Written by Menswear Style in Grooming on the 5th July 2018

Bad Norwegian was born after an excursion through South Africa by its owner. Nothing takes its toll on the skin quite like extreme lack of sleep, harsh sunlight and daily stress. The brand's co-founder and former NATO soldier, Marius, discovered this first-hand as he followed wild animals through the open plains for weeks.

While searching for some relief for his overworked skin, he found that skincare was mainly targeted toward women, with almost no suitable options available for men. The usual pink packaging, delicate jars and fragrances held no appeal to him, so he decided to create a line of skincare dedicated to men in his mind. so, in a nutshell Bad Norwegian was born.

Back in Norway, the pieces started to fall in place 

After teaming up with design friend, Castilñano, together they created a brand that represented clean functionality and classic style. This focus can been seen in everything from the product naming (Wash Face) and the packaging design, to the ingredients philosophy; vegan and cruelty-free natural ingredients that have a proven effect on the skin.

Skincare you can feel 

An important part of the product is the instant effect. Both facial creams contain a tiger balm effect, resulting in a slight tingle when you apply it, giving the skin a wake up reaction in the morning. Products like the Wash Face and Wash Body are boosted with menthol resulting in a cold kick after use. The same applies for the Stick Deo deodorants. Although they are without aluminum and perfume, they use menthol as a means of cooling the skin and generating less of a sweet smell and fragrance. They also provide a cooling feeling for hours thereafter. This has been a hit with customers according to Marius, especially in the duty free market which they now have entered. This includes sales all over Norway and on airlines such as Lufthansa, Swiss Air and Finnair.

Airless jars 

The open jars that you can stick your fingers into are great for one thing: bacterial growth. Bad Norwegian uses an airless jar to eradicate this issue. Press down, swipe and you get the amount you need. Efficient and clean.

Testing on friends 

The brand’s value from the start has always been: Do no harm. So they test on their friends and not on animals. The process can take up to a year, with different batches going out to friends who then send their comments back before a new batch is made. They are one of the few skincare brands where customers can be part of the development process from beginning to end. Bad Norwegian are always aiming to make skincare less 'smoke and mirrors' and more an important part of your everyday life. Not taking up too much time, but definitely giving you a kick in the morning so you are ready for whatever comes. Like a Bad Norwegian.

"I've been using Bad Norwegian for the past 2 weeks and I'm very impressed so far. Their face wash gives a subtle but refreshing tingle to the face due to the peppermint ingredient, something I look forward to each morning. The revitalize face moisturiser is light, non-greasy and is dispensed through a neat contraption that I've not seen before." - Craig Landale, Editor-in-Chief at Menswear Style.

Set up by a former NATO soldier, Marius' skincare brand Bad Norwegian uses Vegan and Cruelty-Free Natural Ingredients.