Meet Irene Forte, the Artisan of Natural Mediterranean Skincare

Irene Forte’s skincare brand seamlessly combines Mediterranean traditions with modern luxury, offering a holistic approach to beauty and well-being. With a focus on natural ingredients and sustainable practices, Irene Forte’s formulations integrate organic botanicals, nourishing oils, and minerals for a skincare experience that transcends surface beauty. Notably, the brand’s collaboration with Dr. Francesca Ferri, a distinguished nutritionist with 35 years of skincare research and development expertise, elevates the range to new heights. This partnership underscores Irene Forte’s commitment to excellence, infusing the products with a deep understanding of skin health and overall wellness. Through this unique blend of tradition, luxury, and cutting-edge expertise, Irene Forte has become a symbol of refined beauty, offering a skincare ritual that harmonizes inner and outer radiance.

Skindays: What is your earliest skincare memory?

Irene Forte: I was interested in wellness from a very young age. This started with fitness and healthy eating and developed a little later into beauty. No one in my family was very into skincare, so my most formative skincare memories started when I spent almost a year working at Verdura Resort in Sicily in my early twenties. I was living in the resort and thus there wasn’t much to do in the evening, so I would spend evenings in the spa with the Spa Manager playing with. It was from this point that my passion for skincare developed.

SD: Can you share the story behind launching your eponymous skincare brand?

IF: I had been working at Rocco Forte Hotels for almost a decade, overseeing their spa and wellness offering (amongst a few other things). During that time and through my experience working with the spas, I saw the opportunity for natural and experiential formulations to be improved by scientific insight. I also wanted to create a business with sustainability at its core.

I had the perfect base from which to start a natural line with our organic farm in Sicily, but I knew that I needed a brilliant scientific mind to help me formulate. After a lot of research in Italy, I came across my formulator in early 2014: Dottoressa Francesca Ferri, who had started formulating clean cosmetics and food supplements over 35 years ago. Her philosophy lined up with mine, and I thought that she was the perfect fit to help me bring a ‘natural skincare line made better by the guidance of science’ to life.

She has been recognised by patents and an award in Italy equivalent to a knighthood, and was certainly a pioneer in the use of plant-derived actives to treat skin conditions. I quickly knew that she was the perfect fit for me and the brand.

SD: What has been your most rewarding moment while developing Irene Forte skincare?

IF: There having been many rewarding moments in the development process:

• Meeting Dr. Ferri;
• Choosing ingredients from Sicily and working on the formulas;
• Receiving the exceptional clinical and consumer trial results;
• Working on the branding, such as logos, jars, bottles, boxes, etc;
• Signing spas and retailers, as well as training them and seeing their positive reaction;
• Using and experiencing the final product that I love and am hugely attached to;
• But in short, seeing everything come to fruition.

SD: If you could only take 3 of your products to a desert island, what would they be and why?

IF: I definitely like to use more than three products, so this is a challenge. Either way, I think cleansing properly is a complete game changer for skin. I cannot go without my Almond Cleansing Milk. Pro-Vitamin B5 and Aloe Leaf Juice help hydrate, calm and soothe, while Wild Rose Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Shea soften and nourish.

I also know that my Hibiscus Night Cream would keep my skin healthy and hydrated. We achieved outstanding consumer trial results on this product in just 10 days; skin was more hydrated, looked years younger, healthier and more restored. It contains Myoxinol™ to smooth wrinkles. The Tetra-Ceramide Complex replenishes the skin’s barrier to reduce dryness, while the Green Pea Polypeptides encourage Collagen and Elastin synthesis. Hyaluronic Acid hydrates the skin to full plumpness.

As a third product, I would pick a body moisturiser to keep my body hydrated. I would pick our lightweight White Wine Body Cream. Sicilian Organic White Wine, Hyaluronic Acid, Pro-Vitamin B5 and Beech Bud help hydrate and condition. Vitamin E, Grapeseed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Olive Oil work to support the skin’s natural barrier to environmental stress.

SD: What is the best skincare advice that you’ve personally ever received?

IF: That having good skin is all about having a 360-degree approach to wellness. Since receiving this advice, these are the pillars I have always tried to live by for good skin:

• Sleep: I sleep 8.5 hours per night, and I never jeopardise sleep for work. For great tips on sleep, I read ‘Why We Sleep?’ by Matthew Walker.

SD: Vegan, sustainable and natural skincare brands have been steadily rising in popularity, what sets Irene Forte apart?

IF: The fact that we have been able to achieve outstanding clinical and consumer results with vegan, natural formulations, and without losing sight of sustainability.

SD: What’s next for your brand?

My focus this year is to build on our growing momentum and to continue expanding across the US and Europe. My goal is for Irene Forte Skincare to be recognised as the natural brand that is performance proven, while keeping sustainability at its heart.

We’re working on a number of exciting new product launches. We’re working on our new breakthrough APM™ products that are the crowning achievement of Dr. Ferri’s life work. We’re also launching three consumer-trial-backed body oils to strengthen our body and spa offering. I can’t give too much more away yet!

And generally, I’m just excited about scaling our team and all the various projects we’re working on.

 

SHOP IRENE FORTE