Amy grew up deeply connected to holistic wellness, which her mother instilled in her from a young age. Her mother's heart condition led her to prioritize organic, nutrient-dense superfoods in their family’s meals —then she upcycled the leftovers to create waste-free topical skin treatments. With this natural education, Amy saw an opportunity: In a world where a third of all food ingredients are wasted, using repurposed leftovers, as well as healthy, but conventionally- unattractive food ingredients, could help conserve energy and reduce waste worldwide.

 Inspiration struck. Amy decided to use her business-school acumen to create a new upcycled superfood-based skincare line—and in 2019, she graduated from Columbia University and launched BYROE New York. This new luxurious, vegan, woman-led skincare brand was formulated with both superfoods and clean actives and driven by the latest scientific research.

 Today, BYROE boasts more than two dozen results-oriented formulas divided into two collections: Salad and Tea. From the brand’s launch, Amy has incorporated environmentally-conscious practices into all aspects of BYROE’s production processes, including using upcycled ingredients, utilizing environmentally-conscious extraction methods, and investing in eco-friendly packaging.

 Like developing a fresh, colorful, satiating menu, building a daily regimen with BYROE’s superfood formulas will create nourishing meals for your skin—and maximize results.

Every year, around 2.5 billion tons of food is wasted globally. While developing the Salad Collection, Amy and her team discovered that many fruits, vegetables, and plants are thrown away simply because they have minor aesthetic imperfections, even though they are just as nutritious and effective. As a solution, BYROE decided to upcycle these "ugly" ingredients to create highly effective waste-free skincare formulas.

 Upcycling utilizes still-viable, leftover material from another product—or rescues material earmarked to be thrown away (e.g. “ugly” produce)—and gives it new life. Unlike recycling, which breaks down waste in order to create something new, upcycling takes waste and creates something from it in its current state, saving considerable energy. For instance, BYROE’s Tomato Firming Serum contains upcycled tomatoes previously discarded by the dietary supplement industry, and the Pumpkin Pro-Retinol Cream contains healthy, upcycled pumpkins deemed too misshapen or discolored to sell to consumers.

 “With BYROE, we set out to create a science-driven, superfood skincare brand that supports healthy skin and delivers visible results. We’ve done that. Now, we’re focused on supporting a healthy planet too by integrating eco-friendly practices and pledging to use upcycled, clean, vegan ingredients in every BYROE formula.”

—Amy Roe, founder of BYROE