Lohi Wellness / Nature's First Ingredient

Maria Åkerberg on the benefits of clean water

Growing up in a harbour town in southern Sweden, many of my earliest memories are of the sea. Every morning, from early spring to late autumn, I would see people walking through the city in worn-out bathrobes, on their way for a quick swim. Everyday life seemed to revolve around the ocean; we would go swimming, take long walks along the boardwalk, and gather around bonfires on the beach during warm summer evenings.

Interview with skincare expert Maria Åkerberg

When Maria Åkerberg founded her eponymous brand, she already had extensive knowledge of the beneficial qualities of fresh and clean water. In skincare, water is the most important base and is often referred to as “the first ingredient”.

In an interview with Lohi Journal, Maria explains the importance of water quality in her skincare products, stating that, “a high-quality water is one of the most important building blocks in good, natural skincare. We have chosen to emphasize this, in order to offer products that are as clean and sustainable as possible. Our water comes from Lygnern, a lake only a few miles from our production facilities on the Swedish west coast, in the small town Frillesås. Lyngern provides us with some of the purest waters in Sweden, naturally filtrated through the 13,000-year-old stone and rock formations found in Fjärås Bräcka. Thanks to the already naturally high quality of Lyngern’s water, we are able to refine it even further through our rigorous cleansing process, using advanced filters and effective technology. This means that we can include ‘Aqua Purificata’ in our products.” (For those not familiar with the concept, Aqua Purificata is a purified, demineralised water.)

Obviously, skincare products consist of more than merely water. The origin and quality of the other ingredients also play a pivotal role in the effectiveness of the products. Maria Åkerberg shares her views on this aspect, explaining how they work with both local and organic plants: “All of our ingredients have been grown organically, meaning that they haven’t been exposed to any pesticides. Because of this, the plants have developed a protection of their own, so that they have the potential to grow strong and resist external threats, like insects. We can use this protection in our products. We call it a ‘system of self-preservation’. The quality of our water is of absolute importance, as our products only contain completely natural ingredients, without any synthetic preservatives.”

Frillesås, where the company MARIA ÅKERBERG is based, is not far from my hometown. The way she speaks about natural ingredients reminds me of the holistic understanding of nature that I was once taught by my grandparents. Knowledge of what nature offers could in very simple ways be transformed into food and remedies:

“Swedish nature provides many of the plants that have inspired me to create our skin- and hair care, as well as our makeup. My grandmother’s nettle-decoction, for example, inspired me to create our award-winning Schampoo Nettle and Scalp Treatment Nettle. And in our award-winning Face Lotion More, we use red clover to give the skin added support. Honey, beeswax, and seaweed are other examples of locally sourced raw materials. The local fisherman delivers our seaweed! Another example is our Pure Cell Treatment, which is completely unique even from an international perspective; we use live stem-cells from Swedish-grown Roseroot. It jumpstarts the skin’s natural repair processes and is probably the most active formula available in skincare. Using natural and – when possible – Swedish ingredients decreases our climate footprint. When we can’t find local raw materials, we always choose the ones of the highest quality. One example is our fantastic Aloe Vera. It’s delivered to us as a freeze-dried powder, securing its freshness. The result is a small, light delivery of a highly potent Aloe Vera, with maximum effect but with very reduced environmental impact. We also consider our packaging – we were the first in Europe to use bioplastic instead of traditional plastic. All our bottles and tubes are made from bioplastic, produced in Sweden. In our facilities we also have a solution to recycle heat and cold.

As our conversation is coming to an end, we return to the initial subject of water, and the role it plays in MARIA ÅKERBERG’s products. Maria summarizes: “From an international viewpoint, the water that we use is unique. In all products where water is a key component – such as creams, lotions, and toner – the quality of water sets the standard for the entire product, as well as for the end result visible in your complexion.”

Blue Health

According to marine biologist Wallace Nichols, this has less to do with nature’s mysteries and more to do with science. Water covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and make up nearly 70 percent of the human body, which is why our brains will release neurochemicals when we are near water.

Seawater contains potassium, magnesium, chloride and sodium, beneficial for skin and hair (including treatment for eczema) while also fighting infections and reducing inflammations.

The ocean air is also different from inland air – as it has a higher salt content and is thus quite “thick”; as you inhale, it clears your throat and respiratory system, allowing clearer breathing and subsequently also better quality of sleep. The ocean can also restore equilibrium to the soul, as expressed already by the narrator in Herbert Melville’s Moby Dick: 

”Whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off— then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.” 

Even politicians have realized the benefits of being close to water. In 2016, the European Union initiated Blue Health 2020, with the aim to get its citizens to spend more time close to water, so that they can lead healthier and happier lives.

Water can improve the well-being of people, regardless of whether they are living in densely populated cities or in the countryside. Water is the antidot to anxiety and stress, and the sound of waves crashing have been shown to have an almost immediately relaxing effect.

Text: Philip Warkander

Creative Direction: Linda Öhström

Photography: Tomas Falmer