What Stands Behind Every Bottle.
The standards we set before a single drop reaches your skin.
Most skincare brands tell you what's in the bottle. We think you deserve to know what it took to get there. How the formulas were developed. How they were tested. Why every ingredient earned its place. And how we protect them from the moment they're made to the moment they reach your skin.
This is what we mean when we say “professional skincare, born in the treatment room.”
How We Got Here
These formulas weren't developed in a laboratory. They were born in a treatment room.
For over 30 years, Claudia Vanicek-Wixinger worked as a professional skincare specialist in Vienna, treating over 10,000 clients at her own professional skincare institute. She had access to the best brands in the world. None of them delivered exactly what her clients needed.
So she started making her own formulas.
What began as custom serums for professional treatments became a five-year development process. Claudia tested up to 14 different hyaluronic acid molecular weights before arriving at the three that delivered the best results. She refined concentrations, adjusted blending sequences and temperatures, and tested every variation on real skin, in real treatments, with real feedback.
After five years of development, the formulas were ready. Not because a deadline said so. Because the results said so.
In 2026, Claudia and her partner Sebastian founded 1st Beauty Lab to bring these treatment-room formulas to women everywhere. 100% independent. Founder-led. No outside investors, no corporate parent, no compromises.
Tested and Confirmed
Every formula is independently tested before it reaches you. Not because regulations require it. Because we do.
Dermatological Patch Testing
Each of our three serums has been patch tested on 30 adult volunteers by an independent dermatologist. The testing follows the Declaration of Helsinki protocol. Skin reactions were assessed at 48 and 72 hours, measuring erythema, oedema, and scaling.
The result across all three formulas: zero irritation or allergic reactions in any subject.
This is what allows us to say “suitable for sensitive skin” with confidence. Not as a marketing claim, but as a documented outcome.
Stability Testing
Stability testing confirms that what goes into the bottle stays effective throughout its shelf life. Our formulas undergo two types of testing by an independent licensed laboratory.
Accelerated testing at 40°C simulates long-term storage conditions in a compressed timeframe, monitoring appearance, colour, odour, pH levels, and microbiological safety at regular intervals. Long-term testing at room temperature tracks the same parameters over months and years.
The results confirm what Claudia's minimal-ingredient philosophy predicts: fewer ingredients means fewer interactions, which means greater stability. Our formulas remain consistent in appearance, pH, and performance throughout their documented shelf life.
EU Safety Assessment
Each product has a complete Product Information File (PIF) as required by EU Cosmetics Regulation EC 1223/2009. This is a 40-page safety dossier that includes a full toxicological profile, safety assessment, formulation record, and manufacturing documentation. Prepared by a licensed Austrian cosmetics laboratory on behalf of 1st Beauty Lab GmbH.
EU cosmetics regulation is among the strictest in the world. We don't treat it as a hurdle. We treat it as a baseline.
Our Ingredient Philosophy
Less, but better, is more.
Our serums contain seven to nine ingredients each. Not because we couldn't add more. Because we chose not to.
Every ingredient in a 1st Beauty Lab formula has a specific purpose: hydrate, protect, stabilize, or preserve. There are no fillers, no fragrance, no silicones, no ingredients added for texture, scent, or marketing appeal. If an ingredient doesn't serve your skin, it doesn't make the formula.
Claudia spent five years developing these formulas in her treatment room. She tested what worked and removed everything that didn't. The result: clean, focused formulas where every ingredient earns its place.
We publish the complete INCI on every product page and on every bottle. No hidden fragrance components, no undisclosed preservative systems. Full transparency, always.
Built to Protect
A formula is only as good as the system that delivers it.
Every serum comes in a refillable airless precision dispenser with UV protection. This isn't just packaging. It's an active part of the formula's performance.
Airless Technology
The airless pump eliminates contact between the serum and outside air. No oxidation, no contamination, no degradation. This is what allows us to use minimal preservatives while maintaining full potency from the first pump to the last.
UV Protection
Light breaks down active ingredients. Our opaque bottle and UV-blocking inner components shield the formula from damage, keeping it stable and effective.
Refillable Design
The outer shell is designed to stay. The inner cartridge is replaceable. When your serum runs out, you replace the cartridge, not the dispenser. Less waste, same precision.
Precision Dosing
Each 50ml bottle delivers approximately 150 pumps. Two to three pumps per application, consistently measured. No guessing, no waste, no variation.
BPA-Free Materials
Outer shell: ABS. Inner chamber: PP. Pump mechanism: ABS. All materials are BPA-free. Conformity declaration on file.
Our Promise
We believe that trust is built through transparency, not claims. Every standard on this page is documented, verified, and available for review.
If you're a professional partner, retailer, or simply a customer who wants to see the evidence behind our products, we're happy to share. Full documentation is available upon request.