When Janine Knizia pivoted from a high-flying career in fashion to pioneering the next era of clean, high-performance skincare, it wasn’t just a change of industry—it was a return to her roots. Guided by intuition, science, and a fierce belief in holistic wellness, she built a global movement that blends biotech precision with ritual and soul. In this candid conversation with IRMA, Janine shares how bold decisions, cultural curiosity, and uncompromising standards shaped both her journey and her brand.
IRMA: Janine, your career began in fashion and evolved into wellness—how did you find the courage to pivot, and what advice would you give to others at a crossroads?
JANINE KNIZIA: My career began in fashion, which offered many unforgettable experiences, but deep down, my true passion has always been everything related to beauty, skincare, health, and wellness.
It took a lot of courage to pivot, but once I acknowledged that inner pull, everything started to align. I pursued a second study in integrative nutrition, and from that moment on, I knew I could never go back. The shift wasn’t just about changing industries—it was about coming home to myself and building something that truly reflects my lifestyle, my passion, and who I am.
To anyone standing at a crossroads, I would say: trust your instincts. Be honest with yourself about what lights you up. Be brave, stay consistent, and don’t be afraid of taking risks.
IRMA: Muse & Heroine merges science with spirituality, and clean beauty with ritual—how do you personally define “modern beauty”?
JANINE KNIZIA: To me, modern beauty is defined by performance, results, transformation, and true cellular regeneration. It’s rooted in science—formulations that are backed by clinical studies, bioavailability, and efficacy—yet it doesn’t lose touch with the emotional and sensory aspects of ritual and self-care.
At Muse & Heroine, we focus on biotechnology, advanced delivery systems, adaptogens, and bioactive compounds that actively support skin health and longevity. But at the same time, we respect the body’s natural intelligence and rhythms. That’s where spirituality and ritual come in—modern beauty isn’t just what you apply, it’s also how and why you apply it.
For me, modern beauty is holistic, integrative, and precise. It honors the power of nature through science, and it supports transformation not just on the surface, but on a deeper, cellular level.
IRMA: What did that moment of insight feel like, and how did you act on it so decisively?
JANINE KNIZIA: That moment of insight came from a deep awareness that the beauty industry was on the cusp of change – but still missing a space that truly honored clean, conscious, and high-performance beauty in a curated, elevated way. I saw not just a gap, but an opportunity to redefine the narrative.
Launching the first Clean Beauty showroom in Europe wasn’t just a business decision – it was a my mission. I wanted to create a platform that could elevate emerging brands, educate consumers, and bring innovation, transparency, and integrity to the forefront of the industry.
Acting decisively meant trusting my vision, moving fast, and staying ahead of the curve. I built the concept from the ground up, aligned with like-minded founders, and cultivated a global network that shared the same values. Looking back, it was about being bold enough to challenge the status quo—and clear enough in my purpose to turn a personal conviction into a global movement.
IRMA: Living between Germany, Italy, and Paris, how does your daily life reflect the cultural influences that shaped your brand?
JANINE KNIZIA: Living between Italy and Paris, traveling around half of the month abroad, and growing up in Germany has shaped not only who I am, but also the heart of my brand. From Germany, I inherited a deep appreciation for structure, discipline, and scientific excellence. It’s where my commitment to clean formulations, efficacy, and transparency in beauty was born.
Italy has taught me the beauty of slowness, the importance of savoring life, and the power of nature. There’s a warmth and sensuality in Italian culture that influences how I think about texture, ritual, and emotional connection in skincare.
And Paris is where elegance meets edge. It’s chic, cool, timeless and always evolving. The Parisian approach to beauty is effortless but intentional, which resonates deeply with the way Muse & Heroine approaches both product and philosophy. Constantly moving between cultures and places allows me to stay inspired, curious, and globally connected.
It’s a way of living and a distinct Muse & Heroine lifestyle that we’ve cultivated over the years to inspire, educate, and gently remind people to stay always open-minded, forward-thinking and curious.
IRMA: You once created your skincare line as a personal gift for your 40th birthday. When did you realize that it wasn’t just for you anymore—but for women everywhere?
JANINE KNIZIA: It all started as a deeply personal longevity project—a gift to myself for my 40th birthday, something that embodied everything I had learned, loved, and believed in about skincare and aging. But the moment I saw the results, I was truly blown away. Within just one month, my skin had completely transformed—something I had never experienced before. I looked visibly younger, and people actually started asking me which doctor I was seeing and begged for his name which was very funny, because it was all just my own formulations.
I started sharing lab samples with trusted friends and respected industry experts. The feedback was immediate and overwhelming—they called me and said they had never experienced anything like these formulas. They couldn’t stop raving about them and kept asking for more samples. And coming from people who, because of their job, has tested thousands of crème de la crème products over the years, they and I knew exactly what we are talking about. This was on a completely different level.
That’s when I knew: it wasn’t just for me anymore. This was something extraordinary that had to be shared.
I knew I had to be brave again—just like I had been with Muse & Heroine and my agency—and bring this vision to life for women everywhere. Because when you create something with deep knowledge, experience, pure intention, cutting-edge science, and real, proven results, it has the power to truly transform lives.
IRMA: Creating your own brand after years of curating others’—what was the most liberating (or terrifying) moment in bringing Janine Knizia Skincare to life?
JANINE KNIZIA: The most liberating moment in bringing Janine Knizia Skincare to life was finally doing what I wanted—on my terms. And my terms had nothing to do with margins or making money. I wasn’t driven by trends or market pressure—I was driven by a single, unwavering goal: to create products that could truly prevent and reverse aging because I`m really very sensible when it comes to actually seeing the sign of aging.
People thought I was crazy. Everyone told me these kinds of formulas were impossible or too expensive to bring to market. I had to search the world to find the one magician—a formulator who understood my vision and had the genius to bring it to life without any compromise and no matter what it costs.
And now, every morning and night, when I use my own Janine Knizia – Haute Regenerative products, I feel 1000% confident that I’m using the absolute best skincare that exists in the world. That’s the most empowering and rewarding feeling—to know I created something with no shortcuts, no compromises, just maximum performance, visible results, and purpose.
