Behind the Brand: Ursa Major on Clean Skincare That Actually Works

Ursa Major has built a loyal following by proving that clean skincare doesn’t have to compromise on performance. In this exclusive Q&A, the founders share how their philosophy has evolved—from early days in Vermont to becoming a leader in high-performance, plant-powered skincare. We dive into what “clean beauty” really means today, how they approach innovation across categories, and the inspiration behind their newest launch: the Sunny Start Eye Serum, designed to brighten, de-puff, and energize tired eyes… instantly and over time.

Haskill Creek Bonus: When you buy a Sunny Start Eye Serum (launching this weekend!), you’ll get a free Ursa Major dad cap–perfect for keeping skin out of the sun this spring. While supplies last!

• Ursa Major has always had a strong point of view around clean, high-performance skincare. What originally sparked that vision, and how has it evolved as the brand has grown?
  
  After years in the beauty industry in NYC, we’d seen behind the curtain, and we knew people deserved better—safer, cleaner skincare products—without sacrificing anything. At the time, “natural” often meant compromising on results, and “clinical” often meant sacrificing experience and safety. We believed there was a way to make effective, beautiful products powered by clean, natural or naturally derived ingredients, that actually delivered results—and that’s what we did. We moved to Vermont and started Ursa Major, inspired by the fresh air, forests, and indie spirit. Since then we’ve continued to push performance further, blending plant actives with cutting-edge clean skincare ingredients, and delivering a tightly curated assortment of “supernatural” formulas that our customers seem to be enjoying.
  
• The term “clean beauty” has become more crowded over time. How do you define it today, and how do you ensure your formulas still deliver real, visible results?
  
  “Clean” isn’t a marketing term for us, it’s a commitment to safety, transparency, and integrity in formulation. That means thoughtfully sourcing ingredients, avoiding known or suspected toxins, and formulating with intention. But clean alone isn’t enough. Every product has to earn its place by delivering results. We test rigorously, we iterate, and we lean into clinically proven actives alongside potent natural ingredients.
  
• From your core face essentials to newer launches like bodycare, how do you decide when it’s the right moment to expand into a new category?
  
  We’re pretty disciplined about expansion. It has to start with a real need, either something our customers are asking for or a gap we genuinely feel isn’t being met. From there, we ask: can we do this in a way that’s meaningfully better or refreshingly different? If the answer is yes, and we can bring that same level of performance and experience people expect from our face products, then it’s right.
  
• Your bodycare line has been a recent focus. What excites you most about that category, and how does it reflect the broader Ursa Major philosophy?
  
  Bodycare is a big opportunity because it’s historically been overlooked from a formulation standpoint. People are used to settling for basic or overly synthetic products. We see it as an extension of skincare—your skin is your skin, after all. What excites us is bringing high-performance ingredients, thoughtful formulations, and an elevated sensory experience to a category that hasn’t always had it. It’s very aligned with our philosophy: effective, clean, and a pleasure to use.
  
• When developing a new product, what comes first: the ingredient story, the skin concern, or something else?
  
  We having a running list of new product ideas; things we think our customers will love. Once we green-light something, it almost always starts with the end experience and the problem we’re trying to solve. What do we want this product to do, and how should it feel when you use it? From there, we build backwards—identifying the right ingredients and technologies to deliver that outcome. The ingredient story matters, but it’s in service of performance, not the other way around.
  
• What gap did you see in the eye care category that led to the creation of Sunny Start Eye Serum?
  
  We’ve long had an eye cream our customers love for its rich hydration and smoothing benefits, but we saw an opportunity to create a complementary formula for those who wanted something lighter, faster-absorbing, and more visibly energizing. So we developed an eye serum designed to de-puff, brighten, and tighten on contact, while still delivering longer-term benefits for things like fine lines and elasticity. Both formulas fit seamlessly into any routine. 

• Can you talk about the hero ingredients—like cedar bark, wild gentian, peptides, and vitamin C—and how they work together to brighten, firm, and de-puff?
  
  We designed Sunny Start to be a true wake-up call for tired eyes, using a mix of plant actives that work together to brighten, firm, and de-puff. Cedar peptides and sandalwood help support elasticity and keep the skin around the eyes feeling firm, while ash tree bark steps in to quickly reduce puffiness so you look more awake right away. Vitamin C brings that brightening, smoothing effect, and wild gentian with cedar bark helps target the look of stubborn dark circles. It’s a really balanced formula that gives you both instant results and longer-term benefits.

• What’s your desert island Ursa Major product—if you had to pick just one?
  
  EMILY: It depends what time of year it is! I love them all, I’m like a mom that way with our products. But if I had to choose one, it might be our Fantastic Face Wash. It’s where so many people start with the brand, and it really captures what we’re about: a delightfully-clean, forest-infused formula that’s incredibly effective, refreshing, and just makes you feel better.