Founder Files
Clean Skincare· Berkeley, California, USA · Updated 14 May 2026

Marie-Véronique Nadeau

Chemistry teacher turned cosmetic chemist Marie-Véronique Nadeau founded Marie Veronique in 2002 — pioneering mineral-based, broad-spectrum sun protection and the chemist-led wing of clean skincare a decade before the category had a name.

"I built the products my chemistry students could understand."

Marie-Véronique Nadeau
Background

Nadeau spent decades teaching high-school chemistry before turning her formulation work into a brand in 2002, making one of the first stable, photo-tested mineral sunscreens in the U.S. clean category.

She runs the company with her son Jay Nadeau, a physicist, and the brand is regularly cited as the chemist-credible reference inside clean skincare — particularly for SPF, retinal, and barrier formulation.

Philosophy

Chemistry first; marketing last.

Mineral SPF is non-negotiable.

Career timeline
  • 2002
    Founds Marie Veronique in Berkeley, California
  • 2010s
    Becomes the chemist-credible reference inside clean skincare
Press & appearances
  • Inside Marie Veronique's Chemistry-First Brand

    feature
    Vogue
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