At the core of Codex Beauty is founder Barbara Paldus, a dynamic entrepreneur who earned her Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Afterward, Paldus spent the next two decades at the forefront of research and innovation at spectroscopy and biotechnology companies-eventually co-founding two Silicon Valley companies that, among many breakthroughs, helped bring intelligent sensors and state-of-the-art control software to the market, paving the way for carbon cycle trading, food integrity testing, accessible vaccines, personalized medicine and cell therapy.
Codex Beauty is a bioscience-led beauty company that is setting a new standard in organic luxury skincare. Founded in Silicon Valley, California, Codex Beauty is led by a global team of scientists, technologists, botanists, cosmetic chemists, dermatologists, and genuine problem solvers who believe in utilizing science to harness the power of nature in its purest, most potent forms.
Now Paldus-who has been awarded more than 30 U.S. patents and numerous honors for her achievements in optics and life sciences-is applying her knowledge to the botanical beauty space. Naturally curious, Paldus learned that many go-to practices in the beauty industry do not yield the most effective results. “I realized that natural ingredients hold so much more potential, but the extraction techniques, stabilizing methods and delivery systems are not on the same level with what we have in the biotechnology or food industry community here and around the world.”
Inspired, Paldus traveled to places near and far—from Ireland to Chile to Iceland—and found a handful of under-the-radar beauty brands, all led by experts intensely dedicated to exceptionally pure, sustainable techniques, but largely unknown to the rest the world. “I knew that if we combined their on-the-ground knowledge with the latest technology we could take these beautiful lines to the next level of efficacy together,” Paldus says.
The result is Codex Beauty: A collective of global brands built on science, organic and vegan ingredients, plant-based preservatives, pharmaceutical-grade processes, safety and efficacy trials, innovative and sustainable packaging, and third party certification. All products are submitted to the kind of rigorous testing found in biotechnology and a strict adherence to good manufacturing practices (GMP).
“We are dedicated to telling you exactly why our products were created and how they will impact your skin and health,” explains Paldus. “To that end, nothing at Codex Beauty is ever ‘good enough.’ We are always searching for the next discovery or technical breakthrough,” says Paldus. “We will never stop innovating, refining and improving. That is engrained in our DNA.”
The name Codex draws inspiration from the ancient bound manuscripts that forever changed how knowledge was shared. In the first century AD, the “Codex” replaced the scroll. These early versions of the modern book—many of which detailed the latest medical and scientific advances—became the new universal standard. Codex will do the same for beauty. Information is the new luxury when it comes to skincare. And now is the time to take clean beauty to the next level. “Our core mission is customer transparency and education. This is just the beginning,” says Paldus.
Our bodies are constantly exposed to chemical environmental challenges. While it varies, the skin is able to absorb some portion of the products we apply to it. So we created exceptionally pure formulations that are organic, vegan and non-toxic, with only plant-based preservatives. Similarly, we leverage bio-plastic airless and recyclable glass containers that minimize our carbon footprint and reduce pollution in the context of our production systems.
