Christine Esposito, Managing Editor02.01.22
Clean has been a big story in beauty for nearly a decade. But for I-N, the quest for clean is 30 years old. The brand—created by the late Aveda Founder Horst Rechelbacher as Intelligent Nutrients—has been focused on natural and organic ingredients since it was founded in 1992 as a supplement line.
So, when I-N rolled out its first beauty products, there was simply no other way to formulate—and that holds true even today, even after Rechelbacher’s death in 2015.
Rechelbacher’s partner Kiran Stordalen and his daughter Nicole Rechelbacher have been at the helm of Intelligent Nutrients. Last year, the pair guided I-N through a major rebranding effort. The result: a more curated collection sold under the I-N banner, a new look and more sustainable packaging. And, having shuttered its own retail stores, I-N is selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) and though salons and spas.
I-N’s more sustainable packaging componentry includes post-consumer recycled materials and glass containers, and it has a more cohesive look, said Stordalen.
“We always spent all of our time focusing on what’s inside the bottle, but we also needed to focus on what was outside the bottle, too,” Stordalen told Happi. “We are in the beauty business, so we needed to be really considerate about making the line look and feel more cohesive and something that I think reflected both of our sensibilities, too.”
The rebranding effort included evaluating the entire range.
“We wanted to focus on products that were important to the brand. It is Imperative to have a level of efficacy and a level of performance in our product,” Stordalen noted.
The goal, she said was, to curate a line of true “workhorses.”
I-N currently offers hair care and skin care products. Body and facial care SKUs include Liquid Green Body Oil; which features the Intelli-Seed antioxidant complex, coconut-derived emollients, coffee seed oil, blue tansy and certified organic aroma oils; as well as the Vitalisea Time Traveler Serum, which aids in cell turnover, diffusing dark spots and smoothing skin without the dryness or irritation of conventional retinol. The hair products range spans from an InspiraMint Shampoo, an every-day formulation infused with a minty certified-organic aroma blend; to the Good Hair Guardian Thermal Primer, a strengthening spray that helps prevent damage, de-tangle, de-frizz and enhance shine.
The products are formulated with plant-based materials. Scents are made with 99% certified organic essential oils. I-N sources 225 ingredients from across the globe with highly sustainable and ethical methods, according to the company.
Formulating with a keen eye for clean has been big part of the brand’s story—long before it was the “it” thing. In fact, the company rolled out what it said was the first USDA-certified organic hair care line in 2008.
The rebranding process enabled I-N to double-down on its core tenants, according to company executives.
“It gave us opportunity to look at innovation—what can we do better in terms of sustainability and our efforts,” Rechelbacher said. “We look at it as a journey with no endpoints.”
There seems to be no end to just how far the clean beauty trend will go.
“Clean green is having a cultural moment,” said Stordalen. “What is making it different now is that people have a vocabulary and a language by which to look for and ask for what they want.”
The category’s growth is a double-edged sword, she said.
“It is definitely something that cuts both ways,” said Stordalen. “We have been doing it for a really long time, and now there are more people doing it. On the one hand, that’s great—because it’s about creating awareness, environmental responsibility and all the things we think are truly important and imperative when you are cultivating and developing products and bringing them to market. One thing we are looking for is a level of honesty around that,” she said.
For Stordalen, I-N’s goal is to be as “transparent as we can and validate all the claims we make so we are really clear about what we are putting into the market.”
“And not be fear based,” Rechelbacher added. “We’re in the beauty industry. We want to have some fun—but it comes with a lot of responsibility.”
According to its website, I-N’s goal is to have a minimum of 85% natural content in each product formula; with only rare exceptions; the average across the line is 96.2% natural.
“You need to land in a place with a formula,” said Rechelbacher, noting that there are times when certain components (such as a preservative) may be necessary to meet performance expectations, especially in the salon space.
I-N shares the percent of natural and organic in its formulas, as well as ingredient information.
“We want to create focus where all this confusion is happening,” she said. “And we believe that means being as honest as possible…. because what does safe mean? It is all about the exposure and toxicity of it.”
Efficacy is paramount at I-N.
“When you are selling to professionals, you need to have styling products that work,” Rechelbacher said.
The company went through 21 submissions when developing its hair spray.
I-N won't offer the spray in an aerosol because of exposure for the stylist and customers.
"We won’t go that route,” said Rechelbacher.
There are other pathways the brand won’t follow.
“We never want to flood with newness and trend,” said Rechelbacher, noting that I-N isn’t likely to roll out a product with “just a few things tweaked” but in a different vessel.
That said, I-N has plans for the new year.
