My name is: Neada Deters.

I live in: New York.

I’m known for being: Many things to many people, though most would know me as the founder of LESSE. 

I’m talking about: A ritual, not routine approach to skin care. When we reduce how many products we use, we suddenly open up space for connection to others and ourselves. It becomes a ritual of care that shapes who we are, and how we engage with the world around us. LESSE was founded with the guiding philosophy, “less is more,” though our formulations are incredibly complex. All of our essentials are multi-beneficial and highly performance-driven, so you experience results without the pressure of time. LESSE is a ritual of results, in a few simple steps.

Before I created this, I was: An editor covering beauty, fashion, travel and design. I had struggled with my own skin for the better part of a decade and, as an editor, I had the opportunity to test every product on the market and interview industry experts from around the world. After years of product and ingredient research, it was clear to me that the solutions I was looking for weren’t out there—so, I decided to create my own.

My interest was sparked when: I started to recognize that the most common skin conditions could be safely and naturally treated with active botanicals, from eczema, rosacea and acne to hyperpigmentation, fine lines and sensitivity. These organic ingredients, when thoughtfully formulated, can be layered together to create multi-beneficial products. 

The idea behind it is: When we take an uncompromising approach to the way we create—or formulate —products, we reap greater benefits from less.

The clean product I’m currently obsessed with is: Our LESSE Every Tone SPF 30, which is a non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen that blends completely into all skin tones. I was born and raised in Australia, so sun protection is paramount to me. As someone with brown skin, I had spent my life searching for a reef-safe, zinc SPF 30 that worked for my skin tone. Many said it was impossible and it did take me four years of intense development to finalize the formula, but it was all worth it. The formula itself contains 17% zinc, is 100% natural, and incorporates a complex of Australian Super Berries; all extracts that have evolved to counteract conditions created by sun damage, so you’re both protecting and healing your skin with this sunscreen.

The words I live by are: You are all that you need. These are words we share with our LESSE community often, and which we even have printed on our tee.

One truth that is so important, but people don’t always realize is: Change always feels impossible until it occurs; be courageous and persistent in your convictions.