Ayurvedic wellness brand Mojave Desert Skin Shield is expanding its footprint with a new studio space in Palm Springs, a relaunch of its product line and an entrance into retail at Le Bon Marché in Paris.
Founder and formulator Patricia Vernhes launched her first space in fall 2021 in Pioneertown, California, with sound therapy, Tao tea meditations and her signature fascial healing session. (Goop was an early fan.) Now, she is expanding to a second space in Palm Springs to work in tandem with the original. In Pioneertown, visitors may prefer to embark on full-day wellness journeys, while in Palm Springs they may want a quicker 60- to 90-minute treatment.
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Along with this physical expansion, Vernhes updated the brand’s product line. The products, which were previously produced at a handmade studio lab at the wellness space, are now produced by a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) registered lab so all formulas are globally compliant for sale in the U.S., Canada, E.U. and U.K. Sales are expected to exceed $1 million for 2023, according to industry sources; the lineup includes Organic Nourishing Oil, $60; Organic Calming Cleansing Oil, $56, and Organic Oasis of Mara Hand Cream, $32.
In February, Mojave Desert Skin Shield will launch in Le Bon Marché wellness department, where Vernhes will hosting in-person sound baths, private sessions and team meditations for two weeks in February. “We’ll have a really immersive way of introducing the desert wellness to the world,” she said.
“We are now expanding outside the desert with a business driven retail strategy — slow, steady, with intention,” Vernhes said. “We are in discussions with investors that believe in our philosophy and can help us scale mindfully and successfully.”