#BeautyBoss: Jami Morse Heidegger, Co-Founder of Retrouvé
Jami Morse Heidegger. [Photo by Francesco Carrozzini]
Our latest #BeautyBoss is Jami Heidegger, Co-Founder of Retrouvé—a line of luxury skincare that is made with clinically effective concentrations of anti-aging ingredients. Their products are designed to work harmoniously with the body’s natural regenerative processes to optimize skin’s ability to nourish, strengthen and repair.
Heidegger got her start in the beauty industry at a young age when she helped her father and grandfather develop countless products for the family’s skincare company, Kiehl’s Since 1851. In 1988, she and her husband Klaus took the reins and developed Kiehl’s into an iconic beauty brand that was ultimately sold to L’Oreal in 2001.
After years of skincare research, formulations, and making small batches of products for themselves and their friends, the couple launched Retrouvé with the goal of creating a performance-driven skincare line. Since its launch in 2013, Retrouvé has become a prestige brand that is made with the highest grade of ingredients, incorporating produce such as avocados harvested directly from their family farm in Malibu.
Retrouvé is also deeply committed to sustainability and supporting natural resources by aiming to minimize their environmental impact through the ingredients they use and the manner in which their formulations are packaged. By reducing their carbon footprint, conducting their business in an ethical manner, and promoting diversity and quality while giving back to the community, they are helping to make the world a better place.
We chatted with Heidegger who shared the inspiration behind the brand, secrets for success, wellness tips, and much more.
When was Retrouvé founded and what does the name mean?
Retrouvé was founded in 2013, but the products were only available in Europe until 2016, when they were introduced in the United States. Once we decided to bring the products to market, we selected the name “Retrouvé” which means in French “to find again.”
For us, this name symbolizes both my family's return to the skincare industry after the sale of our previous company, Kiehl's Since 1851, and also the idea of finding again in one's skin the hallmarks of healthy, youthful skin: clarity, radiance, vitality and firmness. It also represents the philosophy of self-care and self-reflection to stay connected with the internal and external things that we love and value about ourselves individually. We recognize and encourage the evolving process of discovering how to look and feel our best at any age!
What inspired the creation of the brand?
Inspired by my own skin’s journey and my family's history of over a century of knowledge and experience in skincare, Klaus and I founded Retrouvé with the mission of creating the most high-performance, results-driven and efficacious skincare in existence. After the sale of Kiehl’s, I had scoured the market for products that would effectively treat the evolving needs of my skin but could not find formulations that would satisfy my high standards culled over decades of immersion in this industry. With this gap in mind, I utilized my years of background and expertise to develop Retrouvé and create proactive skincare for all, wherein we invite people to streamline and enhance their skincare routine to look and feel their best at any age.
Retrouvé Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer ($200 - $380) is packed with a powerful proprietary blend of lush and effective vitamin-based and revitalizing ingredients, locking moisture into skin.
Does Retrouvé have a hero product?
My personal hero product for my own individual skin needs is our Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer due to its unparalleled, long-lasting ability to moisturize and nourish the skin. Patent pending and clinically proven, this unique preparation formed the backbone of our line, with its powerfully effective synergistic blend of beneficial ingredients that help to promote the skin’s own regenerative processes in validated formulations that deliver transformative improvement to skin condition and texture. It is also the first product that I created in our line!
What are your favorite products from the brand?
In addition to the Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer, my other ‘desert island’ product would be our Revitalizing Eye Concentrate Skin Hydrator—I don’t know what I would do without this rich, luxurious, water-free formulation to enrich and enhance the delicate skin around my eyes.
Where are your products sold?
Our products are available on our own website and at prestigious retailers in over 11 countries such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Bluemercury, Moda Operandi, Niche-Beauty, and Galeries Lafayette.
Future plans for the brand?
We are very much looking forward to launching the exciting new products in the pipeline that we have been working on for years. Our first will be our Balancing Face Oil, which is set to be available this summer, followed by our luxurious Lip Serum and the Herbal Face Mask that utilizes herbal extracts from our permaculture ranch in Malibu, CA.
Who inspires you?
My father was my greatest inspiration in the industry, but I also find inspiration in historical leaders and contemporary innovators in the fields of art, science and beauty as well as from nature and the gratification and fulfillment of helping and pleasing our esteemed customers.
Retrouvé Revitalizing Eye Concentrate ($215 - $415) is imbued with a sublime fusion of vital and beneficial ingredients and is designed to hydrate skin beautifully.
Secret to success?
My father used to always say, “Inch by inch, anything is a cinch.” In my view, that approach plus hard work, believing in and doing something that you love and are passionate about, trusting in your vision, and staying true to your values can lead you to a productive path.
Beauty secrets?
Consistency and balance are key! It is important to be able to stick to a routine, so it needs to be achievable on a consistent basis. I personally encourage focusing on bringing balance to the skin to help enable its long-term health. I also advocate the importance of an holistic approach to looking one’s best, as this also encompasses how we feel as well as our overall wellness.
It is not just the use of a certain cream, for example, but also nutrition, exercise, sleep, spiritual practice and more that impact our health and appearance. In addition, I also always encourage people to start early with a skincare regimen for preventative maintenance to help protect against skin cancer and other potential skin conditions that might otherwise arise.
Wellness tips?
I always think of the acronym SPISE—to address the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, and physical needs of the individual.
Best advice?
Don’t let adversity stop you. It can be easy to get discouraged and disappointed, but always remember that “no” can just mean “not now.” Keep trusting in your mission and putting one foot in front of the other.
For more information, visit Retrouvé’s website and follow on Instagram: @retrouveskin
[Images courtesy of Retrouvé]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk