The Luxury “FARM-TO-FACE” Skincare Brand That Believes Less Is More

Sabine G Holistics has Changed the Face of Natural Skincare

Originally crafted exclusively for addressing skin concerns of clients in a Holistic Studio, Sabine G Holistics is now available countrywide.

Sabine G creates luxury, “farm-to-face” skincare, and while doing so, the green brand has been questioning some of the very principles of the beauty industry. Due to their overwhelming success in the beauty industry since 2008, now a private Indie Skincare Co, their philosophy on skincare should make you rethink the industry status quo.

Descending from German parents who had a love for African soil, founder and CEO, Sabine Groenewald, created a brand whose philosophy begins and ends with the earth.

Continuously questioning the norms of society with an inquisitive, alternative mindset, she thinks beyond the “maximalist” paradigm in skincare that fuels rapid consumption and product innovation as part of complex, elaborate beauty regimens. “We do not believe in an endless cycle of ‘new,’ which [creates] confusion for the customer and their skin. We believe in products that have such deep communication with the skin, that they become the products you never want to live without,” Groenewald says.

Sabine G Holistics bypasses the trend cycle altogether, creating just a handful of hero products to create your regimen, which they focus on making perfectly. This has meant committing to quality over quantity, and the brand has since grown, thrived, and cultivated a reputation that precedes them within beauty’s inner circle. Here’s what they are doing differently.

Skinimalism Versus Maximalism: The Skincare Debate

Just like ‘fast fashion,’ the frenzied pace at which corporate skincare brands launch new products (as quickly as we can try them) poses environmental and ethical concerns. From the waste created, to mass methods of cultivation, and the sourcing of ingredients from cotton to Mica, to Talc, the modern, conscious consumer prefers brands that source, formulate, and create more mindfully than in the past.

This is because an emphasis on “new” and “more” is simply not sustainable. Groenewald is appalled with these brand strategies that capitalize upon insecurities about doing enough for your skincare regimens (the Social media “Shelfie” Hype to name one). “So much of the beauty world is built around the idea that more is better, and that if you aren’t doing a 16-step routine, [then] you aren’t ‘taking care of yourself,'” she says. “I can go on about how each product has a negative impact on the environment to manufacture. Why on earth do you need an entire product for one ingredient such as Niacinamide for example? We use Niacinamide in our Hydra Mists as one of the ingredients. It can only be used in a maximum percentage of 10% in any given product, why do you need an entire serum just for Niacinamide? Consumers are unaware of these facts and it’s very evident that manufacturers are coining in on the lack of consumer knowledge. Multiple single functional products are not necessary, in fact, we strive for minimal multifunctional products.

But what if skincare maximalism is just an elaborate marketing scheme? We have already explored the ways that farm-to-table empowers individual and community wellness, and Sabine G is the beauty counterpart — a farm-to-face brand that provides skincare-lovers with an alternative route, embracing the notion that less is more.

Quality Over Quantity

Sabine G Holistics prioritizes small, fresh, mindfully made batches rather than mass-produced SKUs. “I come from a German engineering family, where the term precision is a way of life and meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship is expected,” she explains. “Short cuts are not allowed, and I believe that to make the finest of anything, you must begin with the highest quality raw materials.”

The brand’s founding philosophy considers nature’s botanicals to be “the finest ingredients in the world” and maximizes their synergistic potency through an aging process “Our skincare philosophy rests in a deep respect for the ancient wisdom and transformative power of plants,” she explains, noting that their botanicals are infused in a temperature-controlled environment for seven weeks before their products are made. The end product comprising of over sixty vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytoceramides (plant-derived ceramides), amino acids, omegas, and more on the body’s largest organ: the skin.

Giving Back to the Earth

The skincare brand also makes a point of giving back. “From the beginning of its very first sale, Sabine G Holistics has donated 1% of every purchase to Reforestation projects. “I believe it is our duty to give back — because gratitude means acknowledging all that has been given and joyfully giving in return.”

The brand’s core philosophy extends to its sustainability initiatives regarding sourcing, packaging, and a commitment not to test on animals. Sabine G Holistics efforts to reduce their carbon footprint include recycling their own paper to create package inserts and growing their own botanicals on the premises. Two initiatives that focus on reducing their use of post-consumer recycled or renewable materials and keeping ingredients organic and fresh.

“We know which choice is better for our bodies, our environment, and our communities,” Groenewald explains of naturally-derived, whole foods — sources of nutrients not just for our bodies, but also the skin. “Not only do we want to have a positive impact on our skin, but also on our world, and this starts with our less is more philosophy … fewer products are needed, fewer are produced, and less natural resources are utilized.”

Skin-mimalism, The Earth, and Wellness

Wellness is not simply about buying something new that's good for you; it is about utilizing what you already have, from recycling to upcycling to consuming and wasting less. And self-care is, in large part, a mindset adopted while indulging in pauses set aside for wellness. This consciousness of using less to honour the earth is part of what you support when you buy from this “skinimalist” brand. Through their sustainability-minded business model and conscious craftsmanship of their products, they prove that paradoxically, it is possible to do more for your skin, the community, and the planet, all by using less.

Interview By: Laurie Nash