Grown Alchemist has grown significantly in the 16 years since its founding. The Australian skincare brand was built on the belief that environmental factors play a critical role in skin health—a concept that was groundbreaking in 2008 but is now widely accepted. Today, Grown Alchemist is bringing this philosophy into the modern era, blending its biotech-derived skincare products with advanced treatments that promote both inner and outer health.

On November 15, Grown Alchemist will bring this vision to life with the opening of its first store outside of Australia. Located at 35 Beak Street in London, the store signals a new and exciting chapter in the brand's global growth. Spanning two immersive floors, the flagship will offer bespoke skincare consultations, exclusive face and body treatments, and IV drip therapies—each experience crafted around the brand's commitment to advanced, biotech-based formulas and a 360-degree approach to wellness.

“Our Beak Street store offers a unique, first-to-market experience, bringing the best biotechnological innovation to both retail and treatments,” says Anna Teal, Grown Alchemist CEO. “Our therapies offer a symbiotic mix of expert skincare applications accelerated by leading tools and technology.”

Aesthetically, the store draws inspiration from the lab environment where its biotech ingredients are developed, incorporating materials like concrete, aluminum, and mirrored glass. Textured clay and light travertine add a softness to the space, while a window plant installation provides a grounding, natural touch. The plants serve more than just an aesthetic purpose; they also help purify the air, removing toxins and pollutants from the environment, which in turn also improve skin health.

The center of the store works as a destination for express treatments and product exploration. The London store allows Grown Alchemist to extend its online partnership with Revieve through an interactive skin diagnostic that offers personalized product recommendations tailored to individual skincare needs and considering local UV and pollution levels. IV vitamin infusion therapy powered by market leaders REVIV is also available, delivering nutrients directly into the bloodstream, which can have immediate and long-lasting skin health benefits. As part of its "Alchemists in Residence" series, Grown Alchemist will also host a rotation of barbers to address physical wellness and grooming needs.

“This inner and outer facial concept via our partnership with REVIV will also be available in stores, as will specialist barbering treatments for our male customers, because we know and appreciate that we have a very gender-balanced consumer audience,” Teal tells BeautyMatter.

Downstairs in the treatment room, Grown Alchemist will offer a range of cutting-edge facial and body therapies that all take place in a binaural wellness bed from Gharieni that utilises vibrational and acoustic technologies that promote relaxation.

“It’s more than just a bed to lie on—it's a wellness experience in itself,” says Teal.

The advanced treatments will incorporate the use of the ZIIP microcurrent facial toning device to help strengthen the skin from within and encourage collagen production to aid in skin repair. There is only one treatment room, which allows the facialist to be hyperfocused on that one individual starting from the minute that they walk downstairs into the private treatment space.

"This is a true 360-degree, multisensory experience that goes beyond touch in our treatments," says Teal. "You'll experience sound therapy and vibration therapy, all designed to deliver a deeper sense of rejuvenation."

Grown Alchemist opened its first retail store in Melbourne in 2019, but this new London store marks a significant milestone in the brand's expansion that demonstrates its commitment to establishing a global presence. While Grown Alchemist began its journey in Australia, London now serves as the brand's new global headquarters.

“Because it's our first store concept outside of Australia, we really wanted to make sure that we focus in on quality service, hyperpersonalized conversations, and experiences that really feel like they are tailored for each individual,” says Teal.

“We have considered every detail of the store experience, including air filtration planting, a UV and pollution diagnostic tool, and a holistic skin product offering. The store is the ultimate expression of our brand, and we are delighted to be able to bring this to London.”

The brand hopes to bring its one-of-a-kind retail experience to other key strategic locations in the future, with plans for a US store in its sights. Additionally, Grown Alchemist is particularly focused on entering a retail environment that enables the brand to showcase its products alongside its advanced treatment services.

“We're a very experiential brand,” says Teal. “Working with retail partners who are known to be beauty specialists, but enabling us to really give customers that experience, is something that we'll continue to do.”

Grown Alchemist expanded into spa services three years ago and is currently in over 30 spas globally, including Nobu Hotel in London. Recently, the brand has appointed a specialized spa team, including therapists and an education team, to facilitate further expansion and international rollout with select partners, including the Mondrian Hotel group. Grown Alchemist is also the exclusive Delta Airlines Lounge partner and is available to Delta One members in amenity kits.

