The minds behind newkee – part 2
von Hannah Mages
31 May 2023
We, the founders, are completely enthusiastic about our new essential care range – and we still have a lot to tell you in order to infect you with our enthusiasm. That's why we're answering more questions today so that we can delve further into the world of newkee products together with you.
How did your collaboration come about? Who had the idea to develop a joint cosmetics line?
Angelique: "Manuel and I have known each other for quite a while. In professional sport, you meet again and again, you exchange ideas and also talk about personal things and your own challenges."
Manuel: "One topic that came up again and again and crystallised as common ground for us was skin care. We noticed that we had similar experiences: We both lacked products that met our needs and desires."
Angelique: "When it comes to skin care, Manuel and I are extremely sensitive because we both have a history. With an experience like that, you only want to reach for products that you trust 100 per cent, that don't have unnecessary ingredients in them."
Manuel: "So we both came up with the idea of launching our own skincare range that fully meets our requirements."
Angelique: "We knew right away what would be important to us at newkee: The products should be fragrance-free and vegan, and also free of microplastics, because sustainability is very important to us. We agreed right away: if we do something, we do it right, because that's also a way of being that we have in common: Manuel and I approach every kind of challenge with determination and discipline. That was the start of newkee."
How long did the development take?
Angelique: "The development has a long lead time. We wanted to be very close to it and followed the process intensively: It was tested again and again, readjusted and optimised. But the same philosophy applies here as in sport – we will continue to work on it and continuously optimise the series. Feedback from our customers is important for us to develop newkee further."
Manuel: "We were also involved in the development of the product and packaging design. It was important to us, especially with regard to the sustainability aspect, that in the end everything corresponds to the ideas we had from the beginning."
The packaging is very clean. Does newkee see itself as a clean beauty brand or as a sports series?
Manuel: "We deliberately kept the packaging clean because the essential character of the products is so important to us – and this idea should also be visible in the packaging at first glance."
Angelique: "I see newkee less as a beauty brand and more as a clean care brand, even though it has its roots in professional sports through our profession. But I don't see it as completely separable: newkee is certainly not a pure sports range, yet it is ideally suited for active people with stressed skin."
Manuel: "The idea behind newkee is that our skincare range is perfect for a very active lifestyle, when you are outdoors a lot and sweat a lot. That's where our sun care products perform really well. So the idea of the sports range is certainly not entirely wrong. But again, it's very important for us to emphasise that newkee is not only perfect for athletes, but for everyone who leads an active life and values natural care."
What sun filters does newkee use?
Manuel: "Our sunscreen and all our other sun protection products contain organic filters. That was very important to us."
Angelique: "We also made sure that our products have a well-combined UV-A/UV-B broadband filter system. There are also products on the market that do not contain a UV-A filter. They protect against sunburn and skin cancer, but not against premature skin ageing and sun allergies. But we definitely wanted to cover that as well, to offer the skin comprehensive protection."
Why is one of the most important products missing: cleansing?
Angelique: "Cleansing is of course a big issue, especially when using sun cream or make-up, because both should always be completely removed from the face or body in the evening. This is often forgotten, especially with sunscreen, but it is very important for healthy skin."
Manuel: "Right at the start of newkee, however, we wanted to focus clearly and therefore deliberately kept our range small - unfortunately we couldn't include everything. But: what is not, can still be! We definitely want to develop our approach of essential care products further, one or the other additional product will surely come."
newkee positions itself as a unisex brand. Aren't the needs of men's and women's skin different?
Angelique: "We are aware that women's and men's skin is different, also from woman to woman or man to man the skin needs are individually different. Newkee offers a basic range of high quality skincare and sun protection products from which both men and women can choose according to their needs. Women's skin tends to need more care because it has finer pores and produces less sebum. In practice, this means that we use more products in our care, serum and cream, for example.
Manuel: "Men, on the other hand, are a little more sparing with their care - with the exception of after shaving, because that always puts a lot of stress on the skin. That's why you should never skimp on care after shaving."
Angelique: "When it comes to sun protection, it's important for both men and women not to be too sparing with sunscreen. It is also very important for both of them to apply sunscreen regularly! This is how you ensure optimal protection for both men and women, and that is very important to us with our history."