About Us
Do you care about what you put in your body? Do you read the ingredients lists of the food you eat? What about what you put on your body? The skin is the body’s largest organ, but do you really know what’s in your skincare products?
We believe that the key to an elevated you lies in quality, plant-based skincare that empowers you to take control of your skin’s health. Elevated skincare offers natural alternatives to synthetic cosmetics for products that are better for the environment and better for your skin.
At ASCEND skincare, we’ve looked to combine the highest quality cannabis extracts available in Europe alongside nutrient-rich botanical oils and active ingredients, focussing on choosing ingredients that work in synergy with each other. We want our products to contain effective levels of our selective actives, as above all else, we want our products to work for you. We believe that natural ingredients and extracts, such as CBD, are not industry gimmicks, but valuable assets to a plant-based routine that respects the environment and your skin.
We are a part of Voyager Life
Voyager Life consists of Voyager CBD, Cannafull White Label, & Ascend Skincare. Based in Perth, Voyager is was established in 2020 to supply high-quality CBD & hemp products. Our philosophy of plant-based health and wellness is embodied in our mission statement of “Choose you”. We believe hemp is much misunderstood and the Voyager team are always on hand to provide friendly and informative advice.
Contact us at sales@voyagerlife.uk.
A Note From Our Formulator
Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about my inspiration that helped to shape and mould Ascend Skincare into the award-winning brand it is today.
After working in the cosmetics industry for several years in raw material supply, I wanted to develop a product offering that highlighted natural cosmetic ingredients in all their glory. Tired of false product promises, marketing gimmicks that advantage no-one, and with a desire to educate the general population to really care about what they put on their skin, we founded Ascend as a beacon of honesty, transparency and plant-fueled efficacy.
Our formulas reflect this. I hand-pick our active ingredients for their clinical efficacy, but make sure they are sourced from sustainably-grown botanicals as opposed to synthesised in a lab. Nothing is present in the formula just to add “hype” to a label. Every single batch is tested by a third-party lab to make sure that we’re holding true to our strength commitments. We want our customers to trust our brand and our products, and I believe that that trust requires total transparency.
CBD and wellness are intrinsically intertwined. I noticed a strong coalition of wellbeing and skincare growing up in France. French parapharmacy products lean on the therapeutic values of the natural hot spring water present in spa towns like Avène and La Roche Posay, the latter being only an hour away from where I lived in the Loire Valley for 10 years. In France as throughout Europe, the general consensus towards skincare is that simple, organic, natural skincare is better for the skin, and better for the soul. A quick look into Google search trends about “why do French women look so young” and we realise that they might just be on to something, and I can guarantee it’s not the wine, or the cheese – sorry to disappoint.
Our serums might not replace a spa day, but in a world where we all need to take a bit more time to look after ourselves, I hope that people will find a moment of serenity in their skincare rituals with the help of Ascend.
ELEVATED SKINCARE MEANS INGREDIENTS YOU CAN TRUST
ELEVATED SKINCARE IS INSPIRED BY SCIENCE + POWERED BY NATURE
We keep on track with the hottest skincare ingredients. There’s a reason that retinol, caffeine and antioxidants are so popular in formulations for all skin types. Natural sources of these compounds are better for the environment, as they require minimal processing as opposed to being synthesised in a lab. We believe these botanical actives are also more beneficial to your skin, as they contain additional micronutrients that work synergistically for a boosted effect within a formula.
For example, we source varying forms of Retinol from multiple sources such as rosehip oil (trans-retinoic acid), sea buckthorn extract (beta-carotene) and pumpkin seed oil (vitamin A). Skin-brightening enzymes are extracted from papaya seed oil. We source caffeine from roasted arabica coffee beans, and we pack our formulas full of antioxidants sourced from pomegranate seeds and cannabis sativa extracts.
ELEVATED SKINCARE RESPECTS ANIMAL WELFARE
Our skincare has been designed for humans, so we test our products on (willing!) humans. We don’t believe in ever testing on animals. We’ve also gone to a lot of effort to make sure that all the ingredients we use are vegan-friendly, which is often not as easy as you might think! Click here to find out more about secret non-vegan skincare ingredients.
Some common skincare ingredients that would appear vegan at first glance may actually be derived by animal by-products or use non-vegan ingredients during processing.
ELEVATED SKINCARE MEANS AVOIDING CERTAIN INGREDIENTS
We guarantee that ASCEND products will never contain silicones, mineral oils, parabens, animal by-products, phtalates , artificial fragrances, unsustainable palm oil, or sulfates.
Artificial silicones are a common additive in skincare products as they improve the “slip” of a cream or lotion. They don’t, however, provide any therapeutic value to the skin and can even prevent active ingredients from penetrating the skin properly. Petrochemicals disguised as “mineral oils” can clog pores and prevent the skin from building a healthy barrier function.
We don’t use either of these ingredients as nothing about their manufacturing methods or skincare benefits corresponds with our ethos for elevated skincare.
ELEVATED SKINCARE MEANS USING ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
We source our ingredients with a high focus on quality and sustainability. For us, this means focussing on organic ingredients wherever we can.
We support organic farming and extraction processes as we believe that the organic process is better for the environment, and more often than not results in a higher quality product with a higher concentration of the beneficial active compounds.
ELEVATED SKINCARE MEANS BEING KIND TO YOUR SKIN
Skincare that clogs pores, drains moisture, and leaves your skin lacklustre once its effects wear off? That’s not doing your largest organ any favours. Your skin is your first line of defence against the outside world, so it makes sense to want to strengthen your natural barrier function. This starts with skincare that is kind to your skin.
The key to radiant skin is skin that is healthy, strong, and balanced. Designed with strengthening and soothing natural ingredients, no harsh exfoliants, no silicones, parabens, or artificial fragrances means that ASCEND products are effective and giving your skin an ethereal glow, all whilst warding off long-term irritation.
ELEVATED SKINCARE IS HAND-MADE IN SMALL BATCHES
We develop and manufacture every one of our products ourselves in our facility in the heart of Scotland, from start to finish.
Every ingredient has gone through our hands to make sure they meet our quality standards, and every ingredient has been added with purpose. We also manufacture by hand, in small batches to ensure that quality standards are met every step of the way. Ask us questions about our ingredient selection process and manufacturing standards – we’ll be happy to tell you more!
DISCOVER OUR BLOG
Is CBD Better Than Vitamin C?
If you’ve been interested in skincare for longer than 5 minutes, chances are you’ll have heard of vitamin C. As a cosmetic ingredient, it stands firmly in the hall of fame alongside retinol, hyaluronic acid, AHA’s and salicylic acid. It is recommended by almost every...
From The Formulator: Building Scent Profiles Is An Opportunity To Rediscover My Roots
The strongest involuntary emotional responses come from scent. When developing our flagship range, I had to decide what I wanted to achieve from the scent of these products.
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