TEAM DR JOSEPH: 40 Years of Natural Cosmetics from South Tyrol

In 1986, natural cosmetics were still far from being a beauty trend. Terms such as Clean Beauty, Skin Longevity, and skin-barrier-friendly skincare were not part of the general vocabulary. It was precisely during this period that Joseph Franz founded the brand in South Tyrol that is now known as TEAM DR JOSEPH.

What began with a personal fascination for plants and natural medicine developed over four decades into an internationally represented family business. TEAM DR JOSEPH combines traditional plant knowledge, modern cosmetic research, and professional skincare without losing sight of its South Tyrolean roots.

Joseph Franz’s path into cosmetics was not straightforward. He initially studied business. After a sports injury, however, he began exploring herbal medicine and the possibilities of nature-based applications in greater depth. At the University of Urbino, he expanded his knowledge of medicinal plants and pharmacological relationships.

This personal experience led to a fundamental conviction: plants are not simply natural raw materials. Their ingredients can be carefully selected, combined, and processed so that they perform specific functions in skincare.

In 1986, Joseph Franz finally founded Vitalis Dr. Joseph. The first products were primarily intended for professional applications and were used in beauty salons, hotels, and spas. This origin continues to shape the brand today. The formulations are not only meant to smell pleasant or feel luxurious, but also to prove effective in everyday use for a range of skin conditions.

Many long-standing customers still know the brand by its former name, Vitalis Dr. Joseph. In 2014, it became TEAM DR JOSEPH.

The renaming was more than a visual modernization. It marked the transition from a brand strongly shaped by its founder to a growing family business with an international focus. The new name also placed greater emphasis on the team behind research, product development, manufacturing, and professional application.

However, the original idea remained the same: natural cosmetics should not be reduced to romantic images of plants, but should enable modern, precise care tailored to the skin.

TEAM DR JOSEPH calls its approach Hightech Natural Cosmetics®. This refers to the combination of traditional plant knowledge and modern cosmetic research.

Alongside plant oils, herbal extracts, and essential oils, the formulations also contain biotechnologically derived ingredients. These include, for example, various forms of hyaluronic acid, peptides, ceramides, and fermented plant components.

“High-tech” does not mean packing as many active ingredients as possible into a product. Instead, the focus is on which ingredients can meaningfully support a specific skin condition—and in what concentration and texture they can be used while remaining well tolerated.

An overly elaborate skincare routine can disrupt the skin’s natural balance—for example, through using too many products, frequently changing active ingredients, or applying products too intensively. TEAM DR JOSEPH therefore focuses on precisely balanced formulations that support the skin in a targeted way without unnecessarily overwhelming it.

The development from a small South Tyrolean manufactory into an international skincare brand took place in several stages:

• 1986 – Founding of Vitalis Dr. Joseph
  Joseph Franz establishes the brand with the aim of combining plant knowledge, naturopathy, and modern cosmetics.
• 1990s – Professional natural cosmetics
  The products are increasingly developed for treatments in beauty salons, hotels, and spas. Practical application remains an important part of product development.
• 1997 – Hightech Natural Cosmetics®
  The combination of modern research and traditional plant knowledge becomes an established part of the brand philosophy under the name Hightech Natural Cosmetics®.
• 2000 – A wooden company headquarters
  The company’s first headquarters of its own is built using timber construction—at a time when resource-conscious building was far less commonplace.
• 2014 – Vitalis becomes TEAM DR JOSEPH
  The renaming lays the foundation for the brand’s international development and places the growing team more prominently in the spotlight.
• 2020 – New markets and new product concepts
  TEAM DR JOSEPH opens a German branch and expands its sustainable concepts to include, among other things, solid, low-packaging hotel toiletries.
• 2023 – Certified as a B Corporation
  The brand becomes part of the international B Corp movement. Rather than evaluating individual products, this assesses the company as a whole in terms of social and environmental responsibility, transparency, and corporate governance.
• 2026 – 40 years of TEAM DR JOSEPH
  Four decades after its founding, the company remains independent and family-run. At the same time, its focus is increasingly on long-term skin health, a stable skin barrier, and care concepts that respect the skin’s natural processes.

Today, siblings Viktor, Fabian and Lena Franz continue to lead the company in its second generation. All three grew up in South Tyrol, gained experience abroad, and subsequently returned to the family business.

