Brand Spotlight: fjor

We know the grooming world can be rather overwhelming when it comes to finding the right products for you. If there is a simple way to improve our skin, we are fully invested at Humanery. There is no need to make it complicated as we have enough to think about in our daily lives, without worrying if the products we are using are actually working for our skin type.

Nordic brand, fjor, is striving to make skincare simple but extremely powerful and effective. If you’re someone who doesn’t have time to go through a full skincare routine in the morning, using fjor’s Hydrolytic Serum will act as a multi-tasker for your skin. Hydration is key, especially as we get a bit older, and fjor’s hero product has been designed using Swedish biotechnology to bring dull skin back to life. When we heard about fjor and that this unique serum can actively help to smooth out our skin, restore pH balance, and prevent the signs of ageing no matter our skin type - all thanks to a powerful protein - we were all ears.

Humanery recently spoke with fjor’s founder, Natalie Enslow, to dig a little deeper into her brand and the wonder behind her science-backed first product launch. We wanted to pick her brain to find out why she ventured into skincare and the ethos behind the brand. 

Natalie Enslow - Founder of fjor

1. Why did you launch your brand fjor?

I was working in a corporate role before I started fjor, at a luxury watch company. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from a renowned brand, but I had a nagging sense of millennial-esque meaning that I needed to explore and fulfil. I wanted to make people feel good about themselves, to give a sense of not only comfort in someone’s skin but also confidence. Not that watches aren’t great, but I felt as if I wanted to venture off on my own and pave my own path, cliché I know, but it’s the truth. All things considered, I was not the best equipped to start my own business but I knew if I didn’t try now, there wasn’t a time I could see in the distant future that would make more sense.

fjor is an amalgamation of different aspects of my life and personality: it’s inspired by my nordic roots and my somewhat lazy nature of wanting the best products to do the most in the fewest number of skincare steps possible. Who doesn’t love an extra couple of minutes of sleep in the morning? Most importantly, it comes from watching the people that I love be affected by skin irritation. It’s incredible to me that we’ve become so dependent on products to replace the skin’s functionality and subsequently seeing that the skin can lose its way leading to certain irritation. That’s why we are here, to discover the power in doing less but with the best ingredients possible; to look after the skin’s microbiome and getting you to look and feel 10/10. 

2. What does fjor mean?

The word fjor (originally written as fjör) originates from Iceland and has a symbolic meaning of life, vitality and merriment. It encompasses the Nordic heritage and influences of the brand, signalling simplicity, quality, and effectiveness. It’s not the name we originally had in mind, but I’m so glad that it is the name that we stuck with.

3. What are your hero ingredients and why are they good ingredients for men's skincare?

Our hero product, the hydrolytic serum, features 4 key ingredients: the hydrolytic enzyme, collagen, peptides, and hyaluronic acid.

The hydrolytic enzyme is a world’s first. Pioneered by our biotech partners, they’ve worked on cutting edge enzyme tech to support the skin’s natural microbiome. The enzyme has three core functions: firstly, it helps to balance the bacteria ecosystem on the skin – it gets rid of the excess microbes (bad bacteria) and helps the good bacteria to thrive; secondly it improves the efficacy of other active ingredients around it and supercharges them e.g. hyaluronic acid, collagen and peptides; and lastly it’s extremely hydrating. That’s three very important qualities found in one powerful ingredient.

The rest are more widely known: hyaluronic acid replenishes the skin’s moisture and suppleness for maximum anti-aging effects, collagen rejuvenates skin cells; improves skin hydration; and minimises wrinkles, and peptides aid the synthesis of collagen.

4. What is your skincare routine and why have you chosen this routine?

I love my ultra-simple routine. Currently, I only use 2 products every day: our hydrolytic serum and an SPF. Tallying up those two products, I’m putting a measly sub-40 ingredients list on my skin every day.

In the morning, I give my face a wash with some water, followed by 1-2 drops of the hydrolytic serum and then broad spectrum (that means UVA + UVB protecting) SPF.

In the evening, I use a microfibre cloth and some warm water to wash off the day’s residue and gently exfoliate my skin, followed by 1-2 drops of the hydrolytic serum. That’s me done for the day - remarkably simple. 

5. What is your recommendation to a man just getting started with skincare? What should they do and why?

Listen, skincare nowadays is a minefield – we recognised that and wanted to lead with our simplest, most straightforward product. Less is more.

You’ve probably gotten away with splashing your skin with water up until now, which is great – but you’re probably entering a headspace where you’d like to preserve your skin as you age and keep it hydrated. That’s where we come in.

Some tips: get to know what you’re putting on your face, and look at the ingredients carefully. Get an app, like Yuka, and learn to scan things.

6. What is your mantra for self-care? How do you get that “magical” feeling with your own self-care rituals?

I’ll say it time in and time out, simplicity is key. My magical feeling lies with seeing incredible results in such a few steps. Getting ready in the morning has never been easier. 

7. Finally, do you have any resolutions for 2023 to share?

Find time for creativity and inspiration.

It feels so easy to slip into the rhythm of life: to spend the days ticking away with to-do lists, calls and finding time to go to the gym. I want to challenge myself to spend more time wandering the likes of the creative field. Spend more time going to galleries, reading more, attending talks across various scopes, and going to more concerts.

People spend years developing their craft, and I need to stop hesitating to take the time away from work to go out, appreciate it, and learn from it. I want to develop fjor in a creative and inspiring way.

If the customer reviews are anything to go by, we can’t wait to see what else fjor will be bringing to the table in the future. For now, we highly recommend introducing the Hydrolytic Serum into your grooming arsenal. As Natalie has shown, this product packs a punch on its own but, if you wish, you can also use it alongside your other favourite products. This is powerful skincare in its purest form.