If it seems like everyone is launching a skincare brand—it’s because they are. Over the past few years, influencers, industry experts, and celebrities—from Alicia Keys to Brad Pitt and Hailey Bieber—have all launched their own brands. Now, a creative agency is throwing its hat in the skincare ring.
“I come from a 20-year career in luxury marketing and PR that spans a wide spectrum of industries,” says Andrea Mestrovic. “Today, I’m a partner at Very Polite Agency, a brand incubator shop and creative marketing agency I co-founded, where we’ve worked with incredible brands such as La Mer, Burberry, and Khaite to launch products and craft brand stories and experiences.”
Being around such a variety of successful luxury brands inspired Mestrovic. As a self-proclaimed skincare archivist, she started thinking about what was missing in the market, and how she and her agency could fill it. She envisioned a range of clean products that would demystify essential oils while effectively addressing a range of skin concerns.
Creating a beauty brand in collaboration with a creative agency might sound like an odd structure to some but Mestrovic says it’s exactly what gives her brand, Maater Cosmetics, its edge.
“Because we are born from a creative agency, we’ve had full creative control of all [our] branding—from [the] iconic space themed packaging design, to cosmically-inspired storytelling. and campaign concepts,” she explains. “To have this kind of synergy between product and creative [has] allowed us to create an incredibly unique and fully realized brand.”
Read on to learn more about Maater Cosmetics from our interview with Andrea Mestrovic.
What was the inspiration behind Maater?
“We always saw Maater as a brand that transcended all boundaries, so it was only fitting that our storytelling was inspired by the cosmos. Cosmic aesthetics is how we categorize our approach to beauty—nourishing, enhancing, and illuminating on the skin.
After 2 years of researching and perfecting formulas, [we created] a tightly edited line of oils for the face and body, meticulously crafted to enhance skin’s natural radiance and sculptural features for a celestial glow.”
What is Maater’s ethos?
“Maater’s ethos is rooted in the concept of a less is more approach, and the simplification of beauty rituals. We’ve created a new category of skincare that is uncomplicated, multifunctional, and that easily plays with other products in your routine.”
Body and face oil seem to be having a moment right now. Why do you think that is?
“I think it always comes back to skin first. Makeup trends are constantly changing, but beautiful, healthy skin will always be the goal. People want that radiant look to their skin, but they also want their products to be working for them and improving their skin over time. Body and face oils offer those nourishing, toning, regenerative components we seek in skincare, while leaving a luminous finish to the skin that you simply can’t recreate with other formulations.”
What makes Maater Body Oils different than what’s already available on the market?
“All of our products are formulated with 100% active plant-based ingredients, and organic cold-pressed essential and carrier oils—nothing else. [We] never formulate with toxins, fillers, synthetics, artificial colours, or fragrances. We’ve rigorously studied and tested each ingredient, so everything you’re putting on your skin serves a purpose. In addition to nourishing the skin, the mica particles react with light to define the body’s sculptural features. The fact that our products look amazing on your bathroom counter is just a bonus.”
What’s your favourite brand offering and why?
“Big fan of our newest addition, the Kappa Roller Face Oil. This product was inspired by my frequent airplane travel, where I would want to apply Maater on my skin to hydrate – but found the dropper application wasn’t ideal for on-the-go travel. I started testing our Kappa formula in a rollerball and immediately loved it and started developing it as a permanent product line. The silver rollerball tip [creates] a cooling effect that makes the product feel even more amazing [while releasing] just the right amount of product onto the skin. Also, a tip: apply some in your palm and breathe it in for a quick dose of calming aromatherapy.”
As someone in the space, is there anything you would change about the beauty industry?
“I would love to see brands take more risks in storytelling and how they present their product, as long as it’s coming from an authentic place. People see a brand that’s popular or trending and immediately want to replicate it. It’s tempting to follow the trends for mass market appeal. But beauty isn’t one size fits all and I think newness and originality is so important in the industry.”
Maater Cosmetics is available for purchase at maatercosmetics.com and holtrenfrew.com.