Kat Burki: “Every product has to serve a purpose.”

Tell us how your journey began. What led you to become a gut health specialist, and why did this path make sense for you?
My first degree was in nutritional biochemistry. I wanted to understand how the body works at a biological level, how nutrients are absorbed and delivered to our organs. I later studied healthcare law, but after law school I realised it wasn’t where I belonged, so I pivoted again and earned a degree in epidemiology. From there, I built my career in disease management, which at the time was very policy-driven. We were designing programmes to keep people healthy across five major disease groups: hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. What fascinated me was that all of these diseases shared common links. It became clear that the body functions as one interconnected system, and that includes the skin. People don’t often think of skin as an organ, but it is a living, breathing one. It protects us, heals us, and reflects what’s happening internally. Taking the principles, we used to keep the body healthy from the inside and applying them to skin health felt like a natural progression. That’s where my focus on gut health came from, because it governs everything. We tend to think of the brain as the control centre, but it’s really the gut. The gut and brain are in constant dialogue: when you’re nervous, you feel it in your stomach; when something’s off internally, you see it on your skin: flushing, hives, inflammation. That gut–brain–skin axis became the foundation of my work, and my career evolved from there.
And how and when did you have an idea to launch your beauty brand?
I didn’t come from the beauty world at all, it wasn’t my universe. But I’ve always had highly sensitive skin, and I began wondering how I could take what I knew about healing the body internally and apply those same principles to skin health. Nutrients are far more effective when they’re thoughtfully formulated and properly delivered. Every ingredient needs a delivery system to reach where it’s meant to go. I became interested in translating that internal healing model (how the body absorbs and uses nutrients) into topical skincare. At the time, I didn’t know if it was even possible. I remember very clearly thinking, “Maybe this could be something.” It was a leap of faith. Then I met people who truly understood the beauty industry, and by September 2013 we launched what is still our top-selling product: the Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream.

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"Pairing vitamin C with reishi mushroom was also intentional. They work synergistically, enhancing one another’s efficacy."

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Why Vitamin C?
Because it’s foundational to skin health. Our bodies don’t produce vitamin C, yet our skin relies on it to protect itself, heal, and stimulate collagen production, so we have to supply it. If you look at how I formulated our vitamin C, you understand our entire philosophy. There are no blockers - no silicones, no dimethicone, nothing that interferes with delivery. We also include colloidal silver to help support a healthy microbiome. When the biome is healthy, ingredients are delivered more effectively. When the body or skin is inflamed, it simply can’t absorb nutrients properly. It’s exactly the same internally. Pairing vitamin C with reishi mushroom was also intentional. They work synergistically, enhancing one another’s efficacy. It’s about applying the principles of internal healing to skincare, creating a holistic, intelligent ingredient deck rather than focusing on single actives in isolation.

It’s interesting that your first product is still your bestseller. What are your other hero products?
By far, the Vitamin C Cream remains our hero, it represents around 28% of our business. It absorbs quickly and works beautifully as a base for makeup. When we launched in New York in 2013, many of our earliest clients were makeup artists who were using it on models before they were storming the runways. Haircare is another strong category for us. We launched it recently, and it consistently ranks in our top five, accounting for close to 15% of the business. Once again, the focus is on the biome and overall scalp health. The products are designed to support hair regrowth and vitality without silicones, dimethicone or alcohol, it’s about delivering genuinely healthy formulations. Another standout is the Form Control Marine Collagen Gel. There’s really nothing else like it on the market. As a brand, we don’t launch products simply for the sake of it. We’re not interested in ticking boxes: “We need an eye cream, let’s do an eye cream.” Every product has to serve a purpose. If there isn’t real innovation or a meaningful difference, we won’t release it.

And which products resonate most with the French market?
Interestingly, it’s very consistent with other markets. In France, the Super Peptide Firming Cream is our number-one in-store bestseller. We also recently launched the Amino Protein Mask, which focuses on firming, and it very quickly became a top seller. The two work beautifully together. Texture also plays an important role, the French appreciate medium-weight formulas that feel sophisticated and multi-dimensional. These products are packed with peptides and backed by serious science, which really resonates.

You recently launched haircare. Why do you believe “skincare for hair” is the next major beauty movement?
We approach everything from a health perspective, it’s all part of the same body. The scalp is simply the last frontier. If you think about it, the scalp is exposed to chemicals, heat from styling, constant product buildup, and it’s the first place the sun hits. Yet very few people truly care for it. We’ve also seen a significant increase in hair loss over the past few years, due to hormones, medication, stress, illness, even viruses. People are now paying attention and want to understand what they’re putting on their scalp in the same way they consider their skincare. I wanted to launch haircare nearly ten years ago, but we weren’t ready. I also needed to deepen my understanding of the hair renewal cycle. Our Renewal skincare line, built around B vitamins and peptides, works by supporting protein renewal. Skin is protein. Hair is protein. Once that connection was clear, I knew it could be powerful. Everything unfolded step by step, at the right moment.

How can we protect our skin in winter and maintain a healthy, natural glow?
Definitely a good moisturiser. In winter, I always switch to richer textures. I need it, and my skin just takes it in immediately. I was recently speaking to a friend in New York who runs outdoors every morning and was looking for something protective. I recommended our Vitabiome Active Skin Optimiser. It was originally developed to protect the skin barrier from microbial exposure (my son used it for acne) but it’s also excellent for winter protection more broadly. It has an element that can give your skin the nutrients it needs to protect itself. Anything rich in polysaccharides or saccharides helps replenish the biome and reinforce the skin barrier, locking in hydration.  It's probably one of the best things you can do. And then: moisturise, constantly. I’m currently using the Renewal Cream, which is deeply nourishing. Its technology is based on pro-B vitamins and copper peptides to encourage cellular renewal, especially beneficial for melasma or post-treatment healing. It’s good to have different creams in your bathroom cabinet. Skin is constantly changing, influenced by hormones, weather, diet, stress and sleep. Listen to it, and choose what it needs in that moment.

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"I’m working on something very significant for July, something I’m incredibly excited about. There’s extensive research behind it, including white papers and clinical studies, and it focuses on post-treatment healing."

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What projects are you working on next, and what can we expect from you in 2026?
I’m working on something very significant for July, something I’m incredibly excited about. There’s extensive research behind it, including white papers and clinical studies, and it focuses on post-treatment healing. We’re also opening new stores and expanding our spa partnerships, which is new territory for us. We’re currently developing treatment protocols and really building that ecosystem.

How do you personally define beauty?
It may sound cliché, but beauty truly comes from within. When you’re happy, healthy and taking care of yourself, it shows. Taking time to rest, heal and recuperate is incredibly powerful, yet people often underestimate it. Whether it’s a spa treatment or simply being at home, turning everything off, listening to music and being present with yourself, that’s where healing happens. Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. To me, that’s maturity. That’s beauty. The luxury of healing is extraordinary.

Our media is called S-quive, (from "esquiver" in French trying to escape, to avoid, to evade...) What would you love to escape from, or escape to?
Negativity. It serves no purpose and it blocks growth, and growth is essential. Anything that impedes it is something I choose to avoid.

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All information here.