Fresh Glow
An exclusive tête-à-tête with Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, founders of Fresh, on the cult beauty brand and its iconic Rose Face Mask. By Li Ying Lim.
Crushed rose petals in an iconic mask ... Alina: “With today’s technology, we are able to refine the purity of the extract, making it even more effective in skincare. Rose Face Mask calls upon the soothing and toning properties of rose and also offers a sensorial experience.” Lev: “The rose truly represents beauty. I call it nature’s wonder. I have always been most fascinated with Cleopatra’s obsession with rose-infused baths, which, in part, inspired me to create the collection.” From handmade soaps to fully fledged global beauty brand ...
Alina: “We opened an apothecary store in Boston curating natural, upscale personal care products from around the world. This inspired us to create our own line with products that are as indulgent as they are effective.” Lev: “I always see Fresh products evoking a hand-over-the-heart reaction. It is this heartfelt response that truly breathes life into each Fresh fragrance.” The turning point ... Lev: “Growing up in Communist Russia, the only fragrance available was Red Moscow. Only the bravest women would find a way to get their hands on a forbidden French fragrance—my mother included. When I was just 6 years old, I remember going with my mother to the black market so she could get her hands on this fragrance. It amazed me how much she was willing to risk to buy the perfume.” Alina: “We always understood the importance of growing our brand organically through word of mouth and creating genuine fans of those who try our products.” Big beauty tip ... Lev: “Every morning, I wash my face with iced water. I know this is odd but, first of all, it wakes me up, and second, it increases circulation, so it helps the skin decongest. I use the Soy Face Cleanser morning and night, and I also do a Rose Face Mask daily.” Alina: “I really love great coffee! One of the highlights of my day is having my morning espresso. I rely on immunity boosters such as Emergen-C to keep me healthy since I travel so much. Plus, it’s really great for your skin tone. And I really value time to be by yourself. These moments of quiet recollection are really important to collect your thoughts and remain balanced.” Curiouser and curiouser ... Lev: “We pioneered using brown sugar with the launch of the Sugar collection in 1998. Brown Sugar Body Polish was the first sugar-based scrub on the market. Sake Bath, introduced in 2000, is made with 40 percent pure sake. Whether we are inspired by cultural beauty rituals or the potential power of a plant, this curiosity fuels our constant drive to find the highest quality of natural ingredients.” Available at Sephora stores nationwide.