Josefin Landgård on MANTLE, Biological Intelligence and the Future of Skincare

Bone marrow, organ transplantation and ancient Scandinavian wisdom may not sound like the traditional ingredients of a beauty brand, but for Josefin Landgård, they are the foundations of MANTLE. Here, she discusses biological intelligence, skin recovery and her vision to create a new generation of high-performance skincare.

Ulrika Lindqvist : How did the idea for your new Marrow Mask come about? And how did you take it from idea to reality?

Josefin Landgård: I’ve always been drawn to ancient, nose-to-tail ways of living — where nothing was wasted and every material was fully respected. Living on an old Viking estate, I became curious about how people historically protected their skin against harsh conditions. Bone marrow kept coming up for its exceptional richness. At MANTLE, we work at the intersection of modern science and ancient knowledge rooted in nature. So we asked: what happens if you take a nutrient-dense material like bone marrow and approach it with modern skincare chemistry? I brought the idea to our Chief Chemist Ulrika Ramberg, who leads our in-house R&D lab. We built a formula where every ingredient has a clear purpose: bone marrow provides the biomimetic lipid foundation, Calcium PCA and Edelweiss stem cells support cell cohesion and skin tightness, while phytoestrogens help boost firmness and density. The result is a high-performance overnight treatment that genuinely transforms the skin.

UL: Can you tell us a bit about bioactive ingredients?

JL: Bioactive ingredients refer to biologically active compounds that directly interact with and influence skin function, rather than simply sitting on the surface. While passive ingredients typically form a protective layer to prevent water loss or create a temporary smooth texture, bioactive ingredients contain active components (such as signaling lipids, peptides, amino acids, or plant stem cells) that the skin’s cells actively respond to. In skincare, they work by engaging with the skin’s natural biological processes to trigger real structural support, like accelerating barrier recovery, enhancing cellular cohesion, and supporting collagen synthesis.

UL: What is biometic recovery? Because we want it!

JL: It sounds super scientific, but the concept is actually really intuitive. ‘Biomimetic’ simply means mimicking biology. Human skin already knows how to heal itself, but when it’s depleted by cold weather, stress, hormonal changes or strong active ingredients, it runs out of the necessary building blocks, and specifically lipids, ceramides, and cholesterol. Biomimetic recovery means supplying ingredients that naturally echo the exact lipid structure of your own skin. Because the lipid profile of refined bone marrow so closely mirrors human skin lipids, your outer barrier doesn’t fight it or treat it as a foreign substance. It absorbs it seamlessly, speaking the same biological language to restore density, flexibility, and calm overnight.

UL: How would you describe the best routine for autumn and winter?

JL: Scandinavian winters are genuinely harsh on skin. Dry indoor air combined with freezing winds tests even the strongest barrier, which is why so many people here experience dry, sensitive skin almost as a default. People consistently underestimate the role that nourishment, read: fat, plays in protecting the skin. For real results, you need to hydrate deeply and then lock that moisture in with quality lipids and fatty acids. Light formulations can work well in summer, but winter demands richness. My favourite evening ritual is simple and high-impact: a gentle, non-stripping cleanser, a hydrating essence and serum, then a restorative lipid treatment like The Marrow Mask to seal everything in. Think of your nighttime routine as a cocoon, repairing all the barrier stress from the day so you wake up with plump, resilient skin instead of tightness and redness.

UL: I’ve read that you used to be a competitive skier. Can you tell us about that and if that inspired MANTLE?

JL: Yes, I grew up in northern Sweden and was a competitive alpine skier, so I spent a huge part of my childhood outside in very extreme conditions. Cold, wind, snow, my skin was constantly dry, tight and sensitive. I think that experience definitely shaped MANTLE. I have always wanted our products to make the skin stronger and more resilient, rather than constantly stripping it and trying to fix the damage afterwards.

UL: How did your interest in beauty start?

JL: My background is in healthcare innovation and technology, but I have always had a deep passion for skincare. Starting MANTLE was essentially a quest to understand what truly drives skin health, going well beyond the concept of anti-ageing. The skin is our largest
organ, and we built our own lab with one purpose: to bring genuine biological innovation to our customers.

UL: What did you feel was missing in skincare that you wanted to add to the market with MANTLE?

