ABOUT US

Estonian Excellence

A spin-off company from the University of Tartu, LUMI has its roots in tackling dermatological issues and bringing radiance back to skin. Founder Helen Hirv became invested in skincare research when her daughter began suffering from atopic dermatitis.

Unsatisfied with the solutions available on the market, Helen sought to create a cream without the usual array of artificial additives that industry giants insert into their products – designed primarily to keep profits high, rather than skin healthy.

A fascination with the properties of hemp seed oil and its incredible ability to tackle dermatitis led to the creation of her first skin cream, a forerunner to what would become the award-winning Bio-Klinik line, Estonia’s first hypoallergenic, prebiotic skincare series. The cream’s results on skin were amazing, and it was clear that Helen’s passion had to be pursued.

Over the years, LUMI has not only met expectations but surpassed them, evolving from a small passion project into Estonia’s leading organic skincare brand. Year after year, we continue to set the standard. In 2024, our dedication was recogniSed internationally when we proudly earned the Best Free From Brand award in the UK – an achievement that reaffirms our commitment to pure, high-quality skincare.

2023 marked a defining chapter in our journey. LUMI became 100% female-owned and led, a milestone that brought our long-held dream to life. Now, with an all-women leadership team – composed of those who have long believed in and invested in LUMI – we can fully shape our vision, free from distractions, and stay true to what matters most.

“When women celebrate and support each other, the impact is profound. Not only do we experience personal growth and fulfillment, but we also unlock the full potential of our collective strength. By tapping into our inherent cooperative and collaborative feminine energy, we break free from the constraints of competition and create a culture of abundance and success for all.”

The modern iteration of LUMI still has that commitment to helping people that inspired our first steps, but the scale of what we’re able to achieve has grown vastly.

Albert Einstein once said that a fool is someone who keeps doing the same thing over and over but expects different results – that’s why we choose to be skin-smart. Our mission is to share skin wisdom, because as a society, we’re still following outdated skincare practices. It’s time for a change. Let’s revolutionise the way we care for our skin!

With our pioneering LUMI method and 4-week approach, we offer a holistic skincare regimen designed for everyone, no matter their skin type or condition. The only thing we ask for is patience – because the best results take time, and good things truly come to those who wait!

But we’re not here to sit back and admire our achievements. Every milestone inspires new challenges, and we feel like we’re just getting started. The passion within our team doesn’t fade – it grows alongside LUMI, driving us forward every step of the way.

As for the inspiration behind it all? Emma, the reason LUMI was born, is now grown up and working alongside her mother, passionately supporting the brand she helped spark.

From Micro to Macro

Your skin is the meeting point between your body and the world. It’s the largest organ in the human body, connected in myriad ways to every facet of the internal and external, and is home to billions of microorganisms that live on its surface. To try and treat the skin in isolation, then, is not just ineffective – it’s plain stupid!

To properly look after skin, it’s important to always look at the whole picture. That includes the big things, such as the nutrients you feed your body, which become the building blocks needed to repair and maintain skin, and health conditions, whether physical or mental, chronic or acute. Any of these factors can greatly affect the whole body, including and especially the skin.

But also, the whole picture means including even the most tiny of things. The skin microbiome – the billions-strong community of microorganisms that live on the surface of our skin – have a major role in how our skin looks, performs its duties, and regenerates itself.

As scientific research sheds more and more light on the microbiome, its vital role in skin health becomes ever clearer. Put simply – look after the microbiome, and it can be your skin’s greatest ally; neglect it, and no amount of creams, serums, or anything else will be able to fill the gap.

Only when you take a holistic view of health – from the innermost workings of the brain all the way to the microscopic bacteria living at our very edges – can you hope to get things right when it comes to lasting skin health.

At the Cutting Edge

As you’d expect from a skincare brand born from university research, scientific endeavour is the lifeblood of everything we do here at LUMI. We’re obsessed with scientific news, both within the skincare industry and further afield, and the LUMI labs are an exciting place to be, where ideas are free to be explored and groundbreaking formulations are continually being worked on.

Our passion for science is not merely about curiosity, though. We understand that research and technological innovation are at the heart of problem solving. By achieving greater understanding of the body and embracing new methods, we can go further than has ever been possible before, and tackle even the most difficult of challenges.

We’re proud of our status as early adopters, utilising the latest breakthroughs in skincare and helping to shape trends, rather than simply following them. In recent years, we’ve pioneered the use of revolutionary biotechnologies such as neurocosmetics, phytocannabinoids, and plant stem cells, to name just a few highlights in a long list of successes.

But do these modern innovations really make a difference to skin, you ask? Well, you could just take our word for it, but we’d really rather you tried them for yourself!

Better for Skin, Better for Earth

What’s the point in having flawless skin if you don’t have a planet to show it off on?

At LUMI, sustainability isn’t just a commitment – it’s at the heart of everything we do, perfectly aligned with our dedication to natural ingredients. Producer responsibility is something we take seriously, ensuring that every product meets the highest standards by using certified organic and scientifically proven ingredients.

But sustainability goes beyond just the ingredients – it’s also about fairness. We prioritise sourcing local produce, choosing the most sustainable crops, and paying a fair price for quality materials and ethical production. And, of course, we firmly stand against animal testing.

Our innovation is driven by a blend of passion and science, supported by global and clinical research that allows us to create skincare that truly delivers results. By keeping supply chains as short as possible, working only with responsible manufacturers, and actively supporting internal sustainability initiatives, we reduce our environmental impact while maintaining the highest product standards.

Hemp seed oil forms the foundation of our creams and many other LUMI products. In Estonia, Finola is the primary and most widely grown variety of industrial hemp, valued not only for its strength, nutritional benefits, and versatility but also for its ability to enrich soil rather than deplete it. But Finola’s true superpower is carbon capture – one hectare of Finola hemp removes up to 22 tons of CO₂ from the air each year, making it one of the most effective natural air purifiers in the world. With every LUMI purchase, we plant 1 m² of Finola hemp, removing 0.8 kg of CO₂ from the air in just one year. So, while LUMI products leave your skin feeling incredible, they also leave the planet a little better off.

Sustainable change, however, isn’t something we can achieve alone. It requires collective effort, and we’re incredibly grateful to our customers for being part of this journey. An amazing 90% of LUMI buyers choose to either forgo packaging or opt for recycled materials, helping us eliminate unnecessary waste and allowing us to focus on what truly matters – the products themselves. Sustainability isn’t just a philosophy for us. It’s a way of life.

Of course, there’s always more that can be done, and we’re continually looking for ways we can reduce our environmental impact even more. Watch this space, because we’ve got some incredible plans for LUMI’s green future!