin reacts to everything and anything. That's why we put together a quick guide to party prepping (and detoxing the next day) using our products. Check out our best prep tips in our blog!

Ingredients: Betaine

Betaine is highly purified sugar beet extract and chemically speaking an amino acid derivative. In skincare it hydrates and conditions skin.

Microplastics in cosmetics Q&A

Microplastics are synthetic polymer particles smaller than 5 millimeters that resist (bio)degradation. The legislative definition of microplastics is currently under debate, and it is yet unclear which cosmetic ingredients will fall under the definition. In skincare, microplastics are typically used as skinfeel enhancers, thickeners and stabilisers or in the case of microbeads, to add mechanical exfoliating properties to the product. Our chemist Jaana fills you in.

There is no such thing as a chemical free skincare product

If you can touch a skincare product, it's all chemicals. Our chemist Jaana explains why there is no such thing as chemical-free and why chemicals aren't dangerous.

Ingredients: Liquorice root

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a humectant and skin conditioner found in our Balancing Essence. A real skincare multi-tasker, dipotassium glycyrrhizate is the dipotassium salt of glycyrrhizic acid derived from liquorice root.

Ingredients: What is a humectant?

What actually hydrates skin in a skincare product? Answer: humectants, i.e. hydrating substances that attract water to skin. Our chemist Jaana breaks it down for you.

How to recycle our packaging

Our packaging philosophy is fairly simple - we prioritise practical design and recyclable materials. That's why we opt for aluminium and glass, with a minimum of plastic, for materials.

Ingredients: Sidestreams

We strive to use as locally and sustainably produced ingredients as possible, always going for quality, safety and efficacy of our products. We use use time and effort on sustainable sourcing. In our formulations, we use a few ingredients that are actually sidestreams from other industries, such as poppy seed oil and raspberry seed oil, making them great choices also from a sustainability angle.

Sensitive and problem skin routine update: Fall

It's time to update your skincare routine for fall. The weather is changing and so should your skincare routine. The windier, slightly cooler weather your skin gets exposed to in the fall calls for some extra care. We caught up with seasoned skin therapist Jessica Delst at Kuulas Helsinki and asked her what happens in the skin when the temperature drops and how we should adjust our skincare routines as the season changes.

Ingredients: Preservatives in skincare

It’s debatable whether or not Benjamin Franklin really said that wine makes us wise, but it is a fact that germs really require just one thing to grow, and that's water. So, any cosmetic product containing water usually needs an appropriate preservation system in order to be stable and safe to use. Still, preservatives in cosmetics sometime get an unjustly bad rap. Read on for our chemist Jaana breakdown on preservatives in skincare.

Ingredients: Raspberry seed oil

Rubus Idaeus seed oil, i.e raspberry seed oil, is a popular natural oil used in skincare and one of the four oils in our Face Oil for sensitive and problem skin. One of its key benefits in skincare is its ability to soothe skin. Raspberry seed oil is obtained by pressing raspberry seeds and is not to be confused with the raspberry essential oil used in aromatherapy.

What is the skin’s microbiome?

The microbiome in general is the genetic material of all the microbes, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses, that live on and inside the human body. But what is the skin microbiome? Our chemist Jaana breaks it down for you.

Ingredient: Xylitol

Xylitol is one of our favourite skin hydrating and conditioning ingredients. Read on for more on why we love this plant-derived sugar so much!

How we source our ingredients

All Laponie of Scandinavia products are developed in our own lab in Espoo, Finland. Having an in-house lab allows for us to manage and control the entire R&D process from the very beginning, including the sourcing and testing of raw materials.

How we pack our products

Our packaging philosophy is fairly simple - we prioritise practical design and recyclable materials. That's why we for 12/13 products opt for 100 ml or less when it comes to size, and aluminium and glass, with a minimum of plastic, for materials.

13 ways to use our All-Around Balm

Sometimes you want a product that does it all. Our award winning All-Around Balm tries its best – with an almost matte finish. Formulated for sensitive and problem skin without any fragrance or preservatives, it's a staple when skin acts up. Like all our products it's vegan and plant-based, with a minimum of ingredients.

Ingredients: Oat kernel oil

Oat kernel oil is an excellent choice in skincare for especially sensitive and problem skin. It has a nearly 50/50 balance of oleic and linoleic acids, rarely causes any adverse reactions or clogging, and softens and soothes skin.

The balance between hydration and oil in skincare

We often get asked what a basic skincare routine should look like. For us, it consists of three steps – cleanse, hydrate and finally care. This means a routine with products that (after cleansing) contain both humectants and oils. Read on for more!

Ingredients: Bisabolol

Bisabolol is the soothing, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial star in our All-Around Balm. Bisabolol is a commonly used skincare ingredient, and has many perks for sensitive and problem skin.

Ingredients: Fatty alcohols and their use in skincare

Made from fatty acids, fatty alcohols are commonly used in cosmetics as thickening agents and co-emulsifiers. They are not the same as alcohol, and no, they are not dangerous. Read on and let our chemist Jaana educate you.

Wedding glow for sensitive and problem skin

We at Laponie adore weddings and multifunctional, versatile skincare products, so what’s better than combining these two! Presenting: our best tips for sensitive and problem skinned brides (and grooms) on their big day. Keep reading for our fave easy beauty tips!

Ingredients: Ectoin

With it's soothing and hydrating properties, ectoin is one of our favourite multi-tasking ingredients for sensitive and problem skin. Read on to learn more about it and in which products we use it.

Ingredients: Poppy seed oil

Poppy seed oil has excellent skin barrier recovery properties, and is especially suitable for sensitive skin. The oil is obtained by lightly pressing the seeds of the White Poppy.

Sensitive and problem skin ABC

Caring for sensitive skin and problem skin can be a daunting task - we know. That's why we put together a simple ABC to get you started.

Why are fragrance-free products more gentle on skin?

Fragrances, be they natural or synthetic, contain some of the most potent allergens around. As a result, a fragrance free skincare product, i.e. a product that lacks ingredients that are classified as fragrances, may have a lower risk for allergy and irritation. Our chemist Jaana explains

Creating the Laponie logo: meet Emelie Cheng

Our logo is the work of talented graphic designer Emelie Cheng. We talked to her about how the logo came to life, the symbolism in the Laponie of Scandinavia logo and how it interprets our no-nonsense approach to skincare.

Skincare Guide