Ethical and Sustainable: Sourcing Ingredients

Sourcing Ingredients at the Heidegger Family’s Permaculture Ranch in Malibu, CA

No detail has been overlooked in the creation of Retrouvé – it was brand co-founders Jami and Klaus Heidegger’s vision to marry art and science beautifully to provide for a supremely elegant and unparalleled skincare experience. Wherever possible, we source the highest grade of ingredients on the market from suppliers who have ethical and sustainable business practices and a history of quality. (For example, the squalane that we utilize is plant-based and not derived from animal sources.) We have also been working to source additional ingredients for our luxurious skincare preparations from the founding family’s permaculture farm in Malibu, California.

For the past decade, Klaus has been growing avocados and other produce on the ranch in accordance with the principles of permaculture. Permaculture, a term coined in the late 70s by Australian biologist Bill Mollison, is defined as “the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems.” Permaculture is a sustainable practice that incorporates organic farming, agro-forestry, sustainable development, and applied ecology.

As a result of being cultivated according to the ideals of permaculture, the produce grown here is uncompromised by chemicals, as this most “green” type of agriculture cultivation relies solely upon natural pesticides and fertilizers and recycled waste products as well as freshwater reserves. The extract pressed from theses ranch-harvested avocados is pure, rich, and abundantly nourishing and emollient to the skin.

After an extensive search to find a manufacturer capable of distilling this precious extract from their raw source at the ranch, we are thrilled to be utilizing extract pressed from the Heidegger farm’s avocados in our Luminous Cleansing Elixir and Dermal Defense Hand Cream.

Klaus and Jami have additional produce that they plan to cultivate for further raw ingredient sourcing, such as Rosemary, Lavender, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, and Goji Berry. “At Retrouvé, we work continually to refine and develop our formulations as new ingredients and technologies become available. We source ingredients constantly, testing them in our cruelty-free labs and on our own skin. When we found a manufacturer with the capability to make extractions from our own natural produce, we jumped at the chance to do so. It gives us comfort and confidence to know that the avocados from which the extract is distilled are grown in clean soil, without pesticides, and cultivated with natural fertilizers and spring water. Permaculture has afforded Retrouvé an incredible level of control over the quality of what we grow,” explains Klaus.

We encourage you to experience the difference for yourself. Please contact our concierge service at 844-738-5546 or via email at concierge@retrouve.com for a complimentary consultation to customize an optimal Retrouvé regimen for your individual skincare needs.