For Alexander Werz, the founder of skincare brand AWvi, taking care of body and mind has always been at the top of his agenda, adjacent to a career as CEO of renowned luxury PR and brand-building agency Karla Otto. Having spent 35 years at the company nurturing creative talent from across the globe, the idea to start a venture of his own came to Werz during the COVID-19 pandemic; a time when self-care rituals became the bedrock of long days working from home.
‘I’m interested in how supplements nourish your digestion and gut health, which I see as your second brain. In my skincare routine, I was using a cleanser and a cream. But I realised there was a disconnect between them all,’ he says. Three years later in November 2023, AWvi was born: a line of science-backed products connecting gut health with topical skincare, addressing our wellbeing from the inside out.
AWvi is powered by the gut-skin axis
Werz has always taken this holistic approach to ‘wellness’, which he says is greatly influenced by his German upbringing. He considers nutrition, sleep, movement, nature, ‘passions’ and ‘relationships’ as key components of a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle. (The name AWvi is comprised of Werz’s initials followed by Roman numerals that represent these six ‘pillars of wellbeing’).
‘When working in the arena of wellness, you need to be surrounded by experts. It was key for AWvi to be backed by scientific rigour,’ he says, with one of the founding tenets of the brand being to ‘re-establish the vital link of science to everyday life’. So when product development began, he tapped leading Italian biochemist Professor Giacomo Santus – who has been researching nutraceuticals and cosmaceuticals for three decades – to lead the process.
AWvi’s all-star team also includes the likes of Bea von Thurn, a Susanne Kaufmann alumnus now heading up AWvi’s development strategy and sustainability ethics; Space NK founder Nicky Kinnard, who is responsible for brand and product; and two ex-LVMH executives Jean-Michel Vigneau and Cyrille Callari as CEO and COO respectively.
The fruit of AWvi’s collective labour is ‘The Skin Method’, a patented four-step system comprising ‘The Skin Biotic’ (an ingestible probiotic), the ‘Gentle Cleanser’, ‘Power Serum’, and ‘Active Cream’. Designed to be used both morning and evening, the method is suitable for all ages and skin types. The topical products have a clean and gentle fragrance – ‘the smell of healthy skin’, says Werz – and work synergistically with the supplement.
Each contains ‘biomimetic and medical-grade’ actives, such as hyaluronic acid and ectoin, one of the skincare industry’s buzziest ingredients. This multitasking amino acid creates a protective barrier for microorganisms found in the world’s most hostile environments (hot springs, deserts, salt lakes) to guard against extreme temperatures, UV rays, and pollutants. When used in skincare, it forms a similar ‘shield’ on the surface of the skin, locking in moisture and balancing the microbiome.
In short, the AWvi method addresses common aesthetic concerns. Results from continued use of its four key products are said to span from an increase in skin elasticity and radiance to a reduction of fine lines, wrinkles and skin impurities. But, as the brand also stresses on its website: ‘Our skin doesn’t just reflect our overall health, but plays a major role in shaping it.’
An entire section of the AWvi website also lays out its extensive commitment to environmental and social ethics. With Benefit Company status, sustainable practices range from using mandarin and orange peel extract in place of water (to create what Werz refers to as ‘active water’) and streamlined packaging design.
The bottles are made from fully recyclable post-consumer materials, their signature ‘Pompeii-red’ colour courtesy of the creative agency The Sunshine Company. ‘After years of passing through the duty-free area of various airports two to three times a week, you know what catches your eye,’ says Werz. ‘Many [brands] go for white because it looks medical. But I like the burned red. It's modernist without being minimalist.’
Werz has plans to expand AWvi, with sunscreen and hair care two categories he is considering for its next chapter. ‘Hair is one of the first things that can indicate someone’s health,’ he says. But more broadly, through seeing the results of its products, the founder hopes those who try its method will adopt other forms of taking care of themselves.
‘I believe in putting together a few things that work for you; that you can find a way into [without it becoming overwhelming],’ explains Werz. ‘Whether it’s exercise, spending time in nature, or better nutrition. And from here, your little wellness universe can grow.’
