A big part of my job as a beauty editor is to test and review beauty products from new and upcoming brands. While swatching and trying makeup products is fun, testing skincare puts my skin health at risk but those are the perils of the job that I signed up for. From actives to moisturisers, I find everything on my desk but it’s rare to find gems that become an essential part of your daily skincare routine. It, perhaps, is the most appropriate introduction for Farmacy – a sought-after, all-clean skincare brand that’s now an indispensable part of my skincare routine.
Founded in 2015 in New York, Farmacy ticks a lot of the boxes (for me) I consider important while investing in a skincare product. The brand started off with a metal cap that was adding to the carbon footprint, but has now switched to a 50% PCR (Post Consumer Recycled) cap and jar. The ingredients are natural and used fresh from the farm. So, when the brand sent me the PR box a couple of months in advance to try and review the products, I was excited.
Farmacy Honey Halo
My skin is sensitive and reacts instantly to any change in the regular routine. Also, it doesn’t allow me to follow an elaborate routine and therefore, I have to make informed choices. I started using Farmacy’s Honey Halo Ultra-hydrating ceramide moisturiser and given its rich texture, I was worried it would break me out in Mumbai’s humid weather. But I trusted my intuition about the efficacy of the brand and even carried it to my beach holiday. To say that I am obsessed would be putting it mildly.
Honey Halo comes in a glass jar with a wooden and metallic spatula. The cap of the jar has a magnet and the spatula sticks comfortably to it – I am sold on the packaging. If you are someone who is apprehensive of shoving fingers in the jar to scoop out the product and can’t keep count of the number of spatulas you’ve lost, this is a genius hack by the brand.
The ceramide moisturiser has a rich but fast-absorbing texture. The label mentions that the product is for normal to dry skin given its intensive hydrating properties, but it worked for my sensitive and combination skin type. However, I introduced it in my nighttime skincare routine to allow it time to sink in properly. The product is not non-comedogenic making it not suitable for oily or acne-prone skin. Also, it’s a fragrance-free moisturiser and if you are expecting a lingering and soothing experience before bedtime, this isn’t it. The product claims are tall – visibly plump and well-moisturised skin that also works on fine lines – and I’m happy to report that they aren’t false.
Farmacy Green Clean – Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm
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Do you know that it’s Farmacy’s one of the most sought-after product offerings with one unit sold every 15 seconds? To begin with, it deserves that spotlight and here’s why.
Balm-to-oil makeup cleansers don’t work for my skin type; the formula, in past, has caused acne and made the skin oilier. I religiously stick to micellar water and use oil-based cleansers only for waterproof makeup like mascara. Surprisingly, this cleansing balm has been my favourite find from the brand. It doesn’t leave any oily residue behind and I can vouch for it to give me the most squeaky clean the most pigmented product off the skin. If you are someone who likes to double cleanse, you must give this balm a try.
While I enjoyed using the products, I also spoke to the brand’s Senior Vice President – Sales & Education, Paul Connors, about what the Indian consumer should expect from the brand
ELLE: For people who don’t know about the brand’s journey, could you please share what was the milestone moment for Farmacy?
Paul Connors: There have been many brand-changing moments through our journey since we launched in 2015. One of those moments was the launch of our best-selling SKU – Green Clean. With one unit sold every 15 seconds globally, it has become a cult classic makeup remover.
ELLE: What are your thoughts about the Indian beauty industry and plans for Indian consumers?
Paul: We are so excited to bring our mission of cultivating conscious beauty to the Indian market. As a leader in clean and sustainable beauty space, we wanted to meet the demand and interest of Indian consumers.
ELLE: Tell us about the products that are available to Indian consumers.
Paul: For India, we will be bringing Farmacy’s top SKUs that countries from around the world have come to know and love including Green Clean, Honey Halo, Deep Sweep and Honeymoon Glow.
ELLE: How does the brand plan to stay relevant amid equally popular and efficient brands available in the Indian and global markets?
Paul: We continue to grow in an extremely fast-paced beauty industry by staying true to Farmacy’s mission and DNA – delivering innovative and efficacious formulas for communities around the world, and sourcing potent, natural ingredients all while fighting food insecurity.
