We find out the secrets to simple and effective skincare with Matthew and Andrew of Malin+Goetz, using their range of expertly-crafted formulations, along with their tips about the perfect home fragrance…

 

 

 

 

The Q+A 

 

How did Malin+Goetz come about? You guys started as a neighbourhood apothecary, right? 

Matthew: We did. We launched in 2004 for with our first shop in the storefront of our co-op apartment building, in the Chelsea neighbourhood of Manhattan. It is still there today and we still live above the shop! The idea was to make complicated skincare easy and to serve our local community, just like chemists and pharmacists have done for hundreds of years.  

Andrew: We were literally the shopkeepers above the shop; or at least in the same building. Malin+Goetz is truly our love child it is the culmination and fusion of the two or our worlds. Matthew is the Beauty doyen, and I come from the design and architecture world. To make a very long story short, I thought it would be really great to start a business with Matthew – we are partners in life as well as business. I thought it'd be great if we created a skincare brand that incorporated modern thinking and design. Less is more in architecture and design, but it’s also more in skincare, where people use too many products and create a seemingly never-ending cycle of irritation. We think it’s the perfect go-to for those wanting efficacious skincare that’s beautifully and cleverly designed. Of course, that extends to body, hair, candles and Eau de Parfums as well.

 

 

 

 

What makes Malin+Goetz different to everyone else?

Matthew: We make skincare simple, starting with sensitive skin. We make the process and regimens easy by breaking it down to two simple steps to balance: cleanse + moisturise. Every item is a blend of the best of trusted naturals and gentle technologies to create seamless performance for all skin types. It is also a unisex idea for how a modern couple would shop for and use products together. Easy.  

Andrew: We like to say that we’ve created skincare for your face, body and hair; for both women and men. That’s pretty unique in its own right. But our really big point of difference is that we’ve uncomplicated the complicated world of skincare. There is nothing fussy about Malin+Goetz. Our packaging is clear and linear, and what’s inside the packaging does exactly what it says it does on the packaging itself. Because we are first and foremost experts in skincare, we never let our skincare double as a fragrance. So, we’ve left out artificial fragrances and instead use beautiful, beneficial natural extracts. For example, chamomile in our Vitamin E Face Moisturizer does indeed smell lovely, but it’s also very calming and soothing. It’s just the ingredient you want to use on your face. But whilst our skincare products don’t double as perfumes, we know that many people desire an olfactory experience. So, we do fragrances as a separate category.

 

 

 

 

How do you feel the brand is suited to a city like London?

Matthew: Like NYC, London is a fast, sophisticated and demanding international city. It is diverse and the weather can often change quickly (or, as with NYC, be quite extreme). Our range offers luxury performance with ease.  Nothing should be complicated, and, every product should deliver. That’s what a Londoner expects…  

Andrew: Like New Yorkers, Londoners have an extremely high bar for quality and design; they expect the very best. And like in New York, many London bathrooms are rather small, so not owning a huge protocol of products that take up valuable real estate is a plus. Not to mention our range looks great in just about any bathroom. And of course, you can (if you are willing) share them with your partner. Or not.

 

 

What’s next for Malin+Goetz?  

Matthew: We are still doin’ our thing. We recently opened our first store in Hong Kong and have a new store planned for San Francisco. We have plans to launch several exciting new products and we continue to manage the growth as a brand focused on service and convenience. Very exciting stuff! 

Andrew: So much. It’s hard to keep track of all the good things coming down the pike. But for sure there will always be new products and new stores, but I don’t want to divulge too much, so I’ll leave it at that!

 

 

 

 

A Simple Guide to Malin+Goetz

 

Matthew + Andrew: Like all of our products, our fragrances modernise traditional ideas. Perfume and perfumery have been in use for thousands of years and many mainstays are still the same. Likewise, the apothecary had a use for much of the same ingredients for medicinal purposes. Fragrance allows us to use these concepts in a playful and modern way. For example, Cannabis is a modern conceptual idea of a medicinal plant, and it’s an opportunity to highlight this ingredient in a fun and creative manner…

 

A Simple Guide to Skincare

 

Matthew + Andrew: Every product is designed to be easy to use, integrate and understand, regardless of what skin type you have. So, you almost cannot go wrong. We also follow the design ethos of “less is more” and starting with a solid foundation of staples: a great cleanser and moisturizer to balance your skin, whether for your face, body or scalp. Finally, all of our basics or Essentials are complemented with specific Targeted Treatments, when you require “more”. Our Clarifying Clay Mask is a great example of this…