Pulse June/July 2025 | Page 33

FOR JENEFER PALMER, a career in wellness was in her blood.“ My grandmother was pretty much the first woman chiropractor,” says Palmer.“ She graduated in 1919.” Raised, therefore, with a generation-spanning belief in natural healing and the benefits of a clean diet, it seems only natural Palmer would follow in her grandmother’ s footsteps by founding OSEA Malibu in 1996— and, in doing so, playing a pivotal role in the growth of clean beauty and skincare.

Palmer’ s story starts 14 years earlier, though, when she was working as an independent bodywork practitioner in Seattle. Like many pioneers of our industry, her transition to spa was a bit of a surprise, she says:“ Through a coincidence, I was asked to be the spa director of Murietta Hot Springs in 1982, and I literally fell into it, but it was like falling into my destiny. It was an immediate fit.” With few spas around and no playbook to use, Palmer would, quite literally,“ wake up and come up with spa concepts” like aromatherapy salt scrubs, detox baths and novel kinds of body wraps. At Murietta, Palmer sowed the seeds of OSEA Malibu by creating her own products, including an essential hydrating oil that is still in OSEA’ s product lineup.

After returning to private practice in 1987,

Palmer spent nearly a decade developing OSEA before its launch at Fred Segal in 1996. OSEA’ s ingredient-centric, vegan, glassbottled products made it stand out to shoppers, as did its commitment to clean beauty.“ I’ ve always focused on trying to spend more money on ingredients, because I believe consumers know the difference,” says Palmer.“ Our first six products that we launched in 1996 are still in the OSEA line.”

Over the past 30 years, clean beauty has gone from novelty to necessity, a shift attributable to early leaders like Palmer.“ I’ ve kind of become the grandmother of clean beauty,” jokes Palmer. But Palmer has always seen OSEA Malibu as more than that:“ My passion is wellness, and OSEA was never founded on beauty. OSEA was based on wellness, and that’ s a differentiator.” n

FOUNDER’ S PLAYBOOK l ADVICE FOR YOUR YOUNGER SELF:“ Take a business class or two! I understood people management, but I really did not understand spreadsheets or profit margins.” l PERSONAL MOTTO:“‘ Be kind’. It’ s a beautiful mental discipline, and it’ s not always easy.” l BIGGEST MENTOR:“ My trademark attorney— he was a brilliant man. He really taught me about the value of intellectual property. He was an amazing mentor.” l ALTERNATE CAREER:“ Comedy for sure! I started studying improv in 2018, and what I love about it is that you have to be fully present when you’ re playing off another person.”

Know a company founder in the spa industry whose legacy should be celebrated? Contact ispa @ ispastaff. com to share their story.

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