Behind the Brand: SPA of ICELAND's Luxurious Personal Care Products Bring Elements of Iceland Into Your Home
SPA of ICELAND is a luxurious bath line for the body and home that features natural ingredients from Iceland, including Icelandic sea salt.
Iceland is one of the world’s most beautiful countries, defined by a dramatic landscape that includes natural hot springs, massive glaciers, and volcanoes. The Nordic island nation is also known for its spas and outdoor bathing spots, including one of the 25 wonders of the world: Blue Lagoon Iceland, which offers transformational spa journeys utilizing the powers of geothermal seawater.
SPA of ICELAND is a luxury brand of personal care products that was created by Haraldur Jóhannsson and Fjóla Gudrun Fridriksdóttir, life and business partners who worked in the cosmetics business for many years as distributors in Iceland for some of the world’s most famous brands, among them Chanel and Guerlain. Inspired by the longstanding traditions of Iceland, as well as the couple’s three granddaughters, the vegan line features 95% natural, globally-sourced ingredients (including mineral-rich Icelandic sea salt), and is designed to bring the Icelandic spa experience straight to your own home.
“For a long time, it has been a dream of ours to create our own wellness brand,” says Jóhannsson and Fridriksdóttir. “We had the concept clear in our mind for years and knew what we wanted to develop, but always had our hands full with other things. In 2013, we sold our cosmetic business and soon after, we decided to pursue our life-long dream. We are so extremely proud to see this dream become a reality, and we’re honored and humbled by all of the awards we have received for SPA of ICELAND this year; it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
We chatted with Jóhannsson and Fridriksdóttir, who discussed the unique concept behind their bath and body line, the brand’s Icelandic heritage, favorite products, and more.
When was SPA of ICELAND founded?
In 2016, we founded SPA of ICELAND to introduce spa-quality, luxury personal care products for the home, bath, and body. We officially launched the brand in Iceland in Q4 2018. This summer, we launched the brand in the U.S. Now more than ever, people around the country are yearning for an unattainable experience, whether it’s traveling around the world or being able to wind down in a spa. Both experiences are close to achievable with SPA of ICELAND, which led to our decision to strategically launch the brand in the U.S. market during the pandemic.
People are fantasizing about life after COVID-19 and filling their thoughts with past luxuries such as travel and self-care as a way to distract themselves from the present. We felt it was the right time to launch in this market and offer a form of escapism through our products. Iceland relies heavily on tourism and since that’s been halted, why not bring Iceland to the U.S.?
What’s the meaning behind the name?
Coming from the clean country of Iceland where we have the natural hot spas and beautiful, sparkling surroundings, it was always our goal for nature to be the focus of our brand. We were deeply inspired by the strong, longstanding Icelandic traditions of bathing outside in natural hot springs.
We also wanted to use clean materials from Iceland and we are very proud of the salt that is one of our main ingredients, Saltverk. It is hand-harvested in a small factory on the west coast of Iceland using old traditional, sustainable methods. We have always been very environmentally conscious and preferred natural ingredients, so from the beginning it was very important for us to keep that aspect in the manufacturing as well.
We offer products ranging from nourishing, hydrating bathing essentials to soothing, relaxing candles. The intention of this is to recreate the special spa experience in your own home with the cleanest, most natural ingredients possible. Our brand embodies the very best of Icelandic nature and reflects the principles of Nordic design. Thus, SPA of ICELAND was a perfect namesake.
Haraldur Jóhannsson and Fjóla Gudrun Fridriksdóttir.
What inspired the creation of SPA of Iceland?
We both share a passion for creating Icelandic nature-inspired beauty and grooming products influenced by clean water, fresh air, and nourishing ingredients. SPA of ICELAND embodies the feeling of clean water, fresh air, rich sea salt, nurturing minerals, and geothermal power that are synonymous with Iceland and combines it with the premium ingredients discerning customers desire in luxury bath, hair, and home products.
While our initial idea was rooted in inspiration, to create a good product you need the right knowledge. We knew what we wanted to focus on from the beginning and we have been fortunate enough to work with very talented professionals to perfect the collection. We are continuously developing new products to improve the line and we are lucky to love what we do.
Tell us more about your line of products and what makes them special.
We use Icelandic sea salt as the primary ingredient in our brand, driving the product line. It thickens the products naturally and is extremely good for both skin and hair. All SPA of ICELAND products are always made from 95% natural ingredients. Everything is hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested, vegan-certified, cruelty-free, and paraben-free.
The scents of each cream, wash, salt, and candle evoke Iceland’s clean, pure nature with notes of Icelandic moss and arctic thyme. We have a full line of shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, hand cream, shower gel, a body soufflé, and more luxury. We have two body scrubs, three bath salts, three fragrant candles, and three diffusers. The bath salts, candles, and diffusers are named Fjóla, María, and Sara—our three granddaughters—adding a little family touch.
Do you have a hero product?
Our hero product is the Bath Salt. We have three different aromatic Bath Salts: Fjóla Relaxing, María Nourishing, and Sara Energizing. The names come from our three granddaughters and reflect their personalities: María has a creative mind, generous spirit, and is simply determined; Sara is sweet as can be and sharp as a whip; Fjóla (who shares her name with her grandmother) is wise beyond her years, grounded, and full of love.
SPA of ICELAND products embody the very best of the pure Icelandic natural environment and feature the fresh scent of Icelandic moss and thyme.
What’s your favorite product?
Fjola: As an educated beautician, I have always been very aware of the importance of exfoliating the skin and giving it plenty of moisture. Therefore, one of my favorite products is the body scrub. I love our White Sea Salt Scrub, which features sea buckthorn and is smoothing and moisturizing. I scrub my skin in the shower at least 2-3 times a week with this and it is silky-soft afterwards.
After busy days, I also love lighting an aromatic candle and dipping into a hot bath filled with our bath salts. They are perfect for both body and mind as the aromatics work their wonders and the body is relaxing in the nourishing salts.
To top it off, I always use the Body Soufflé, which provides moisture and comfort to the skin. This is especially important for those who suffer from “winter skin” (like us Icelanders!) It’s important to give the same amount of attention to the skin on your body as you do to your face—you owe it to yourself to practice self-care from head to toe.
Where are your products sold?
You can find SPA of ICELAND in fine design and concept stores in Iceland, as well as Duty-Free stores and on our website. U.S. customers can purchase our products from our website and also on Amazon. Internationally, we’re available at: ASKJAN, Haarbusiness International BV, Wenz Day, and PostNord.
What's next for the brand?
We’re continuing to develop more products for the line and are excited to see what the future holds for us, especially in the U.S. market.
For more information and to purchase, visit spaoficeland.com and follow on Instagram: @spa_of_iceland
[Images courtesy of SPA of ICELAND]
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