Latest news with #DrAlexisGranite
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Joonbyrd Rewrites The Unspoken Rules Of Clinical Beauty
Dr Alexis Granite, founder of clinical bodycare brand Joonbyrd Courtesy of Joonbyrd The Zoom call that changed Dr Alexis Granite's mind happened in her living room. Granite — a well-known dermatologist with nearly two decades of experience and the exceptionally rare distinction of holding dual US/UK medical licenses — was reviewing muted, clinical packaging mockups for her soon-to-launch skincare brand when her creative agency suddenly noticed something. Behind her on the video call was a room bursting with vibrant colors — quite the opposite to what they'd been developing. 'Wait a minute, like my living room is very, very colorful,' Granite recalls of that pivotal moment. 'And I was like, 'This is it!' I don't know why I'm hiding from what I love, which is color.' That realization became key to the eventual birth of Joonbyrd, a body-focused luxury skincare brand that challenges assumptions about what serious, clinical skincare should look like. Entering Joonbyrd's website and social accounts, and you'll be greeted with all pastel hues of the rainbow. And the brand identity is fully reflected in its product packagings: vibrant, textured, fun and simply joy-inducing — quite a stark contrast to the sterile designs adopted by most other expert-led brands in the industry. Joonbyrd's bodycare products are potent in active ingredients and designed to induce joy Courtesy of Joonbyrd The decision to embrace color wasn't just about aesthetic — it was deeply personal. Granite's approach to skincare has always been rooted in the joyful memories of sitting in her grandmother's bathroom, playing with 'all of her lotions and potions, their deliciously sweet smells.' This 'joyful nostalgia' that she associates with beauty became the foundation for what she terms 'Affective Wellness' — a holistic approach connecting emotional well-being with skincare. 'I've seen time and time again, day in and day out in my practice, how much skin and appearance, frankly, is tied to emotion and I truly believe that when you look good, you feel good,' Granite explains. With a six-month waiting list for her London-based practice and a patient roster she's known for years, she's witnessed firsthand how stress impacts skin conditions like acne, eczema, and rosacea, and wants to provide an element in her brand to address this factor. Speaking about perhaps her most counterintuitive decision on focusing solely on body care rather than facial skincare, Granite answers with a simple question: 'After all, why should the face have all the fun?' Kaleidoscope, Joonbyrd's most recently launched body serum, smells like a cherry pie topped with pink peonies Courtesy of Joonbyrd 'I was seeing more and more patients come in with body skin concerns and clocking that over time, particularly in recent years,' she notes, while also recognizing that many treatments have now moved 'below the chin.' The market gap was apparent. On one side were products focused purely on 'sensorial pleasure' — lovely bath salts and nice-smelling moisturizers without containing much of any active ingredients. On the other were clinical body products with 'that very sterile, quite medical feel.' Granite saw an opportunity: 'Why can't you have both? I want something that moisturizes amazingly, helps with crepey skin, improves keratosis pilaris bumps on the backs of the arms, but that also smells incredible.' After much testing and formulation, her vision materialized through Joonbyrd's proprietary ALXmd04™ technology, built on four pillars: hardworking actives typically reserved for facial skincare, microbiome support, botanical extracts, and functional enhancers including adaptogens that 'sense what your body needs.' Even the fragrance for each product is designed to evoke specific moods — the caramel latte body wash aims for playfulness, while the cashmere musk firming serum targets optimism. Fragrance and scent plays a big part in Joonbyrd's final products Courtesy of Joonbyrd The transition from practicing dermatologist to beauty entrepreneur was not without its challenges. 'Becoming a brand founder has been one of, if not the most challenging part of my career — the only rival being medical school,' Granite says with a laugh. Yet her medical training provided crucial preparation: 'My degree definitely set me up for the challenges that I've faced as a founder.' The biggest hurdle wasn't formulating products that delivered results — that came naturally after her consultancy/key opinion leader role over the past decade for brands like Kiehl's, SkinCeuticals, and CeraVe. Instead (and perhaps surprising to many,) it was convincing an industry accustomed to clinical aesthetics that serious skincare could also be joyful. 'I do think it is a bit more challenging to show the consumer that we're every bit as serious as a brand that doesn't look like us,' she acknowledges. With Joonbyrd's exclusive Sephora launch under her belt and the brand's new launches receiving rave reviews from consumers (the brand's newest Kaleidoscope, a body serum supercharged with incredible ingredients and smells like a cherry pie topped with pink peonies, is to die for), it would seem that Granite is finally shifting the unspoken rules and proving that clinical excellence and joy aren't mutually exclusive.
