This week’s #BeautyBoss is Paul Schulick, Founder and CEO of For The Biome—a clean beauty and wellness brand that features 100% active and whole-ingredient formulas in their innovative Sentient Skincare line. A master herbalist, Schulick formulated the products based on many years of experience in the natural products industry. Together with his wife and co-founder Barbi, Schulick previously founded New Chapter, a line of vitamins, herbals, probiotics, and other health products that was eventually acquired by Proctor & Gamble in 2012.

For The Biome products include waterless fermented cleansers, probiotic essence sprays, and CO2 extracted serums that help support skin and microbiome health. All products are Certified Organic and non-GMO, Certified Vegan, cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny, and certified non-toxic by EWG Verified™ and MADE SAFE®. They are free of chemical preservatives, fillers, and toxins that disrupt the skin’s delicate environment.

We chatted with Schulick, who shared the inspiration behind the innovative skincare line, favorite wellness tips, secrets to success, and more. 

When was For The Biome founded? What does the name mean?

My wife Barbi and I founded For The Biome in 2018. We define “biome” as an interdependent community. Our work, how we operate our business, and the products we create are all in service and support to the macro-biome—or global community—all the way down to the microscopic community of the microbiome that cloaks your body inside and out.  

What inspired the creation of the brand?

Barbi and I founded the well-known herbal supplement business New Chapter in 1986, which was subsequently purchased by Proctor & Gamble in 2012. We stayed with the company for six years under P&G and eventually parted ways in 2018. We felt a strong call to continue the work of raising consciousness around truly holistic wellness and supporting the connection of mind, body, and community. It’s about coming back to nature, and Barbi and I founded For The Biome to continue this important work. It feels like it’s needed now more than ever.   

Do you have a hero product?

I think it is still a little early to identify the true hero in our line, but at this time our best-selling product is Shield Face Serum. Someone new to the line will find the serum as a more familiar entry point as opposed to our powder formulas, which are a waterless take on cleansers and masks. Shield Face Serum is a first-of-its-kind formula featuring 100% active and whole ingredients that are highly effective in protecting and nourishing the skin and its microbiome, so the results speak for themselves.

What are your favorite products from the brand?

I love all our products for different reasons, but the products I use every day are Soothe Powder Cleanser, Restore or Adapt Essence Spray, and Shield Face Serum. I try to adapt my product use based on what I feel my skin needs. For instance, I particularly love the soothing impact of the fermented oats for when my skin feels dry or irritated. For the essence sprays, I choose Restore when I want added protection from the elements, while Adapt is my go-to for deep hydration and blue light protection. Shield Face Serum is a non-negotiable in my routine—it’s rich with protective properties, especially from blue light, which we all seem to be getting more than enough of lately. 

Where are your products sold?

Currently we sell direct to consumer and are also featured on an ecommerce 3-D virtual store called Beautyque NYC. We will soon be in Healthy Living markets with locations in New York and Vermont.

Future plans for the brand?

We have always been a wellness company and although our first products to launch were topical skin care, we are excited to expand the brand with ingestible products that will be launching later this year. We will continue to formulate and create new products that we feel are a true contribution to the market, meet the needs of the time, and treat the mind and body as an interconnected system.

What inspires you?

I’m constantly inspired by the intersection of tradition and science. I look to the great healers of the past in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and ancient times. Some may see this perspective of medicine as “out there,” but when you cross-analyze some of these thousand-year old concepts with modern-day science, the parallels are undeniable. It’s remarkable. For instance, Hippocrates from Ancient Greek culture said, “Disease starts in the gut.” That was about 2,500 years ago! Now science is finally catching up to the wisdom that Western culture somehow got away from, and the inevitable collision of the two is intensely exciting to witness. 

Secret to success?

As an entrepreneur, I consider myself a permanent student. I may have 40 years of expertise as a Master Herbalist and formulator, but there is still so much I don’t know. I accept that, and with that acceptance there’s a child-like curiosity to continue to learn and maintain pure intention. This intention and mission to learn how I serve the greater good is what drives me. I always think of one of my favorite teachings from Gandhi: “Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it is important that you do it, because nobody else will.” So that’s the goal—to do my part. Success is the cherry on top. 

Beauty secrets?

Being in love! Oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine—these chemical reactions that occur when we’re around someone we love work wonders for the body, and as a result, your skin. We’re happiest when we feel connected and connection is the key to beauty. What’s on the inside will always reflect what you see on the outside. 

Wellness tips?

What haven’t I done? I say that self-deprecatingly. Some would definitely call me obsessive because I’ve devoted my life to whole-body wellness. Ask Barbi, she’ll tell you. Things that bring me into greater alignment can be as simple as breathing deeply, singing, and trusting in the universe. I deeply practice yoga, tai chi, and meditation, and am scrupulous with what I put into and on my body—this means lots of whole and nutrient-dense foods, cold showers, and of course, indulging my skin in our products. What I’ve learned along the way is that wellness is truly a journey, it never ends and must be diligently maintained—mind and body—for the best results. 

Best advice?

Listen. You might just pick up on something important. This goes back to being a permanent student and recognizing that one person doesn’t have all the answers. The best results are born from collaboration.  

How do you like to relax?

Breathing deeply in nature is one of my favorite ways to relax and living in the woods in Vermont makes it possible to do so often.

For more information, visit forthebiome.com. Follow on Instagram: @forthebiome

[Images courtesy of For The Biome]

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