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Wildly
Alaskan
Alaska Glacial Essentials Skincare began in Cordova, Alaska, where the Chugach Mountains meet the Copper River Delta, Prince William Sound, and the Gulf of Alaska. This landscape of glaciers, coastal rainforest, wetlands, and wild salmon inspired our first products—and continues to shape our ingredients and commitment to giving back. Our story starts with glaciers grinding mountain rock into fine mineral particles. The Copper River carries these glacial minerals downstream, depositing the silky mud that inspired founder Lauren Padawer to create Alaska Glacial Mud Co., now Alaska Glacial Essentials Skincare. What began with glacial mud masks and mineral soaps grew into a collection of face and body care inspired by Alaska.
Our story begins high in the mountains where ice grinds rocks into dust, where minerals are carried to the sea in great abundance by the Copper River, and where earth's most basic elements supply the building blocks to sustain a beautifully wild ecosystem. Turns out these same nutrients are good for our skin!
Lauren Padawer
Founder, Alaska Glacial Essentials Skincare
The idea began on a life-changing rafting trip down the Copper River in 2000. We stopped for lunch near the river’s mouth, watching brown bears fish for salmon on the opposite bank. Afterward, we stepped into pools left behind by summer’s high water. Our feet sank into silky, buttery glacial mud, and we soon covered our faces and bodies as though we were guests at the wildest spa in the world—surrounded by bear tracks, fireweed, and eagles overhead.
The sensation of the mud and the softness of my skin afterward sparked my curiosity. After years of research, I launched Alaska Glacial Mud Co. with glacial mud masks and mineral soaps, building a business rooted in the place that inspired it. Today, as Alaska Glacial Essentials Skincare, we pledge 2% of annual revenue to nonprofit partners supporting environmental and community causes.
As I grew older, my skincare needs changed. I wanted daily hydration and nourishment alongside our original mud treatments. That vision led me to explore glacier water, Alaska botanicals, and new formulation possibilities—and ultimately to the collaboration that expanded our collection.
I found a collaborator in Charlie Kim, cosmetic chemist and founder of South Korea-based Alaska Dream Co. Together, we developed a glacier-water collection combining Alaska botanicals with ingredients such as squalane, resveratrol, and hyaluronic acid. In 2020, we introduced his expertise with the cleanser, toner, serum, and cream. Every product is bottled in Alaska. Alaskan inspiration meets Korean formulation expertise. We call it AK-Beauty!
Explore More About Alaska Glacial Essentials
Sustainability
From ingredients and packaging to harvesting and manufacturing, our commitment is both to your skin and Earth’s skin.
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Giving Back
We are inextricably linked to the Copper River and the wild salmon that connect us all, from river to sea.
Read more about giving back >
