From Acne Medication to Nordh

 

 

After struggling with acne, I went through prescription treatment that left my skin extremely dry. Not just slightly tight, but painfully dry. My lips were the worst part. Cracked, sore, constantly peeling. Nothing stayed on. Most lip balms either stung or disappeared within minutes.

I tried everything.

The only thing that consistently worked was lanolin - the same ingredient many women know as nipple cream during breastfeeding. It didn’t burn. It didn’t just sit on top. It actually repaired the dryness.

Lanolin is remarkable. It closely mimics the skin’s natural lipids, which means it doesn’t just coat the surface - it helps restore and protect the skin barrier. In cold climates like Scandinavia, where dry air and wind strip moisture quickly, that barrier support matters.

But while lanolin worked, the texture of traditional nipple creams wasn’t ideal for everyday use. They were thick, sticky, and packaged for a completely different purpose.

So I began experimenting.

I softened the texture slightly by adding a small amount of safflower seed oil - a lightweight oil rich in linoleic acid that supports the skin barrier without feeling heavy. Just two ingredients. Nothing more.

That simple combination became what is now Nordh.

 

A Scandinavian Approach to Lip Care

Nordh is intentionally minimal. Produced in Sweden. No fragrance. No fillers. No unnecessary additives.

It is, in many ways, a refined and everyday version of the nipple cream many of us already trust - but designed for lips, for handbags, for daily use.

The philosophy is simple:

Fewer ingredients.
Better ingredients.
Stronger skin barrier.

Because healthy lips aren’t about shine. They’re about resilience.

 

Why It Matters

Dry lips are often treated as cosmetic. But when you’ve experienced true barrier damage, from acne medication, cold climate, hormonal shifts or dehydration - you realise it’s functional.

Lips don’t contain oil glands. They lose moisture faster than the rest of the face. And once the barrier is compromised, most conventional lip products simply mask the issue.

Nordh was born from trying to fix my own skin - not from trying to launch a beauty brand.

It started as something deeply practical. Something that worked.

And sometimes, that’s exactly how the best products are created.

 

Lisa
Founder, Nordh