In this exclusive interview with DSCENE Beauty, editor Katarina Doric sits down with Anna Maria Damm, the founder of the clean beauty brand AN’DA, to explore her remarkable journey from being a prominent German beauty and lifestyle influencer to creating a skincare revolution. Anna Maria, who struggled with skin problems for years, launched AN’DA in 2020, fulfilling a significant life dream. Her quest for effective and enjoyable organic skincare products led her to develop AN’DA, a brand that exemplifies clean, natural, and sustainable beauty. Utilizing vegan, organic ingredients and primarily plant extracts, AN’DA stands out for offering high-quality, affordable skincare, making it accessible to a wider audience.
SKIN CARE
Anna Maria talks about her inspiring journey, her vision for AN’DA, her approach to creating a beauty brand that marries effectiveness with sustainability, and how she is redefining beauty standards in the modern world.
You’ve been deeply involved in skincare due to your own struggles with skin problems. How has this personal journey influenced the development and philosophy of AN’DA beauty? – I struggled with blemishes and acne for a long time from my youth to adulthood. At the time, I was a contestant on Germany’s Next Top Model and of course all the attention was on my appearance. However, this made me feel increasingly uncomfortable and I then dealt with the issue even more intensively. It was always up and down with my skin – I tried a lot but unfortunately didn’t find the ideal products. That’s why I’ve always wanted to develop my own skincare brand with clean, natural and sustainable products.
My motivation was to solve my skin problems with my own products. I also know that many in my community have the same problems. I’m really happy when I get messages and feedback that my products are helping them too.
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AN’DA stands for clean, natural, and sustainable beauty. Can you share more about the core values that drive your brand and how they are reflected in your product line? – AN’DA products are not miracle products – there is no such thing – but they have been developed with very high quality, extremely effective and almost exclusively natural ingredients that are important for beautiful, healthy skin. It’s great to see that our customers are so happy and satisfied with AN’DA.
I am also 100% involved in product development from A to Z. From the idea of a new product to the design of the label – even though I’m not a graphic designer, I designed it myself. I have a precise idea of the products, the texture, the design and of course the mode of action.
As one of Germany’s most prominent social media talents and a devoted mother, how do you balance your professional commitments with personal life, especially in terms of creating content and managing AN’DA? – It is challenging – like every working mum, I face the same challenges, that is for sure. Luckily I have some help! In terms of content creation, my business is now large enough that I can work with people that can help me. And my skincare brand AN’DA is the result of a collaboration between myself and another company Tandm, that helps me to develop, manufacture and distribute my products.
We try to keep our formulations as clean and minimal as possible, and use proven natural ingredients, that have been tested over time, well researched and efficacious.
The name AN’DA has a deep connection to your Filipino heritage. How do you incorporate your cultural background into your brand, and why was it important for you to do so? – The name AN’DA is made up of my first name Anna and my surname Damm. But it also has another, very personal meaning: “Ganda” is the goddess of beauty in the Philippines, where I grew up. It’s important for me to have a connection to my roots.
You mentioned the challenge of finding organic skincare that is both effective and enjoyable to use. How does AN’DA strike this balance between efficacy and user experience? – I don’t really buy into the hype of fad ingredients and overpromising that you see many skincare brands do. We try to keep our formulations as clean and minimal as possible, and use proven natural ingredients, that have been tested over time, well researched and efficacious.
Sustainability is a key pillar for AN’DA. Can you elaborate on how your brand approaches sustainability in terms of ingredients, packaging, and overall operations? – From the very beginning, it was important to me that all our products are as natural and organic as possible, as well as vegan and, of course, cruelty-free. We don’t use any complicated, unnecessary ingredients because I have also realized that this is best for my skin.
Less is more when it comes to packaging too. We have completely decided against elaborate outer packaging and want to keep our products high-quality, but at the same time clean in design, which in turn saves material. At AN’DA, everything important is written directly on the products: Key active ingredients, instructions for use and all other ingredients. We use biodegradable packaging chips made from corn starch for shipping and the package itself is also kept simple and space-saving. It is simply intended to get the products safely to the customer.
Of course, our big goal for the future is to become even more sustainable. There is always room for improvement in this area!
How does AN’DA cater to a diverse range of skin types and concerns, considering the varied needs of your global audience? – We really try to formulate our products using ingredients that are suitable for all skin types. We do of course know who our customers are (my community) and have a good understanding of what skin care needs they have and develop products from that view point.
AN’DA products are not miracle products – there is no such thing – but they have been developed with very high quality, extremely effective and almost exclusively natural ingredients that are important for beautiful, healthy skin.
Having achieved your dream of launching your own skincare brand, what future aspirations do you have for AN’DA? Are there any upcoming product launches or initiatives that you’re particularly excited about? – In fact, we are already working on the development of further AN’DA products to be launched at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. This much we can already reveal: they will be new products for body and hair! And there are other ideas in development that we cannot reveal just yet!
What advice would you give to individuals looking to start their own beauty brand, especially in the clean and sustainable space? – I think you really need to understand the space well, otherwise it’s easy for it to go sideways. I think you can see that already with the numbers of brands that come and go… It is not just about developing the products – there are many many other things to think about, for example, understanding the regulatory aspect of cosmetic development, manufacturing, distribution and so on. It helps to establish and understand clearly what you know and don’t know, and work with experienced partners who can help and guide you along the way.
Among the AN’DA product range, do you have any personal favorites or must-haves that you’d recommend to someone new to the brand? – I love every single AN’DA product because each one has its own effect and the combination of all of them covers my skin’s needs perfectly. But if I had to choose one, it would be the Healthy Glow Serum because it is an absolute all-round product for me. The serum moisturizes and provides a radiant complexion. Even if I need to get going quickly in the morning, it gives my skin a healthy glow and I’m ready for the day. I feel ready to go even without make-up!
Keep up with Anna Maria Damm and AN’DA on Instagram – @annamariadamm @anda.care