Times
08-05-2025
- Health
- Times
The best luxury products for your body
Finally streamlined your skincare routine to include vitamin C serums to brighten, niacinamides to soothe, and perhaps even a £1,000 moisturiser for that real touch of luxury? Well, it's now time to advance to level two: body skincare. 'Your skin doesn't cease at your chin, so why should your skincare?' says Dr Alexis Granite, a consultant dermatologist and founder of the body care line, Joonbyrd. 'The skin is our first line of defence against environmental aggressors, infection, dehydration and mechanical damage and 96 per cent of it is on our body.' As a dermatologist she was inspired by the common skin challenges patients sought advice for: from dry flakes in the winter to strawberry bumps on the backs of the arms, crepey knees and mottled chests, as well as pigmentation, blemishes and an overall loss in elasticity. Just like our face, how we feel about our skin has an impact on our emotions, which in turn affect our skin health, Granite says. So, a solid body care routine can do more than boost your confidence come summer — it can transform your overall well-being. The good news is that you might need less room in the bathroom than you think. Dermatologists recommend cleansing in the shower, exfoliating several times weekly and using targeting treatments like serums as needed. Keep skin hydrated with a moisturiser and protected when it's exposed to the elements. Keep scrolling for the best luxury skincare products below. This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Advertisement Best for cleansing Augustinus Bader The Body Cleanser The newest formulation from coveted beauty brand Augustinus Bader, this lightweight gel turns into a rich lather in the shower and uses the powers of Bader's patented TFC8 ingredient (the Trigger Factor Complex which comprises natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins, peptides and synthesized molecules naturally found in skin) to help improve textured skin and calm any existing redness or irritation. 'Skincare does not stop at the face,' says Dr Bader, whose science-backed skincare was originally used to treat burns victims but is now loved by celebrities like Victoria Beckham. All our skin is vulnerable to damage from daily stressors and ageing which is why this sulfate-free body cleanser is designed to purify and invigorate the skin while removing impurities without stripping or drying its barrier. £44, Augustinus Bader Dermalogica conditioning body wash Inspired by the essential oils diffused in traditional Turkish hammam steam baths, this gentle body wash uses a beautiful blend of French rosemary, Chinese eucalyptus, sandalwood and lavender to cleanse and hydrate the skin. £35, Dermalogica at Liberty London Agent Nateur ageless resurfacing body cleanser While we are classing exfoliating as another step in our body skincare routine, there's nothing stopping you from also diminishing dead skin cells with a foaming body cleanser like Agent Nateur's resurfacing oil. This three-phase cleanser turns from gel to oil and then a creamy foam and hydrates the skin with soothing almond and jojoba oil. Despite its exfoliating powers (thanks to natural peony root extract) that combat dullness, product buildup and any ingrown hairs, this wash is still suitable for dry and sensitive skin types. £45, Agent Nateur at Liberty London Best body skincare products for exfoliating Sisley-Paris energizing foaming exfoliant While you shouldn't be using body scrubs daily, an exfoliant a couple of times a week will tackle any dry skin and rough patches. Sisley-Paris's foaming cleanser is a combination of a classic shower gel but contains exfoliating microparticles and properties found in more traditional skin care, as well as lavender and rosemary oils for a boost of hydration. £110, Sisley-Paris at Space NK Omorovicza gold sugar scrub Buff away dead skin cells and polish your body with this gold sugar scrub from Hungarian brand Omorovicza, which contains grains of sugar cane. The formula also contains skin-loving active ingredients like vitamin C, which is said to encourage micro-circulation for a healthier glow. £68, Omorovicza Advertisement Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta exfoliating body treatment If body blemishes or texture such as keratosis pilaris are your main skin concern, this exfoliating treatment by Dr Dennis Gross should be your first port of call. Each packet contains one towel soaked in AHAs to help boost cell production and BHAs that penetrate deep into the pores to clear them of any dirt or debris. The sheet also contains hydrating squalane and hyaluronic acid to ensure skin is sufficiently moisturised. For optimal results use twice a week. £60 for 8 treatments, Dr Dennis Gross at Space NK Best for hydrating 111SKIN Celestial black diamond body cream Developed by Dr Yannis Alexandrides, a former Harley street cosmetic surgeon and founder of luxury skincare brand 111SKIN, this daily use body cream features the brand's topical NAC Y2™, a blend of NAC with brightening vitamin C and horse chestnut extract, as well as