Founder's Story: Elle
My story begins with skin cancer, a trip to Iceland, + a forever-changed perspective…
2016/2017: The year that transformed my life
If you asked me at 28 if I would have a skin cancer, followed by MOHS Surgery, and a now perpetual fear of the sun, I would’ve said maybe… but not under 30 years old. Surprisingly this actually does happen, and it happened to me.
I’ve had red, reactive, allergic skin my entire life. My skin has been quite a main focus, and to say I’m diligent and careful is to say the least. But this was entirely different, this was a feeling that my body had processes that I wasn't even the slightest aware of. So, after about a year of skin stress and surgery I needed a new perspective, I needed to be around something that was bigger than everything else so far.
ICELAND
We jumped on a red eye from NYC to Reykjavik, and the first stop, without a wink of sleep, was the Blue Lagoon, and I knew it.
You ever get that feeling that you haven’t truly taken a breath in a while?
Iceland was a cool, clear breath that I hadn’t taken in far too long.
Research had brought me here, to find the natural properties of the landscape. To reconnect with the water, air and minerals and my experience was transformative, to say the least. I immersed myself into the dense blue water of the hot spring, felt the volcanic ash crunch beneath my grip and breathed the chilling arctic air. Without a doubt, I had been transformed.
MISSION + ETHOS
I credit this pivotal point in my journey to the creation of COSM RESEARCH. At this stage in my life I want the purest, cleanest, + most minimal formulations as possible. I want to innovate formulas and change the way skincare is created. The fresh air swept me into a clear perspective to research, develop and engineer exactly what someone like me was looking for. Remove all of the excess, the noise, and combine truly simple, clean ingredients.
My Iceland experience transformed, not only my skin, but my outlook on the entire skincare industry. I too can be an agent of change and this is where I started.
Bio: Elle is a researcher and educator in STEM. She is currently studying for her certification in Immunology for applications to reactive, allergic skin types.
She knows all too well how dramatic skin can impact your daily routine. She does the research, development and engineering for every individual out there that's just like her!