Officials shared that the company will be active “each quarter with hair care and skin care in that mix” but didn’t disclose further details.
“We are excited about 2022,” Stordalen told Happi. “We feel really solid about where the line is right now.”
So, when I-N rolled out its first beauty products, there was simply no other way to formulate—and that holds true even today, even after Rechelbacher’s death in 2015.
Rechelbacher’s partner Kiran Stordalen and his daughter Nicole Rechelbacher have been at the helm of Intelligent Nutrients. Last year, the pair guided I-N through a major rebranding effort. The result: a more curated collection sold under the I-N banner, a new look and more sustainable packaging. And, having shuttered its own retail stores, I-N is selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) and though salons and spas.
I-N’s more sustainable packaging componentry includes post-consumer recycled materials and glass containers, and it has a more cohesive look, said Stordalen.
“We always spent all of our time focusing on what’s inside the bottle, but we also needed to focus on what was outside the bottle, too,” Stordalen told Happi. “We are in the beauty business, so we needed to be really considerate about making the line look and feel more cohesive and something that I think reflected both of our sensibilities, too.”
The rebranding effort included evaluating the entire range.
“We wanted to focus on products that were important to the brand. It is Imperative to have a level of efficacy and a level of performance in our product,” Stordalen noted.
The goal, she said was, to curate a line of true “workhorses.”
I-N currently offers hair care and skin care products. Body and facial care SKUs include Liquid Green Body Oil; which features the Intelli-Seed antioxidant complex, coconut-derived emollients, coffee seed oil, blue tansy and certified organic aroma oils; as well as the Vitalisea Time Traveler Serum, which aids in cell turnover, diffusing dark spots and smoothing skin without the dryness or irritation of conventional retinol. The hair products range spans from an InspiraMint Shampoo, an every-day formulation infused with a minty certified-organic aroma blend; to the Good Hair Guardian Thermal Primer, a strengthening spray that helps prevent damage, de-tangle, de-frizz and enhance shine.
The products are formulated with plant-based materials. Scents are made with 99% certified organic essential oils. I-N sources 225 ingredients from across the globe with highly sustainable and ethical methods, according to the company.
Formulating with a keen eye for clean has been big part of the brand’s story—long before it was the “it” thing. In fact, the company rolled out what it said was the first USDA-certified organic hair care line in 2008.
The rebranding process enabled I-N to double-down on its core tenants, according to company executives.
“It gave us opportunity to look at innovation—what can we do better in terms of sustainability and our efforts,” Rechelbacher said. “We look at it as a journey with no endpoints.”
There seems to be no end to just how far the clean beauty trend will go.
“Clean green is having a cultural moment,” said Stordalen. “What is making it different now is that people have a vocabulary and a language by which to look for and ask for what they want.”
The category’s growth is a double-edged sword, she said.
“It is definitely something that cuts both ways,” said Stordalen. “We have been doing it for a really long time, and now there are more people doing it. On the one hand, that’s great—because it’s about creating awareness, environmental responsibility and all the things we think are truly important and imperative when you are cultivating and developing products and bringing them to market. One thing we are looking for is a level of honesty around that,” she said.
For Stordalen, I-N’s goal is to be as “transparent as we can and validate all the claims we make so we are really clear about what we are putting into the market.”
“And not be fear based,” Rechelbacher added. “We’re in the beauty industry. We want to have some fun—but it comes with a lot of responsibility.”
According to its website, I-N’s goal is to have a minimum of 85% natural content in each product formula; with only rare exceptions; the average across the line is 96.2% natural.
“You need to land in a place with a formula,” said Rechelbacher, noting that there are times when certain components (such as a preservative) may be necessary to meet performance expectations, especially in the salon space.
I-N shares the percent of natural and organic in its formulas, as well as ingredient information.
“We want to create focus where all this confusion is happening,” she said. “And we believe that means being as honest as possible…. because what does safe mean? It is all about the exposure and toxicity of it.”
Efficacy is paramount at I-N.
“When you are selling to professionals, you need to have styling products that work,” Rechelbacher said.
The company went through 21 submissions when developing its hair spray.
I-N won't offer the spray in an aerosol because of exposure for the stylist and customers.
"We won’t go that route,” said Rechelbacher.
There are other pathways the brand won’t follow.
“We never want to flood with newness and trend,” said Rechelbacher, noting that I-N isn’t likely to roll out a product with “just a few things tweaked” but in a different vessel.
That said, I-N has plans for the new year.
Officials shared that the company will be active “each quarter with hair care and skin care in that mix” but didn’t disclose further details.
“We are excited about 2022,” Stordalen told Happi. “We feel really solid about where the line is right now.”