gently exfoliating diamond microparticles. The aim of this rich formula is to strengthen and plump the skin which, in turn, will give it a more youthful, supple appearance. £135, 111SKIN La Mer The Body Cream The star of the show when it comes to La Mer's body cream (and any of the swanky skincare line's products, in fact) is sea kelp. The algae first inspired the brand's founder Dr Max Huber with its natural self-regenerating powers, and is now part of what forms La Mer's Miracle Broth — an elixir prevalent in all the brand's treatments. It helps skin to retain water for a smoother appearance. £245, La Mer at Lookfantastic Tata Harper revitalising body oil Unlike buttery body creams, body oils work best when they are applied and massaged into damp skin straight after showering. This Tata Harper iteration is fast-absorbing so won't leave you wafting around the bathroom waiting for it to sink in. Formulated with all natural ingredients like nourishing seed and olive oils as well as fruit and flower extracts, this dry skin saviour can also be used as a pre-shampoo hair treatment to soothe a dry scalp and as an oil to ease flyaways and soften ends. £107, Tata Harper at Space NK Best for tightening and brightening Joonbyrd smoothing body serum If pigmentation is a major skin concern on your body, Joonbyrd's new serum can be applied daily to target areas of contention. It works to treat any roughness thanks to active ingredients like shikimic acid (which is extracted from star anise) and brightening azelaic acid. £78, Joonbyrd Advertisement Paula's Choice 5% niacinamide body serum Paula's Choice body serum is the perfect antidote to those pesky bumps you get following hair removal. The lightweight cream formula contains niacinamide to even skin tone, 5 per cent d-panthenol to help fade any discoloration and prickly pear extract to aid moisture levels. Use a thin layer of this daily on troublesome spots — just be sure to layer sun protection on top. £34, Paula's Choice at Space NK Best for protecting Lancaster Sun Beauty body milk SPF 30 Studies show that some exfoliating acids can make skin more sensitive to UV rays, while sun exposure in general can trigger hyperpigmentation and advance signs of ageing. So it's particularly important to protect your skin from the sun using a body SPF like Lancaster's milk. This velvety formula is sweat and water resistant so you don't have to worry about reapplying all that often. £35, Lancaster at Harrods Shiseido Expert sun protector face & body lotion SPF 50+ Shiseido's sun cream provides protection against UVB and UVA and is actually strengthened by heat and water thanks to a clever veil-like layer. There's also skincare built in so you don't have to layer up products on hot holidays — there's hypotaurine to help protect your body from blue light and a seaweed complex to soothe and calm red or irritated skin. £51, Shiseido at Harrods Dior The Protective Milk SPF 30 Dior's milky SPF is easily applied thanks to the spray applicator that has a much-appreciated cooling effect when it touches the skin. The formula contains omegas 6 and 9 which were chosen to help strengthen the skin barrier, as well as an infusion of the brand's tan beautifying complex which contains ingredients to increase melanin synthesis and help your tan last longer. £39, Dior at Harrods Best tools Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite bodyware pro The use of LED face masks have become commonplace in many beauty lovers' skincare routines, so unsurprisingly, there are now versions available for those who wish to use the light therapy on their bodies too. This iteration from Dr Dennis Gross features 148 LEDs, and both red and blue light settings to help plump and combat acne-causing bacteria and blemishes. It is designed to lay flat on your back or chest but it can also be wrapped around any area you wish to target and treat. £465, Dr Dennis Gross at Space NK Advertisement Foreo Bear 2 Body sculpt and tone supercharged set Microcurrent devices needn't be reserved for the face. This Foreo tool uses the power of microcurrents and massage to boost collagen production and aid lymphatic drainage across the body. The results can give the appearance of a more toned physique, as well as potentially smoothing unwanted dimples in fat-storing areas like the thighs, buttocks, arms and stomach. £303.60, Foreo at Lookfantastic Dr Barbara Sturm body brush Not only does dry brushing exfoliate the skin for a smoother finish but it can also boost blood circulation and lymph flow as well as reducing puffiness and water retention. Dr Barbara Sturm's body brushes are available in two variations: the soft is more suitable for sensitive skin types. £35, Dr Barbara Sturm How often should I do my body care routine? 'Body care follows the same pattern as facial care in many way,' says Granite. When it comes to exfoliation two to three times per week should be sufficient and just like your face, you should be moisturising once or twice daily. Granite advises the best time to apply moisturiser to the body is just after bathing 'when the skin is still damp to help lock in moisture'.
