Simply Luxurious

Nude, one of the UK’s latest eco-friendly skin care brands to launch in the U.S., uses the bare minimum in packaging to complement the “less is more” philosophy of its premium products.

By Jamie Matusow, Editor

When Bryan Meehan was CEO of Fresh & Wild food stores in the UK, he observed that although the quality of organic and natural foods had evolved dramatically over the past decade, the same could not be said of natural skin care products. So, when he sold Fresh & Wild to Whole Foods in 2004, he set out to do for skin care what he had done for food. Meehan’s goal was to develop a premium skin care brand that would not only work well and look beautiful, but would also reduce materials, pollution and waste. Believing that skin is more beautiful without, Nude prides itself on being free from the chemicals you would rather your body didn’t absorb. “Nude is all about having your body in balance,” says Meehan, “then your skin will take care of itself.”

He partnered with his long-time friends, Ali and Paul (Bono of the band U2) Hewson, as Ali had the rights to the name Nude (it’s the reverse spelling of Edun, her high-end organic clothing line). The unisex skin care line—which includes cleansers, hydrating water, moisturizers and body lotion—was developed without parabens, sulphates, PEGs, propylene glycol, TEA, DEA, phthalates, mineral oil, silicones, GM and potential carcinogens. Nude uses organic ingredients whenever possible, including some that are fair trade or community traded.

Stripping Away the Packaging Layers

Nude products come scantily clad—without outer cartons or excess frills. Instead, bottles and tubs in organic shapes are colored in appealing “barely there” shades from pale berry to mineral gray, and shrink-wrapped in transparent sleeves made of biodegradable starch. All packaging is recyclable and the company is working to make it biodegradable as well. Meehan says the packaging took about 2 1/2 years to develop, due to the complexities involved in using post-industrial recycled plastic. Bottles are made of Type 5 PP, a plastic that’s relatively easy to separate during the recycling process because it floats to the surface. It’s also the only material suitable for the airless packaging necessary to reduce the level of preservatives in Nude’s products.

Nude will soon introduce a line of oral supplements to augment its skin treatments and further balance the body, as well as launch a limited range of men’s items such as shaving cream. Nude products are available worldwide at www.nudeskincare.com and in the U.S., at Barneys New York. Prices range from $14-$100.