“This goes back to how different customers can experience your brand without always being sold to,” says Teal. “This approach really enhances that experience. We will continue to collaborate with select spas and hotel groups that align with and cater to our consumers.”

Grown Alchemist’s expansion plan also includes partnering with like-minded wellness brands that have highly engaged communities. To that end, Grown Alchemist hosted a wellness suite in collaboration with The Pop-Up Hotel at Glastonbury earlier this year. Additionally, Grown Alchemist teamed up with Equinox, replacing Kiehl’s as the high-end gym's long-time locker room product partner. This skincare transition surprised the Equinox community, especially given Kiehl’s 13-year tenure. However, Teal believes this partnership is a natural fit for both brands.

“Equinox is at the forefront of innovation, constantly seeking ways to maximize performance and optimize health and potential,” she says. “It was truly a meeting of minds. Together, we’ve created a collection of products designed for broader distribution. More importantly, as we build momentum in this partnership, we plan to host events that allow us to engage with the community and share more about our products.”

Teal says Grown Alchemist and Equinox are already working together to bring the skincare brand into the spa, something the previous brand didn’t offer. The Equinox partnership also plays a pivotal role in Grown Alchemist’s North American growth strategy.

“To partner long-term with such a reputable brand that has highly engaged communities is definitely up there as a key moment for us,” says Teal.

All of these initiatives aim to help the average consumer discover and engage with Grown Alchemist in a more authentic, natural way, moving beyond the traditional methods of skincare influencers or content creators. While “skintellectuals” will certainly hear about the brand through its partnerships with various dermatologists, aestheticians, and other skin experts, Grown Alchemist is also targeting a different type of consumer, which it refers to as the “urban adventurer.” These are primarily young people who live in large cities and want to enjoy absolutely everything that the city has to offer, whether that’s cultural events, musical performances, or membership communities like a run club.

“How can we help them maximize their potential by keeping them on top of their skin 'A-game'? Living in a city exposes them to higher pollution levels and more free radical damage. Chances are, they aren’t spending enough time outdoors in nature to relax, leading to a high-octane lifestyle with unique stresses. This is where the concept of partnering with like-minded cultural partners truly comes to life,” says Teal.

Grown Alchemist is best known for its gentle yet effective products, like its moisturizing hand cream, which the brand says is always a top seller in the winter months. The Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser is also popular across all ages and skin types because of its ability to cleanse and remove dirt without overstripping the skin. Lastly, the Skin Defense Primer is quickly becoming a cult favorite within the brand thanks to its multipurpose benefits. This silicone-free formula acts as a 4-in-1 product: it instantly mattifies, blurs pores, improves foundation grip for longer-lasting makeup, and provides antioxidant protection to shield the skin from free radical damage.

Even setting aside the London store opening, the rollout of the Equinox partnership, and rapid expansion into multiple retail channels, 2024 has been a pivotal year for Grown Alchemist. While the L'Occitane Group had acquired a majority stake in the brand in 2022, former L'Occitane Group CEO and vice chairman André Hoffmann took the company private earlier this year, purchasing a controlling majority stake for $30 million.

"The L'Occitane Group has been an incredible partner and supporter of the business since its acquisition of a majority control in 2022, enabling us to establish a strong foundation for growth, a stellar team, investment in product enhancements and new market entries," Teal said in a statement regarding the change in ownership. "That being said, we see this acquisition of Grown Alchemist as an opportunity to accelerate brand growth, as we gain more strategic flexibility and autonomy outside of a listed group. We are appreciative to the Group for their open mindedness and support for this transition in line with growth strategies of both parties involved."

At the time, Grown Alchemist said it would focus on large-scale partnerships and activations in lifestyle, music, and retail to accelerate international growth in key markets, including North America and China. Last year, the brand launched in Sephora China, later expanding that partnership to Sephora UK.

Teal notes that taking the company private has significantly accelerated its growth trajectory, with Grown Alchemist on track to reach $100 million in annual revenue within the next three years.

“The London store wasn't really under discussion [before the change of ownership],” she says. “Those discussions have all taken place since privatization. Whether it's opening branded stores, establishing new partnerships, or entering new markets—including some soon-to-be-announced across Asia and Asia-Pacific—Hong Kong is one market that’s accelerating very quickly. Since going private, we’ve been able to move decisively and focus on our goals, and that will really start to show over the coming months.”

The Grown Alchemist London store at 35 Beak Street will open on November 15, 2024.