Meet Nicole
Nicole is the designer-turned-formulator behind 1KOMMA8: the skincare brand for very sensitive, redness-prone skin.
She creates gentle, fragrance-free formulas that support the skin barrier with plant-based, traceable ingredients and soft, soothing textures.
We asked Nicole to share how she got into the work of crafting skincare for sensitivity. Here’s what she told us:
I have Rosacea myself and was frustrated by how harsh many “sensitive skin” products felt on my face – and by how little they questioned sourcing and sustainability. That’s why I started diving deep into cosmetic science, ingredient lists and more responsible raw materials, and began formulating my own products until they finally felt both truly calming for my skin and aligned with my values.
She works in her little lab with beakers, a high-shear mixer, scales, a pH meter and a lot of stainless steel bowls and spatulas to develop test batches and batches of lip balms, solid cleansing bars and facial oils. On the more nerdy side, she says, she also lives in spreadsheets and lab notebooks where she tracks every texture and tweak.
Where do you create all of this skincare magic?
I create and fill all oil-based products like lip balms, soap-like cleansing bars and facial oils by hand in my small studio lab – surrounded by glass beakers & raw oils. For our more complex emulsions like creams and toner, I work with a certified natural cosmetics manufacturer that produces my formulations under strict safety standards, so they stay stable and safe for three years and more. It’s less glossy factory and more cosy skincare workshop – with a trusted lab partner for the sensitive stuff.
Who are you outside of 1KOMMA8 and formulating skincare?
I’m a designer-turned-formulator who ended up in Berlin for love & creative work and stayed for the mix of culture and green corners. When I’m not in the lab, you’ll probably find me in Brandenburg in the garden, cooking, or reading ingredient lists like novels... Fun fact: I often know the latin name of a plant faster than its “normal” name.
If you could take your brand anywhere imaginable, where and how do you imagine that?
“My dream is for 1KOMMA8 to be the go-to calm place for people with sensitive skin – online, in selected studios and maybe one day in a small own skincare space in Berlin. I’d love to collaborate with skin therapists, dermatologists and other female-led brands on barrier-friendly treatments and limited editions. And there are already more gentle, functional products in my head than I currently have hands to make them.”
Find Nicole’s skincare products including face serum, hand and face soap, lip balms and more at mijas Thursday - Friday 13-19 and Saturday 12-18
1KOMMA8 on instagram: @1komma8skinfood