JL: I wanted to take what I had learned from healthcare innovation and apply it to skincare in a way that went far beyond what was available at the time. In medicine, we know that almost all chronic disease is driven by inflammation, and the same holds true for the skin. The ageing and degeneration of skin is fundamentally an inflammatory process, and that means there is a great deal that can be done about it. Repairing, recovering and nourishing the skin to overcome inflammation and restore genuine skin health is at the heart of everything we do at MANTLE, guided by biological intelligence.

UL: You launched MANTLE in 2020. How has your vision of the brand evolved since then?

JL: We started with hope and three formulas. After a nervous beginning, the results were extraordinary and a fast-growing community found us. Since then we have dared to dream bigger, leaning into our rebellious nature and channeling it in the lab. The lab gives us the freedom to pursue science-led differentiation, drawing inspiration from medicine, ancient wisdom and modern science in equal measure.

UL : What are your star ingredients?
We don’t really think in terms of star ingredients. Our philosophy is built around systems, biomimetic ingredients and biological intelligence, where every ingredient earns its place by serving a clear purpose. That said, if I had to name a few favourites: lactobionic acid, peptides, jellyfish extract and bone marrow. Each of them appears across several products, always paired with ingredients that amplify their effect. The Organ Essence was inspired by the technology used to preserve organs during transplantations. For me, that is where skincare becomes really exciting, when you start looking outside the traditional beauty toolbox.

UL : I love all of the MANTLE product names, they’re such fun! How do you come up with them?

JL: We have a lot of fun with them. From the beginning, the plan was to marry rigorous science with minimalist design and a little tongue-in-cheek. The names are where that spirit gets to live.

UL : What do you think is still missing in skincare? What do customers want next?

JL: I think people increasingly want fewer products, but better products. There has been so much overconsumption and so much conflicting information in skincare that people are exhausted by it. The future, to me, is intelligent multifunctional formulas and much more focus on long-term skin health. I also think some of the most exciting innovation will come from looking outside the beauty industry – medicine, biotechnology, regenerative science, new natural materials – and translating those discoveries into skincare.

UL: What are the best skincare tips that you’ve given and received?

JL: The best advice I ever received came from my mother, who was adamant that I take care of my skin and think carefully about what I was feeding it and putting on it. And keep it simple. You don’t need a gazillion products or a complicated routine. Hydration and moisture to protect and strengthen your barrier.

UL: What inspires you?

JL: Smart, brave people who go their own way. A researcher, a scientist, a chef, an entrepreneur, an artist — I love meeting people who have gone incredibly deep into something and, because of it, see the world differently. Nature and science inspire me enormously too. Some of our most interesting ideas at MANTLE happen exactly at the point where those two worlds meet.

UL: You’ve previously built a unicorn business. How do you maintain MANTLE’s DNA while growing the brand?

JL: Building KRY taught me a great deal, particularly about healthcare and innovation, and about the fact that things that seem impossible often aren’t. I don’t see a tension between growth and staying true to the brand at all. If anything, the bigger you grow, the more exceptional people you get to work with to bring the vision to life. We are more and more seeing that vision become real, and that is genuinely exciting. With more resources we can build better marketing, and we are already very strong in the lab and in our innovation processes. Our latest products are honestly the best we have ever made in my opinion.

UL : Where do you see the brand in the future ? Where would you like to take MANTLE in the next five to ten years?

JL: I want MANTLE to be at the forefront of what is possible in skincare and to become a truly iconic global brand. I am genuinely excited about the partners we are bringing on who will help us scale and let more people discover what we do. And I am equally excited about the momentum we have in the lab. Biological innovation is where the most interesting things are happening, and I believe we are just getting started. We are still very early. There is so much we want to explore in ingredients, biotechnology and formulation, and I want our Swedish laboratory to become an increasingly important part of that. The goal isn’t simply to become bigger. It’s to build a brand that people associate with real innovation, where they see MANTLE launch something and think, I’ve never seen skincare do that before.

UL : What are your three favourite beauty products?

JL: If I have to choose three MANTLE products, it would be The Organ Essence, The Hydra Serum and The Marrow Mask. The Organ Essence for its strong antioxidants that deliver results without irritating, for the deep hydration, and for the fact that it is literally preserving my skin the same way the technology preserves organs during transplantation. That is a game changer. The Hydra Serum for its extraordinary ability to hydrate and build elasticity. Who doesn’t love
plump skin? And The Marrow Mask is a game changer for nourishment and an absolute lifesaver in winter. I have always been a sucker for products with real healing capacity.