A journey in every jar

Unders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg launched what would become the Fresh brand from a small apothecary-style store in Boston.  Their goal was to deliver beauty products that feel indulgent, smell inviting and harness the power of natural ingredients without sacrificing performance. 

What began as hand-wrapped soaps evolved into a full skincare line rooted in ancient rituals and global botanicals.  The founders drew on traditions like sugars scrubs, sake-soaked baths and Umbrian clay masks and paired them with modern sensorial textures and scientific formulations.  By 2000, Fresh had caught the eye of the luxury conglomerate LVMH, which signaled the brand’s shift from niche to global prestige.

Fresh has always leaned into recognizable ingredients like soy protein, rose water, sake extract, Umbrian clay and black tea complex.  The brand not only uses them as ingredients but builds the story behind them.  For example, the iconic Fresh Soy Face Cleanser features amino-acid rich soy and cucumber extract, designed as a gentle but effective cleanser.

Using a Fresh product often feels less like a quick step and more like a self-care ritual, with mousse textures, floral scents, rich creams and elegant packaging.  The brand built itself not only on effectiveness but on the feel, the smell and the moment.  Even their tagline, “A Journey in Every Jar” highlights their commitment to creating high-quality, ingredient-driven, unique products that are like a journey of discovery for the user.    

While Fresh emphasizes natural ingredients, it does not shy away from science.  Their site declares: “over 200 highly specialized experts from skin biologists and botanists to sensorial scientists take up to three years to thoughtfully formulate each of our products. 

The skincare market today demands more than luxury: it demands transparency, sustainability, science-backing and digital access.  Fresh has taken concrete steps in each of these areas.

Even before “clean beauty” became a buzzword, Fresh was already working with natural ingredients and committing to ethical sourcing.  For example, the brand launched a sustainable platform called Forever Fresh around its 30^th anniversary, with multiple benefits, including 100% recyclable or recycled packaging by 2023, net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and a partnership to support sourcing communities. One real-world example:  Fresh partnered with the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) to implement ethical sourcing in communities in Mauritius (for a tea-derived serum) demonstrating ingredient transparency and ecological responsibility. 

Fresh continues to release new technologies while keeping its ingredient-led story.  The Kombucha essence is a good example of this by tapping into ferment-beauty trends while staying true to their botanical narrative.  The Black Tea Renewal line adds peptides and modern actives to the brand’s legacy of botanicals. 

Originally rooted in Boston, Fresh now sells in more than 25 countries and has a presence in multiple retail channels, online and offline.  It also keeps up with digital marketing, influencer interest and global skincare trends.

While some Fresh products are in the premium price tier, they still offer “entry-luxury” options (like the Soy Cleanser) to allow new customers to access the brand experience.  This balance helps Fresh bring in younger users while retaining luxury consumers.    

Is fresh for you?  Let’s look at the pros and cons:

Pros

• A credible legacy with over 30 years in the beauty industry with integrity.
• A natural + science framework that offers botanical ingredients wrapped in researched formulas.
• An evolving brand that keeps up with sustainability, modern actives and clean sourcing.
• A broad product range from gentle entry products to high-performance serums.

Cons

• If you value minimalism with ultra-clean, no fragrance formulas, you may prefer something more understated.
• Some products may have too rich a texture and fragrance for those with sensitive skin types.
• The price point may be a factor for some.  $26 for a lip balm may seem expensive at first glance, but when you factor in that Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment not only moisturizes and protects lips, but plumps, smooths and adds color, it becomes clear that this multitasking gem does the work of several products you would otherwise have to purchase separately.

Fresh offers a wide range of luxury skincare, body care, lip care and fragrance products.  Here are a few of the brand’s standouts:   

unders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg launched what would become the Fresh brand from a small apothecary-style store in Boston.  Their goal was to deliver beauty products that feel indulgent, smell inviting and harness the power of natural ingredients without sacrificing performance. 

What began as hand-wrapped soaps evolved into a full skincare line rooted in ancient rituals and global botanicals.  The founders drew on traditions like sugars scrubs, sake-soaked baths and Umbrian clay masks and paired them with modern sensorial textures and scientific formulations.  By 2000, Fresh had caught the eye of the luxury conglomerate LVMH, which signaled the brand’s shift from niche to global prestige.

Fresh has always leaned into recognizable ingredients like soy protein, rose water, sake extract, Umbrian clay and black tea complex.  The brand not only uses them as ingredients but builds the story behind them.  For example, the iconic Fresh Soy Face Cleanser features amino-acid rich soy and cucumber extract, designed as a gentle but effective cleanser.

Using a Fresh product often feels less like a quick step and more like a self-care ritual, with mousse textures, floral scents, rich creams and elegant packaging.  The brand built itself not only on effectiveness but on the feel, the smell and the moment.  Even their tagline, “A Journey in Every Jar” highlights their commitment to creating high-quality, ingredient-driven, unique products that are like a journey of discovery for the user.    

While Fresh emphasizes natural ingredients, it does not shy away from science.  Their site declares: “over 200 highly specialized experts from skin biologists and botanists to sensorial scientists take up to three years to thoughtfully formulate each of our products. 

The skincare market today demands more than luxury: it demands transparency, sustainability, science-backing and digital access.  Fresh has taken concrete steps in each of these areas.

Even before “clean beauty” became a buzzword, Fresh was already working with natural ingredients and committing to ethical sourcing.  For example, the brand launched a sustainable platform called Forever Fresh around its 30^th anniversary, with multiple benefits, including 100% recyclable or recycled packaging by 2023, net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and a partnership to support sourcing communities. One real-world example:  Fresh partnered with the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) to implement ethical sourcing in communities in Mauritius (for a tea-derived serum) demonstrating ingredient transparency and ecological responsibility. 

Fresh continues to release new technologies while keeping its ingredient-led story.  The Kombucha essence is a good example of this by tapping into ferment-beauty trends while staying true to their botanical narrative.  The Black Tea Renewal line adds peptides and modern actives to the brand’s legacy of botanicals. 

Originally rooted in Boston, Fresh now sells in more than 25 countries and has a presence in multiple retail channels, online and offline.  It also keeps up with digital marketing, influencer interest and global skincare trends.

While some Fresh products are in the premium price tier, they still offer “entry-luxury” options (like the Soy Cleanser) to allow new customers to access the brand experience.  This balance helps Fresh bring in younger users while retaining luxury consumers.    

Is fresh for you?  Let’s look at the pros and cons:

Pros

• A credible legacy with over 30 years in the beauty industry with integrity.
• A natural + science framework that offers botanical ingredients wrapped in researched formulas.
• An evolving brand that keeps up with sustainability, modern actives and clean sourcing.
• A broad product range from gentle entry products to high-performance serums.

Cons

• If you value minimalism with ultra-clean, no fragrance formulas, you may prefer something more understated.
• Some products may have too rich a texture and fragrance for those with sensitive skin types.
• The price point may be a factor for some.  $26 for a lip balm may seem expensive at first glance, but when you factor in that Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment not only moisturizes and protects lips, but plumps, smooths and adds color, it becomes clear that this multitasking gem does the work of several products you would otherwise have to purchase separately.

Fresh offers a wide range of luxury skincare, body care, lip care and fragrance products.  Here are a few of the brand’s standouts:   

For questions, concerns, or article ideas, feel free to reach out to our eCosmetics Beauty Editor directly at beauty@ecosmetics.com