Björk and Berries: Vegan cosmetics, scented candles and…

Björk and Berries’ products are produced locally in Sweden. The brand says it works with partners who adhere to some of the strictest policies in the world when it comes to people and the environment. It is not clear exactly who these partners are. However, all products are made according to the brand’s own “Ecoluxury Criteria”. That means producing them friendly to skin, people, animals and nature. In doing so, the brand looks for ingredients that have been used in Sweden for centuries. They say they source locally as much as possible and strive to preserve Scandinavian flora!

The family’s farm, Fäviken, in northern Sweden is a special place for Björk and Berries. Here they have their own mountain garden where they grow a few select ingredients and experiment with plants and herbs. The beauty of the deep forests and mountains is a daily inspiration for the brand.

At Björk and Berries, they value protecting Swedish nature and the environment. To ensure that all of Björk and Berries’ products are safe and natural, they use their “Ecoluxury Criteria”. ECO here, according to the brand, means “a careful selection of the most powerful ingredients nature has to offer to develop clean, non-toxic formulas that are kind to skin, people, animals and nature”.

For most products, 95 – 100% of the ingredients are of natural origin. For perfumes, this is 80 – 89%. In addition, 10 – 100% of all ingredients are certified organic. However, this does not apply to the bath salts. The percentages of natural and certified organic ingredients are listed on each individual product and on the product page.

The Eau de Parfums are made from organically fermented alcohol derived from waste plant extracts from the food industry, such as sugar beets. The scented candles are made from 100% natural and vegan wax. The products are free of parabens, silicones and sulfates, mineral oils, PEG, and preservatives such as SLS/SLES and MI. However, certain products, such as the body serum, do contain benzyl salicylate, a water pollutant. The shampoo contains Phenoxyethanol, an antimicrobial preservative that some scientific studies suggest causes neurotoxic effects. Finally, the brand also has a shimmer oil that contains mica. Much controversy surrounds the mining of this natural mineral that gives a pearlescent sheen.

It is difficult to ascertain how long the chain of Björk and Berries’ products is. They indicate that they buy locally as much as possible, indicating a short chain, but we do not know which exact suppliers are involved. The path the products take may be longer or shorter for each product.

Björk and Berries’ products are cruelty-free by their own admission, but do not have a certificate for this. Almost all products are vegan, except the Rescue Balm and Rescue Cream, which contain animal-tested beeswax. The brand says it is working on updated vegan formulas for these two products.

Björk and Berries is a big fan of slow beauty. They strive to use a minimum amount of ingredients, with maximum effect. Therefore, you only need a small amount to achieve the desired effect. All products are unisex and the brand encourages sharing them with your family or roommates.

The formulas are never rushed; they give themselves time to develop and produce with attention. They call this slow beauty and we at COSH! think that is a very nice value!

Although the brand says it is always clear and transparent about its products and ingredients, there is still room for improvement in this area. It is often unclear where the ingredients for the cosmetics come from and by whom they are made. However, the brand does communicate transparently about the percentage of natural and organic ingredients per product.

Björk and Berries began as a small local project in northern Sweden with a desire to preserve the magic of our nature, its beauty, fragrances and healing properties. CEO Isabelle Lewenhaupt and her family went into the forests to pick leaves and berries, capturing the essence of Swedish flora in their first natural perfume. In doing so, they laid the foundation of what Björk and Berries is today.

Björk, the Swedish word for birch, is also known as the life-giving tree. This is the brand’s signature ingredient and a symbol of our unique nature, where the brand also sources other powerful ingredients, such as sea buckthorn and blueberries. These ingredients are used to make face, hair and body care and perfume. Birch bark is strengthening, softening, firming and purifying.

The brand is constantly working on its mission to preserve and share the magic of Swedish nature and beauty traditions with the world. Sounds good! So at COSH! we were curious to find out how sustainable this so-called ecoluxury skincare and perfume brand is!

Packaging

Björk and Berries strives to always adapt their packaging to the most sustainable options currently available and suitable for their formulas and products. In doing so, a balance between sustainability and functionality is important to the brand. The goal here is to eventually be able to 100% recycle all components.

In 2019, they worked hard on all packaging. All of Björk and Berries’ hand & body washes, lotions and shampoo and conditioner bottles have since been made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and the pumps are made from PP. COSH! is sorry they didn’t opt for a biodegradable version here. However, the brand is changing all product packaging for face and body to glass or aluminum! The paper boxes are made from 100% FSC-certified paper. This allows us to assume that the paper comes from sustainable forestry. Finally, they are trying to reduce packaging and make the products smarter and more multifunctional.

Björk & Berries is inspired by the birch tree and uses the water and extract of the birch leaf for its moisturizing and nourishing benefits. Worldwide, the body serum, with 99.9 percent natural ingredients and 75 percent organic ingredients, is public favorite. If you are also curious about products with healing and cleansing properties of the birch tree, check the map below for Björk and Berries points of sale.