Australia’s only Naturopathically Formulated and Certified Organic Skincare
Australia’s only Naturopathically Formulated and Certified Organic Skincare
I get asked this question a lot and it’s a good one. The fact that I’m a naturopath and I created these products is not enough to call them naturopathic. So what exactly does naturopathic mean and what makes Clémence products different?
(Warning – this piece contains a bit of science jargon. Bear with me!)
Naturopathy is a practice of medicine that is based on the body’s inherent ability to heal itself. Naturopath’s support the body’s healing process by using natural medicines and practices, both traditionally used and scientifically validated. The four year bachelor’s degree (plus 1 year of honours) I studied focused mainly on nutrition and herbal medicine, and so these have always been my key treatment methods.
When I approach the treatment of skin disorders, I use my knowledge of anatomy and physiology to first understand what is happening within the skin. Then I dig out the pathophysiology (the study of abnormal changes in the body) to look at all of the different variations of a particular disorder, and what the key features are. I apply my traditionally used knowledge to examine what has been used in the past to treat a disorder. I also look at current scientific studies to see if any of these methods have been disproven and what new treatment methods are showing success.
Then the fun begins – formulating! All product formulations involve a combination of nutrition and herbal medicine. For example, when I formulated the Repair Face Serum, I thought about the key nutrients the skin requires to repair itself (vitamins A, C, D and E, fatty acids). Then I looked at the herbs and plants that have shown the best results both traditionally and scientifically to encourage the skin to heal (rosehip, calendula, jojoba, rose otto). Each plant is chosen for its unique contribution. For instance, let’s look at calendula. The glorious golden flower has been used for centuries to repair damaged skin. Scientifically it’s also been well studied. Studies show that it can influence the inflammatory phase of repair, increasing the amount of fibroblasts and collagen in the area, which in turn reduces the time it takes for skin to heal.
What’s not put in the products is also very significant because as a naturopath it’s important to reduce any potential restrictions to healing. Chemicals, synthetic preservatives, nanoparticles and fragrances are just a few of the ‘nasties’ in many commercial skincare products. These guys not only make it hard for your skin to repair, but they can induce damage within the skin and also the health of your body as a whole. That’s why you’ll never find any ingredient in our products which could undermine our product’s key benefits or potentially harm your health.
So there you have it! Naturopathic formulations in a nutshell! It’s really about using my knowledge and experience to make every Clémence product as good as it can possibly be, to give your skin it’s best chance to be healthy.
If you every have any questions about this or about any particular skin issue, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.
As much as I would love everyone to just empty the contents of their beauty cabinet and start fresh, it’s not practical or affordable for many. So given that one of the most common questions I get asked is ‘where should I start when transitioning to organic skincare’, I wanted to lay out my recommendations.
When going organic, I think it’s good to know not only what to start buying but why. That way you can make informed decisions and know that you’re heading in the right direction.
Lying in bed at 3am, desperate for sleep for come over me, is not how I expected to be spending my Thursday nights. But this is how it seems to be at 45. I’m hot, I’ve taken Panadol about 3 hours earlier to no avail, and I’m hearing every animal noise outside my window (which on other nights I would have slept through). I hate this.
When my skin looks and feels good, I feel amazing. But this is not as easily achieved as I get older. The decrease of hormones available in my body in my current state of perimenopause plays a huge factor in how well my skin stays hydrated and how it looks. Progesterone and oestrogen play many roles in the skin’s health, in particular the stimulation of skin sebum (the skin’s natural oils), the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid (which keeps skin thick and plump), and the stability of the skin’s barrier (which affects skin sensitivity, amongst other things).
