For French-born Valérie Grandury, founder and CEO of lauded clean beauty brand, Odacité, a life-changing event became the impetus to launch her company in 2009. “Nothing really predestined me to start a skincare company, but I had breast cancer and it changed everything,” says Valérie, who originally moved to Los Angeles 22 years ago from Paris. “Cancer forced me to reevaluate my entire life and make necessary changes in order to heal. I promised myself to remove all the toxic ingredients from my life and when I discovered the toxicity of some ingredients that go into skincare, I was shocked. Staying true to my promise of no toxicity, I went on a quest to find skincare that was natural and high-performance. When I didn’t find it, I decided to create it.”

But Valérie explains the real epiphany happened 16 years ago. “Back in 2006 when I had breast cancer, the only option for natural skincare was a health food store,” she says. “But there was no pleasure in these formulas, no beauty in the packaging, no results in the ingredients. You had to compromise between efficacy and purity. I wanted the rigor and performance of the French skincare I grew up with and absolutely no questionable ingredients. This is why I founded Odacité so you can have it all: performance, purity and pleasure of the senses.”

The beauty renegade left her lab in Calabasas to share her beauty tips with Golden State and reveal everything from her latest product launch and her favorite repair balm to why she compares concocting a skincare formula to a seamless symphony.

Tell us about the company and what you love most about skincare.

“I love everything about skincare; the craft, the history, the ingredients, the science and the pleasure it delivers. Making a formula is like composing a symphony. It starts with the extraordinary growers, farmers and pickers that have mastered the art of extracting raw nature into very effective skincare ingredients. Then in our lab, we blend raw nature with clinical actives to create formulas that give you the kind of clinical grade results we all desire. Then, we formulate and reformulate until the magic happens and every drop that touches your skin feels like the most beautiful symphony.”

What do you feel is the biggest misconception about clean beauty?

“While it is changing rapidly, there is still the feeling that clean beauty does not perform as well as conventional skincare, which could not be further from the truth. When properly formulated, clean beauty works even better. For me, the kind of clean beauty we do at Odacité is the difference between the nutritional value of a home-cooked meal made from organic ingredients and a processed food made in a factory with dubious ingredients.”

If you had to choose one item from your own line, what would it be?

“If I had to pick just one product, I would choose le Blue Balm. This repair balm does it all and envelops my skin in the most soothing hydration I have ever felt. It is powered by two proprietary bioactive complexes: a Repair Complex with Squalane to nurture your skin barrier and a Soothe Complex built around the anti-inflammatory powers of German Blue Chamomile. Instantly, the skin looks healthier with a regained feeling of intense comfort and softness. I use it as the last step of my night routine, and it can be used as an eye contour balm, lip balm, or anywhere your body needs a serious dose of hydration and repair.

The absolute best seller is our Pimples Serum Concentrate Bl+C. We sell one bottle every 47 seconds of this magic potion, because it works.

Our latest launch, SPF 50 Sheer Sunscreen Mineral Drops, is a game-changer for me and for all those who used to hate sunscreen. To everyone who has avoided sunscreen because you hated the way it felt on your skin despite knowing that daily sunscreen is one of the pillars of a serious anti-aging strategy, this SPF is for you. It took us 10 years of research and development to create Mineral Drops. It’s the kind of sunscreen that feels so good on your skin, you’ll want to wear it every single day.

Mineral Drops is an ultra-light, hydrating, sheer natural SPF 50 with the highest protection against UVA rays responsible for the destruction of collagen and premature aging. Loaded with Niacinamide to even out skin tone and the antioxidant powers of green tea to fight free radical damage, it’s an SPF that feels like skincare and works like sunscreen.”

Your best beauty advice?

“Build a routine. My philosophy of skincare is all about prioritizing the health and longevity of your skin, and for that, a daily skincare regimen is essential. It does not need to be complicated, but it needs to be morning and night. An easy 3-step routine will do: cleanse (morning too, and double cleanse at night); treat with a targeted serum to address the specific needs of your skin; and moisturize to maintain plump, healthy-looking skin.

What’s up next?

“In the fall, we are debuting a new line of three serums that refuse to compromise performance, purity, or pleasure. They are the perfect balance of clean and clinical, fusing gold standard clinical actives and revolutionary patented encapsulation technology in a skin-compatible formula free of synthetics and frequent to deliver exceptional skin benefits and optimal results without irritation. We are always researching and learning, scouting ingredients both from nature and from clinical studies. Right now, we are working on a very unique plant extract from an extremely rare, endemic plant known for its very powerful bioactive compounds. We have managed to grow it in large quantities using a very specific scientific environment and are super excited about the first results.”

Valérie’s Top Beauty Hacks

Ever since pioneering the Clean Beauty Movement, we maintain the highest standards of clean by banning thousands of ingredients from our formulas. However, Clean Beauty has become the fastest growing segment of the beauty industry. As a result, tons of new brands powered by big investors and questionable standards of clean have come to market in a trend known as “clean washing” – so it can be very confusing for consumers to navigate. 

Skip The Fragrance

Avoid formulas with “fragrance” in the ingredient list. Fragrances are considered as a trade secret in the beauty industry. For that reason, they are not required to list what they are made of. Fragrances are made up of hundreds of different ingredients that are not listed on the label, so you are never sure what you are actually being exposed to. They often contain hormone disruptors found in skincare products, but also many household products such as candles, air fresheners, and scented trash bags.

Use Oil

Include facial oils in your beauty routine. Oils are pure and effective ways to nurture your skin.

Read Up 

Read the story behind the brand. You will find companies you can trust that have a real passion for making a difference and creating products that are better for your skin, your health and for the beautiful planet we live on.