From Korean fast beauty to French haute couture, when one thinks of skincare, the UK isn’t usually top of mind. But with a religious commitment to sustainability, one brand is looking to change that. We take a look at what makes this British skincare brand.
Launched in 2021, Pelegrims is the brainchild of natural formulator Alex Verier, formerly of Haeckels, and sommelier-trained Jérôme Moisan. A sustainable skincare line made with quintessential British craftsmanship, the Pelegrims’ skincare line all feature Grape Seed Oil and Extracts at the heart of each formulation.
Pelegrims embraces the perfect-imperfection of life, the wabi-sabi if you will, and the virtues of patience in carefully handcrafting each bottle. Produced in their lab south of Pilgrims Way in Kent, from which it lends its name, at Pelegrims, there is no plan or target, just a trust in nature to dictate, and a dedication to quality and sustainability in every bottle.
The Skincare Benefits of Grapes
Formulating skincare products from fruit isn’t a particularly novel concept but while citrus and berries are most often mentioned, Grapes or Vinis Vinifera, is one that we don’t talk about quite enough. But grapes are an excellent source of nutrients like Vitamin C and E, Potassium and natural Polyphenols and Resveratrol that can deliver a whole host of skin benefits such as:
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Protecting against sun damage. While you shouldn’t be skipping your SPF, Grape Seed Oil and Extracts have compounds that help reduce redness and protect your skin against sun damage. Perfect for sunny, tropical climates like Singapore.
- Reducing signs of ageing. Grape Seed Oil and Extracts possess high antioxidant activity that not only help prevent but can also treat signs of premature ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone.
- Treating and preventing acne breakouts. Possessing anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties, Grape Seed Oil and Extracts can be an effective treatment for those red and painful pimples and pastules.
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Keeping skin balanced and hydrated. Grape Seed Oil contains high levels of Linoleic Acid, an essential fatty acid that strengthens the skin barrier, and also contains Vitamin E that prevents moisture loss and improves elasticity.
Pelegrims uses the nutrient-dense residue from the winemaking process which is then refined into their signature ingredient. The grape residue, consisting of the remaining pulp, seeds and skin, not only contains high concentrations of nutrients and antioxidants, but by repurposing it, it reduces the impact on the environment during production.
Strong Commitment to Sustainability
As part of its sustainability efforts, Pelegrims partners with a single vineyard, Westwell Wines, famed for its low intervention approach which aims to reduce its impact on the environment through biodynamic farming methods. “Sustainability is hugely important to us, so using waste products from the winemaking process are at the core of our brand and our future research.” explains Alex.
Most of the other natural ingredients like Kent Cherry, Raspberry and Pumpkin are sourced locally to ensure quality while reducing carbon emissions in transportation. Even its production laboratory is located in the region and within 20km of Westwell Wines and Pelegrims aims to eventually source all its ingredients within the UK.
Rather than being driven by profits and growth, it is this commitment to quality and sustainability, down to its selection of supply chain partners to the recyclable packaging, also made in Kent, that sets it apart from the fast beauty and mass market offerings that seemingly wants to sell us products at any cost.
Hand Made, Small Batch, With Love…
With their laboratory located within Kent, one other benefit of being close to source is the convenience that it has afforded to Alex and Jérôme to monitor the harvests and the quality of the materials that go into Pelegrims’ products. “We are lucky to have easy access, knowing exactly what goes into the products and how the magic happens. We literally see the process all the way through from seed (vine) to bottled product!” explains Alex.
Having put in over a year into the research and development and carefully selecting the ingredients that go into each bottle, the products are then handmade in the laboratory in small batches using only the best ingredients to assure quality and performance - an important step to ensure consistency especially when working with natural ingredients and truly a labour of love.
Just as thousands of pilgrims in the middle ages journeyed along Pilgrims Way to Canterbury to pray and seek help for their problems, Pelegrims offers a different path to those who might seek an alternative and more sustainable solution to our skin woes. At the forefront of clean and sustainable beauty, Pelegrims delivers high quality products that also provide a touch of understated luxury and is now exclusively available in Asia at www.asianbeautyx.com.
About the writer
Rachel spent five ascetic years as a vegetarian before discovering spicy chicken wings are, in fact, a delicacy. She’s also a bit of a snob about fancy whiskey. Rachel writes early in the morning, then spends the rest of the day trying to impress her Maine Coon.
