In the Studio with Mantle
Liberty takes a trip to the idyllic Swedish home of founder Josefin Landgård
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In the Studio with Mantle
Liberty takes a trip to the idyllic Swedish home of founder Josefin Landgård
By: Team Liberty
Josefin Landgård did not take the typical path into the beauty industry. Before founding her minimal skincare brand, Mantle, she spent time both as an elite, competitive skier and a high-flying tech innovator.
Atypical, perhaps, but her varied background is one of the secrets to Mantle’s success. No-nonsense, effective and rigorously tested products that harness the latest ingredient innovations to deliver the results skincare lovers really want.
With her brand recently making its debut in the Liberty Beauty Hall, we took a trip to the outskirts of Stockholm to visit Landgård at her serene, secluded home. Here she shares the stories behind Mantle discusses the Scandi influences that shape the brand’s minimal ethos.
How would you describe Mantle’s ethos?
Mantle is all about innovative, very efficient products. We take very innovative ingredients, put them together and then you can have them in a holistic routine that really does the job for you.
We create innovative, highly efficacious products that really reflect Scandinavian culture.
Tell us about the brand name. Why Mantle?
The brand name Mantle is a reference to the acid mantle, which is the topmost layer of the skin. We’re all about strengthening the skin barrier.
From skiing to tech, you had a lot of diverse experiences before starting Mantle. How did each of these influence your approach?
Skiing was a very big part of Mantle. I was always very dry and had sensitive skin because of the harsh climate and always being outside. So it was really natural to me that the products had to nourish the skin and really strengthen the skin.
The tech also ties in really a lot to the brand because of the innovative processes that we use and that we develop products very similarly to how a tech startup would develop their products.
Was it challenging to switch from tech to beauty? What surprised you along the way?
Not so challenging. It’s very fun! I love this industry. I love all the people I get to work with, and it’s always been a passion of mine. So getting to work with your passion is always amazing.
What quite surprised me with moving into beauty from tech is that it’s the same kind of challenges. It’s just different. There are so many things I’ve learned that you can apply in this context. Building companies is all about overcoming challenges, and that’s what gets me going, finding new adventures to go on.
Can you tell us about your laboratory?
We have our own lab in northern Sweden where we develop every product from scratch. We really elaborate and use all these different new ingredients that come out from the industry. It’s super important to us. That’s where all the innovation happens, it’s really the core of what we are so of course we have to have it in house.
We also test for the harsh conditions we have in northern Sweden. We run innovative processes for how we develop the formulas, and after that, we do something similar to beta testing in tech. We have test communities who sign up with their skin types and conditions, try the products, and then we move into clinical testing. This is a big part of our innovation process.
How would you describe your approach to formulation and its you combination of innovation and minimalism?
Starting the brand from the perspective that I don’t have time for 12 steps in my skincare routing, I wanted something functional and minimalistic, but also efficacious. I didn’t want to choose between clean or clinical, or clean or effective.
We work on how to merge these worlds, using natural ingredients with potent actives and combining them into products that allow you to have key steps but with really great results.
Are there any products you’re particularly proud of in terms of their innovation?
One example is the Hydra Serum. It was made as an alternative to snail mucin. Some of the girls in the office were still using snail mucin, and I wanted to create something that would make them choose Mantle instead!
We found that jellyfish mucin has better hydration properties than snail mucin, it’s three times more effective than hyaluronic acid. So we made this beautiful product.
We also have a big favourite: Magic Milk. It’s one of the first products we made. It’s a milk cleanser that never strips the skin. The challenge was to make a product that cleanses while also protecting and nourishing. We used ferments, oat extracts and enzymes to create a gentle cleanse that does the job and nourishes at the same time. You can actually use it as a mask too.
How would you describe Scandinavian taste when it comes to beauty?
Scandinavian women are very busy, living full lives. We just want things that really work, protect the skin, and then move on.
Another philosophy we have is that you can use as many products as you want, or just a few. The range is built to layer well, so you can tailor your routine based on what your skin needs or how you feel.
How do you think being based in Stockholm influences the brand?
Stockholm influences the brand in many ways. It’s a hub for innovation — tech is very much bustling here, with companies like Spotify and Klarna. That sort of environment drives innovation.
Then there's the architecture, the design, and the fashion that comes out of Stockholm, which also influences the brand.
What keeps you inspired?
I think nature, being outside is really my biggest inspiration. It’s how I charge my batteries. But it also influences the products and ingredients we work with.
And our community is a huge source of inspiration. Seeing how people relate to the brand, how we change their skin, what they want more of. That’s a big inspiration for how we keep developing the brand. It’s all incredibly motivating.
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