By Jen Murphy
“Our products treat the skin, but also the mind, body, and spirit,” says Tracey Drabløes, director of ISUN Skincare, the boutique organic beauty brand that has garnered a cult following for nearly 20 years. Its holistic approach creates what Drabløes calls a “quantum healing effect” that leaves skin glowing, while also fostering a deeper sense of well-being. That effect is achieved through wild ingredients that are rich in life-force energy—plant extracts, natural oils—but it also comes from what she calls “making products with positive intentions.”
It may sound a little woo-woo, but ISUN’s serums, oils, and cleansers are rooted in science—and the idea that we are all made up of energy. Bunnie Gulick, the brand’s founder, has spent a lifetime studying Ayurveda, and even developed a skincare line for the Dalai Lama. In 2006, she launched ISUN out of a small lab in Ridgway, Colorado. There, a team of scientists continues to formulate new products through energetics. “We might play mantras as we blend an oil, and we use a lot of crystals and gemstones,” Drabløes says.
Many of the ingredients are sourced from the surrounding San Juan Mountains. “We hike to 9,600 feet to collect natural spring water,” she says. The water there contains ormus, an atom in the platinum family that stimulates energy conductivity and is the star ingredient in the brand’s popular Ormus Myst Face and Body Mist.
The brand’s best-selling Phyto-Infusion Facial Serum is a prime example of its ethos, containing more than 50 ingredients, including herbal extracts like edelweiss, potent antioxidants, as well as vegan stem cells that boost collagen production and encourage cell growth. Everything is cold pressed to preserve the “aliveness” of the ingredients, Drabløes says.
Conscious craftsmanship extends to how the products are packaged and distributed too. Miron biophotonic violet glass prolongs potency, and local artisans handcraft the brand’s cosmetic tools. The resulting collection is found only at a handful of select spas worldwide, including The Spa at The Little Nell, where ISUN works closely with therapists to develop unique treatments that beautify the skin—and beyond. “A facial is not just a facial,” Drabløes says. “Our products have been designed to take guests on a total health and wellness journey.”