Lucy Vincent from Sans [ceuticals]
Grounded in science and sustainability, Lucy Vincent brings more than two decades of industry experience to Sans [ceuticals], a New Zealand-born brand balancing chemistry with a refined, less-is-more approach.
Photos COURTESY OF SANS [CEUTICALS]
Sans [ceuticals] was developed by beauty industry expert Lucy Vincent on the shores of New Zealand.
Perpetual Activator 7 Body + Hair + Face Oil Kit from Sans [ceuticals].
“Since inception, I always wanted to create a world infusing all the things I loved, from herbalism, to cooking, to gardening, and caring for the environment.”
‘Once you have a good understanding of chemistry and physiology, you can see through the gimmicky nature of trends and opt for a more consistent and sound approach,’ says Lucy Vincent.
Derived from the French word meaning ‘without’, Sans [ceuticals] is grounded in a philosophy of purity, a clean collection formulated without unnecessary or harmful ingredients.
Hello Lucy—can you introduce yourself?
I'm founder of Sans [ceuticals], an innovation-based skin and haircare company taking sustainable beauty into the future in a more sophisticated way.
You've spent over two decades in hair and beauty… was founding your own brand always part of the plan?
No, not really. It was definitely a squiggly line getting here. I try to communicate this to my kids, that it's not always the obvious path, or the picture-perfect career, that delivers the gold. I started my career as a hairdresser, something I never aspired to or dreamed of being. However, it offered me an opportunity to become a self-starter, meet and learn from interesting people, and the ability to shape my own destiny.
When did you realise the industry needed something you couldn't find anywhere else?
It was in the early 2000s. We travelled a lot for work and saw a lot of independent, interesting brands that had personality and great design. Also, being really interested in the environment and health, I was wanting a new form of clean science, not just cottage-industry natural. Being at the bottom of the earth, we didn't have access to a lot of these brands, and most of the innovation was in skin, presenting a huge gap in clean, performance-driven haircare.
Your sustainability commitments go well beyond most brands. How do you hold yourself accountable as you grow?
This is easy, as it is so fundamentally part of my DNA and the way I approach development and design. And because of what we do, we attract incredibly talented people for whom it’s also a primary driver.
There's regularly a new hero ingredient or viral routine… how do you decide what's worth paying attention to?
This is a space we don't play into. Our development is founded on chemistry and dermatological science, overlapped with an approach to beauty that is personal to me. Once you have a good understanding of chemistry and physiology, you can see through the gimmicky nature of trends and opt for a more consistent and sound approach.
You collaborated with scientists and cell biologists to develop the range. What surprised you most when you delved deep into the science?
One of the things that shifted my thinking was the skin microbiome. This is now considered the forth layer of our skin, being on top of the the epidermis being the third layer. You never realise how easily it's disrupted, and how many preservatives and surfactants standard in cosmetic formulation for decades are genuinely harmful to it. This heavily impacted the ingredients selected in the range, even if the better alternatives were more expensive or harder to source.
What does nature get right that a lab can't replicate, and vice versa?
What nature gets right is complexity. Botanical extracts contain hundreds of compounds that work together in ways we don't fully understand yet. The whole is often greater than the sum of its parts, and that complexity is difficult to replicate in the lab.
What the lab gets right is stability. Nature expires. Many of the most bioactive natural compounds oxidise, degrade, and lose efficacy quickly in their raw state. Take Vitamin C for example. It begins degrading almost immediately on exposure to light, air, and water. That's where nature and the lab become really powerful together, not as opposites, but as collaborators.
Sans [ceuticals] is formulated without animal testing, artificial fragrances or colours, sulfates, silicones, parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates and other unnecessary additives.
With a multifunctional approach at its core, Sans [ceuticals] pares skincare back to what’s essential
“It was definitely a squiggly line getting here. I try to communicate this to my kids, that it’s not always the obvious path, or the picture-perfect career that delivers the gold.”
‘What nature gets right is complexity. What the lab gets right is stability.’
Perpetual Activator 7 Body + Hair + Face Oil Kit is made entirely from recycled waste, removing it from circulation and transforming it into something lasting.
Has your own relationship with wellbeing shaped the brand, or the other way around?
Since inception, I always wanted to create a world infusing all the things I loved, from herbalism, to cooking, to gardening, and caring for the environment. Also weaving in culture, music, film, and craft, as I see these as a fundamental part of wellbeing too.
What does it actually mean to have an 'uncontrived' approach in an industry built on aspiration and image?
There is an unspoken sentiment so deeply ingrained in our psyches being the more inputs, the better the outcome. Through experience, combined learnings in chemistry, dermal science, my time in the fashion industry, I find this not to be true, and that less truly is more.
A dream project/collaboration for you?
I would love to create something for The Row. One essential piece. It would be a dream.
A piece of advice you would give someone starting their journey in beauty?
My honest advice would be, go for quality, keep it simple. Eat well and wear sunscreen.
What are you currently looking at, reading or noticing that's feeding into your work?
Reading Michael Pollan on consciousness and Tim Spector on fermentation. I’m also looking into herbalism, something I would love to get into later in life.
Where would we find you on a typical Saturday?
At my local community city farm, Kelmarna. It's a favourite, especially after I've had a coffee!
What's coming up for you in 2026 that you're most excited about?
I have the most incredible team. We've just expanded our hub into Melbourne and have an incredible NPD line-up scheduled so this year is busy! Since late 2024, we invested in setting up development lab, which is headed by a woman called Kyra, a biomolecular research scholar and developer. We are currently working on some very novel and exciting innovations that will follow on from our recent Perpetual launch.
Stay up to date with Sans [ceuticals] here or follow @sansceuticals on Instagram.
