Meet the Botanical Company Disrupting Traditional Skincare
By • August 11, 2022 0 3252
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Summary: Persica Skincare is the first skincare company to seamlessly integrate ancient history, ethics, and science as its pillars. Its formulations are inspired by ancient Persia and the historic Silk Road, and backed by modern science. Based in D.C., Persica Skincare is disrupting the marketing-led and synthetic-based model of traditional skincare.
Persica Skincare is a D.C.-based botanical and saffron skincare company that champions Biophilic Skincare™, the principle that your skin thrives in closeness to nature. “I remember when a beauty company cosmetic chemist revealed that her R&D team took a backseat to marketing during meetings,” recalls Persica Skincare founder Elika Eftekhari. “That was when I realized there was something very wrong with the skincare industry.” Eftekhari spent the next four years studying the chemistry and biology of botanical skincare.
As Persica Skincare took shape, it disrupted the traditional, synthetic skincare model. Persica Skincare is plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free, and free of petroleum derivatives, synthetics, artificial fragrance, and endocrine disruptors. Instead of water, surfactants, and preservatives, Persica Skincare focuses on anhydrous (oil-based) skincare. “I worked as an international trade lawyer for over a decade, across dozens of industries. Skincare stood out as led by marketing over science and safety. It was time to disrupt that,” Eftekhari says. “Skincare was cagey. Advertising adeptly drew attention away from the ingredient label. I thought, OK, let’s be transparent,” Eftekhari explains.
Eftekhari initially planned to sell exclusively to estheticians and dermatologists. When Covid-19 arose, Persica Skincare converted to a retail website. “I remember when my web developer said he could remove bad reviews if I wanted. I was shocked, but it made sense. There’s no requirement to show all reviews. I finally knew why so many companies had only top-rated products. Everything deepened my resolve to create a brand with unwavering ethics,” says Eftekhari.
Eftekhari’s love of nature underlies Persica Skincare. “We don’t use palm oil, propolis, or beeswax. We have the most stringent standards of ‘clean’ and ‘green’ beauty I’ve seen. I designed them myself, tapping into my legal training to avoid greenwashing,” explains Eftekhari. Persica Skincare also does not pay for certifications. “I used to write certifications. I have yet to see one with a complete ethical scope, so I created Persica Skincare’s Ingredient Pledge™ instead,” Eftekhari explains.
Her legal background helped her ensure an eco-conscious supply chain. “We don’t use avocado oil made from Mexican avocados, because of human rights and drug trafficking concerns,” explains Eftekhari. “Our shea butter comes from cooperatives where women oversee the entire product life cycle, not hand off nuts to industrial producers for a fraction of their value,” she adds.
Persica Skincare derives its inspiration from ancient Persia and the historic Silk Road. “In 2018, I began researching ancient Persian and Silk Road medicinal and therapeutic practices,” says Eftekhari. “Modern science now evidences how plant-based ingredients and saffron rejuvenate skin, nurture the microbiome, stimulate cell turnover, facilitate wound healing, and reduce UV-damage, to name a few,” says Eftekhari.
Community service and non-profit support is also an ethical mandate. On August 20, Persica Skincare is co-hosting a popup and fundraiser at the Rag & Bone stores on M Street. Enjoy champagne, truffles, and skincare – 15% of all Persica Skincare and Rag & Bone sales on August 20 will be donated to Moms Against Poverty.
Learn more at www.persicaskincare.com. Follow @persicaskincare.