Their different perspectives are reflected in the company’s current direction: research and product development, design, international brand management, and entrepreneurial responsibility are not viewed as separate areas.

Joseph Franz also remains closely connected to the brand’s history and philosophy. TEAM DR JOSEPH is therefore not a company that was sold to a large cosmetics corporation after its founding. Research, product development, and quality control deliberately remain in the hands of the family business.

This independence allows the brand to take a more long-term approach. Not every new product has to follow a short-lived trend. New products can arise from specific experiences with skin conditions, professional applications, and existing formulations.

For TEAM DR JOSEPH, its South Tyrolean origins are more than a beautiful backdrop. The Alpine plant world and traditional knowledge of herbs have shaped the brand from the very beginning.

Today, however, these raw materials are not used simply because they sound natural. What matters is which cosmetically relevant components they contain, how they are obtained, and how they can be combined with other active ingredients.

The formulations therefore combine classic plant extracts with modern biotechnology. Plant-based active ingredients can, for example, be fermented or purified so that they can be used in a stable and targeted way in a cosmetic formulation.

This places the brand deliberately between two worlds: it remains committed to the principles of high-quality natural cosmetics, while also using modern research to further develop textures, stability, and efficacy.

In recent years, TEAM DR JOSEPH has placed the concept of Skin Health more firmly at the center of its approach. The idea is that skin should not need to be constantly corrected or optimized.

Healthy skin can retain moisture, regenerate, fend off external influences, and respond to changes. Overly aggressive cleansing, constantly changing acids, or layering numerous active ingredients can disrupt this balance.

A good skincare routine therefore does not necessarily have to be extensive. Above all, it should suit the skin’s current condition.

Closely connected to this is the concept of Skin Longevity. It is not about stopping every visible change in the skin. Rather, the goal is to preserve its resilience, ability to regenerate, and natural protective function for as long as possible.

This approach feels pleasantly contemporary: less of a battle against aging, fewer quick promises—and instead, a long-term focus on the skin barrier, microbiome, hydration, and regeneration.

We also explain what a pared-back skincare routine for irritated or overtreated skin can look like in our guide to strengthening the skin barrier.

In the cosmetics industry, sustainability is often equated with individual packages or natural ingredients. At TEAM DR JOSEPH, it now encompasses several areas of the company.

Development and production take place in Italy. The electricity used for manufacturing comes entirely from renewable energy sources. The products available for sale are packaged primarily in glass containers and FSC-certified paper cartons.

Currently, around 87 percent of the products available for sale are certified as natural cosmetics by ICEA or COSMOS.

Since 2023, TEAM DR JOSEPH has also been certified as a B Corporation. This certification considers, among other things, governance, employees, environmental impact, social engagement, and the way customers are treated.

Through its partnership with Plastic Bank, the brand also supports the documented collection of plastic waste. Other projects aim to reduce emissions throughout the value chain and raise awareness of biodiversity and the protection of pollinating insects.

No cosmetics brand operates entirely without consuming resources. We therefore particularly appreciate that TEAM DR JOSEPH communicates its initiatives not only through individual campaigns, but also regularly documents its progress, goals, and projects in a sustainability report

What appeals to us about TEAM DR JOSEPH is not just its authentic story. The thoughtfully curated, high-quality range is also impressive.

The brand does not simply offer one light and one rich cream. It provides targeted formulations for dehydration, sensitive skin, redness, blemishes, a weakened skin barrier, and demanding skin. At the same time, the textures range from very lightweight serums to protective, lipid-rich creams.

The wide selection makes it possible to tailor your skincare routine precisely to your skin’s condition. On our TEAM DR JOSEPH natural cosmetics page, you can filter the range by product type and skin concern. Many products are also available in practical minis—ideal for trying them out or taking them on a trip.

TEAM DR JOSEPH is one of the natural cosmetics brands that has not merely observed the industry’s transformation but has helped shape it over many years.

A small, craft-oriented South Tyrolean brand has grown into an internationally active family business. The former name Vitalis Dr. Joseph has disappeared, but the original idea behind it remains: plant knowledge and cosmetic research do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Forty years after its founding, this approach does not seem outdated. Quite the opposite. In a beauty world full of fast-moving trends, highly concentrated active ingredients, and increasingly complex routines, the focus on skin health, quality, precision, and long-term tolerability feels remarkably relevant.

Image credits: All images are from Team Dr Joseph