MIGUEL POMBO

A riot of blue, pink, and purple hydrangeas cascades down volcanic craters to meet azure waters. The Azores — a subtropical Eden adrift in the Atlantic — feel like one of nature’s, or perhaps the world’s, best-kept secrets, just like Ignae is one of skincare’s. 

Words by Ella Mansell.

But this natural paradise is no secret to Ignae’s founder, Miguel Pombo, who grew up on São Miguel — the largest island in the Azores archipelago — and recalls summers spent fishing on Pico Island, swimming in the ocean by his village of Lagoa, and holidaying in Furnas, a volcanic crater famed for its hot springs and botanical biodiversity. “It has this unique charm,” he says of the Azores. “Still to this day, I have never seen anywhere quite like it.”

It wasn’t until Miguel left the islands to embark on a career in pharmaceuticals that, interestingly, his homeland became intertwined with his work. That outside perspective changed everything. While working in Brussels monitoring cosmetic ingredient regulations in the European Union, it struck him: “Black sand is considered a luxury exfoliant in cosmetics. But in the Azores, it’s everywhere. I realised how exotic the Azores  — my homeland  — is. I thought, ‘Why is no one making cosmetics here?’” So, Miguel founded Ignae. A biotech company at its core, Ignae harnesses the natural potency of Azorean botanicals to formulate pioneering skincare products. 

Returning home to this “big green paradise,” as Miguel calls the islands — where living right by the sea is not a privilege but  a way of life — he is reminded of the stories of Portuguese sailors woven into the islands’ history.  One of his favourite parts about living here is the fresh pine scent of Japanese cedar forests after rainfall. After months, even years, spent at sea in sordid ships, Portuguese sailors often returned home afflicted with skin diseases. They would stop by the Azores on their way home to heal, using the natural properties of the thermal waters. “There’s a 400-year-old tradition of using these waters for treatment,” he explains.

Journey inland to the volcanic crater at the heart of São Miguel, and you will find Terra Nostra Garden Hotel and Spa — Ignae’s spa partner — where over 900 different species of camellia  bloom throughout the hotel’s secret garden, and underground volcanic activity warms natural thermal springs. The magic of this oasis extends beyond the scenery. As Miguel explains: “These thermal waters are rich in silica, magnesium, and antimicrobial properties, while ash from centuries of volcanic eruptions renders the soil acidic, boosting the local plants’ natural antioxidant levels.” It’s these high-quality botanicals that form the basis of Ignae’s skincare range, which Miguel and his team extract with a fine-tuned attention to conservation —  delivering their potent benefits to the skin via their own innovative nanosomal biotechnology.  

Developing leading products that boost collagen, aid skin regeneration, reduce inflammation, and protect skin from UV damage is what Miguel enjoys most about working in pharmaceuticals. “The feeling of identifying or developing an active product that can have a big impact in improving people's lives is a very powerful one,” he explains. 

And if he weren’t pioneering skincare innovation? “I’d probably be a chef,” Miguel laughs. “Maybe I’d have a little food stall.” 

Ignae is proof that he has the passion — and the creative thinking — for it.

Discover the full editorial inside The Islands Issue 14. Purchase your copy here.