Feb 24

Feb 24 Matthew Miléo TALKS on: Powering Products by Nature & Science

Matthew Miléo set out to change the skincare industry with MILÈO NEW YORK and his careful attention to detail, thorough research and a commitment to using the purest ingredients. With a highly-successful brand, it’s clear the luxury skincare creator is passionate about his products and his customers. Here the skincare entrepreneur tells us what sets his brand apart and where his passion for natural products originated.

I found it interesting that you have a background in chemistry; tell me how you evolved into your role creating your brand Miléo?

I’ve always loved chemistry, which carried through in college and later working with Chanel. At 19 I started to be obsessed with the nomenclature of skincare ingredient lists and heavily researched the purpose of every ingredient and its origin. I also started my wellness journey then as I was introduced into yoga and a clean, vegetarian lifestyle. When I moved to NYC and started working for Chanel, the third variable came into play — luxury, beauty and customer service. I was an ambassador for this ultimate house of luxury, training new and existing employees everything about fragrance, makeup and skincare. The moment of change struck when I had an epiphany to blend all my talents into one brand: chemistry, wellness, and luxury — and that’s when MILÈO was born. My goal was to create a luxurious, clinical skincare line that was 100% powered by nature and backed by science, all while being a sensorial and divine experience to use.

Most people are probably not aware of the main ingredient in your products. Can you explain what Oud is and how you initially made the discovery?

Oud comes from the heartwood of the Agarwood tree, which is commonly found in Southeast Asia. When an Agarwood tree becomes infected by a parasitic mold, it starts to produce Oud within to protect itself. As Oud ages it becomes more potent and gives the tree resistance to the mold’s toxicity so it can survive and stay healthy for more than 100 years. Only 2% of all Agarwoods have naturally occurring Oud, so it’s extremely rare and precious once found.

I initially only knew about Oud through fine fragrances. I discovered a multitude of skincare benefits from Oud; targeting dryness, redness, acne, aging, damaged and weakened skin, collagen loss and dark spots.

Tell us about what sets your brand apart.

MILÈO is a luxury hybrid of clean beauty and clinical skincare with ethically sourced and sustainable ingredients and packaging. I wanted my brand to be a joy to use full of sensorial qualities, as well as being 100% pure from plant sources. Every ingredient comes from its natural country of origin, where the best specimen of that species can be organically grown and ethically cultivated. Adding a pioneering and unique ingredient like Oud also sets our brand apart, as that particular ingredient hasn’t been used before in skincare. It’s simply not feasible for a large skincare company to manufacture or obtain it in large amounts, as it’s a very limited resource. Oud must be aged 50-100 years for skincare purposes. Furthermore, we don’t use non recyclable components in any of our packaging.

The skincare industry is saturated with so many products. How do you get your brand out there; and what are some challenges you face?

I’ve focused on recruiting interested customers and raising the skincare experiences for them. The product speaks for itself. Partnering with like values is fundamental, so I’m very selective with who I partner with. I’m transparent about the ingredients. I also make myself available so that I can get to know my customers and ask them questions to make their experience the best skincare journey with my brand hand in hand.

What are your future goals for the company?

I had several new products planned to launch 2020, but due to Covid I decided to postpone it until 2021. There will be two new serums and a body oil collection coming soon. I decided to launch water-based serums first because that is a perfect complement to Elixir Oud, which is an oil-based product. Moisturizers must be formulated with a high concentration of emulsifiers, stabilizers, preservatives and solubilizers. So, using a water-based MILÈO serum followed by our oi- based Elixir Oud is the ideal two-step anti aging moisturizer for your skin sans chemicals. I’d love to expand to other countries while keeping the production of Elixir Oud relatively small.

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Author: Elizabeth Hazard

Elizabeth Hazard is a creative director, producer and writer with several years of experience producing content for magazines, websites, brands and artists. Liz has worked with some of the most accomplished talents in the industry to conceive, develop and produce photos, videos and written work. A published author, she frequently writes about fashion, art and cultural topics for websites and publications. She also holds a certificate in curating from Node Center for Curatorial Studies in Germany.