A conversation with Nuria Val
Nuria Val exudes an energy that is at once radiant and wholesome – it is almost impossible to remain indifferent to its subtle magnetism. This very energy is what infuses her line of plant-based skincare and wellness products that bear the ROWSE label, which she co-founded alongside business partner and friend, Gabriela Salord back in 2018.
Nuria Val
A chance encounter in Paris between Nuria and Gabriela brought them together to launch ROWSE with a single product – one that would later become one of their best sellers – the Winter Body Oil. As with all of their formulations that would later evolve from this first creation, it harnesses the potent properties of plants within a handful of raw, non-synthetic elements that are carefully blended with the intention of enhancing our skin’s natural state.
“We created ROWSE for those who, like us, are not beauty experts, but who still seek to embrace a conscious approach to beauty and wellness that is simple yet genuinely effective.”
© Coke Batrina
ROWSE speaks of Nuria and Gabriela’s reverence for plants, while reflecting their diverse personal paths that have connected in synergy through the brand. For Nuria, who as a child dreamt of becoming a volcanologist, nature has always defined her way of being. Her incessant curiosity for the natural world has led her to document its infinite aspects through her camera lens, never failing to find a moment in her everyday to capture it in shots taken during her walks between her home and the ROWSE studio in Barcelona.
No one day is ever the same as the one before or after it, for Nuria lives in close connection with the changing rhythms of nature, adapting her routine to the cycles of the seasons. In many ways, ROWSE embodies her free-spirited nature, steering clear of market-driven trends while remaining consistent and aligned with its principles. From the packaging to product photography, nature lies at the heart of ROWSE in the same way that it lies at the heart of Nuria’s life.
Travel has informed her way of being since the moment she embarked on a modelling career with a camera in hand, eventually settling in Los Angeles where she remained for several years. As her professional career unfolded, brands that she would sit for began to notice her distinct creative eye that gracefully captures raw beauty, and would ask her to collaborate on and direct shoots. As Nuria stepped out of the modelling world, her path eventually joined that of photographer Coke Bartrina, who became her partner in both work and in life.
Nuria Val and Gabriela Salord
It is this very versatility in creative expression and Nuria’s life experiences that shape ROWSE’s singular vision and define the brand’s growing success. It is the embodiment of a rare combination of a balanced aesthetic, an honest attitude, and impeccable quality, all whilst remaining rigorously true to its purpose – that of connecting people with the planet through their skincare and wellness rituals.
What began as a side-project has transformed into a 14-strong team that works from the newly-opened ROWSE headquarters in the creative district of Poblenou. The space, designed by Isern Serra, is a short stroll away from Barcelona’s beaches, where Nuria often ends her working day, taking time to reconnect with and recharge through the natural world.
The ROWSE studio in Poblenou, Barcelona
Forest Body Balm © Miguel Triano
As the sun begins to dip into the horizon and the balmy summer air entices people to the sea shore, Nuria turns to us with a smile of one who is about to meet their lover. “It’s time for me to head to my favourite place in nature in the world – a quiet, rural corner of Catalonia that is filled with over a hundred olive trees. Every time I want to be close to nature, I close my eyes and think of this place. No matter where I am in the world, I can sense its energy in a way that only nature has the power to convey.”
The ROWSE product we can’t live without: Tangerine Cleansing Balm - it’s always on our bathroom shelf. A deeply hydrating cleansing balm with a rich consistency that gently dissolves all traces of make-up, it leaves skin feeling fresh and nourished.