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I started making products for babies when I was pregnant with my first born because I was horrified at the ingredients found in most baby skincare. Seriously, I trawled every baby shop, health food store and pharmacy looking for truly natural and organic options and there just weren’t any.

I wasn’t going to put anything on my baby’s skin that wasn’t 100% natural and organic because I wanted to cherish my baby’s health. You might ask what skincare has to do with baby health. Turns out it can have a huge effect on it, starting at the microbiota.

What is microbiota and what has it got to do with my baby?

Our skin is colonised with a diverse ecosystem of microorganisms including bacteria, yeasts, viruses and fungi. Collectively, these microorganisms form what’s called microbiota. This colonisation begins at birth when a baby is exposed either to a mother’s vaginal bacteria and/or a mother’s skin bacteria. This ecosystem develops with age, and forms a protective barrier which contributes to the health of the skin.

The condition of a baby’s microbiota varies according to how a baby’s skin is treated, with some soaps and creams significantly affecting the skin’s microbiota. Too harsh cleansing, anti-bacterial agents, and steroid creams, can detrimentally impact the microbiota and increase the likelihood of a baby developing eczema and other dermatitis’.

Why is organic skincare important for babies?

Baby skin is much more sensitive than adult skin because of the underdeveloped microbiota and also the thinness of it. This means they’re more likely to react to skincare products, particularly those containing chemicals and artificial preservatives. Their skin is also far more absorbent than adult skin and takes in the majority of what you put on it.

By choosing organic skincare for your baby’s skin, you’re much less likely to upset the microbiota and cause a reaction. You’re also not putting anything harmful into their bloodstream.

How should I cleanse my baby’s skin and what should I put on it?

When my kids were babies I bathed them every 2nd, 3rd or 4th day depending on how grubby they got. When I did bathe them I used our gentle bamboo washers and warm water. If they had a major poo explosion and some extra cleansing was required, I used a little organic castile soap (olive oil based). After bathing I would apply our Ultimate Baby Oil during massage and then the Baby + Mum Balm to their nappy area.

Future proofing

I think it’s important to note that if we look after our baby’s skin from the get go, we’re helping to set them up for better skin health in the long term. Healthy skin microbiota in infancy will contribute to healthy skin in childhood, teenagehood and adulthood.

NB: These naturopathic recommendations are for general baby skin health. Individual cases may require specific treatment measures so please seek medical advice if symptoms persist.

Most skincare products come with a recommendation as to how to store them so as to keep them safe and in top condition for as long as possible. Ours say ‘store below 30°C’. We go into further detail on our FAQs page:

“We recommend that products are stored away from direct sunlight and below 30°C. In warmer climates and in hot summer conditions we recommend that you store your products, particularly those in jars (Ultimate Face Cream, 2 in 1 Face Scrub + Mask), in the refrigerator.”

Refrigerator you say? That’s where mine have been these past 10 weeks to keep them as cool as possible. This summer in Australia has been extraordinarily hot and humidity has been at an all-time high. So how does this affect your skin care products?

We recently had a customer return a product to a stockist after some mould grew in the base of the jar, several months after opening. When I discussed this with the stockist I explained that we have had our products stability tested against mould and other common microbes, and they held up. So why would it still grow mould?

Once jars are opened and fingers go into them, products are introduced to a broad array of bacteria, viruses, yeasts and fungi. Add to this poor storage conditions (kept in a space that goes above 30°C and/or gets direct sunlight) and you compromise the preservative system. So why not use stronger preservatives?

There are preservatives and there are preservatives. The list is long and it goes from very mild (fermented radish root), all the way to killer (formaldehyde and other carcinogenic nasties). Because our products contain 100% natural and organic ingredients, we have chosen a preservative system that upholds these standards but also creates a safe and gentle product that is shelf stable.

We also do this because we want to keep our products fresh and as close to natural as possible. Skin care should be treated like a food in some respects. Products contain oils, butters and gels that are extracted directly from plants. These ingredients are then blended to form a skin care product. This product is food for your skin, containing vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to improve the health of your skin.

I am always concerned when I see a skin care product that looks and smells exactly the same as it did when it was first purchased years earlier. Alarm bells should be ringing! It’s like the McDonalds experiment where they sit a hamburger on a shelf and it looks and smells the same several years later. It can’t be good!

You don’t expect your food to stay fresh forever, especially when it’s not kept under the right storage conditions, so please take the time to look after your skin care. Kept cool and away from sunlight, your Clémence Organics will last as long as you can stop yourself from using it all up!

We’ve just drawn the January winner for our monthly competition that asks entrants to tell us why using organic skincare is important to you (or why you want to make the change to organic skincare).

I love reading through these entries each month as we get some inspiring (and hilarious) answers. Here are a few of my favourites that might encourage you to make the switch (if you haven’t already done so):

“Because I don’t have to worry when my 1 year old learns how to open my jar of face cream and eats the entire tub.”

“Because they are made with superior ingredients. It’s like cooking, better ingredients mean better results. Those with sensitive skin like myself can especially benefit from organic beauty products that contain high quality ingredients.”

“Harmful chemicals in my products make me see RED! (Not in anger but in allergens)”

“There’s so much about my health and wellbeing that I can’t control, so I love the idea of taking charge and making a change in an area where I’ll see and feel immediate results.”

“It’s my dog’s favourite! She especially loves licking the ultimate SOS balm. I think it makes her coat shiny and has improved her health with all those organic ingredients.”

“We don’t smoke so we don’t hurt our lungs, we avoid drinking so we don’t hurt our liver, but we all use non-organic skincare and hurt our skin every day! If you can’t eat it, why would you let it inside your body?”

“Roses are red, violets are blue, organic skincare is the bomb for you.”

“I need to change my complete skincare products to organic because I’m tired of supporting all these international companies that use harmful substances in their products and promote them as beauty. These chemicals can have detrimental effects on mine and my family’s health. I also want to set an example for my daughter so that I can instill healthier habits.”

Want to share your reasons for making the switch to organic skincare? We'd love to hear from you!

I don’t normally make New Year’s resolutions but this year I decided that I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. I took on an ‘if not now, when?’ attitude which has so far seen me riding horses on the beach and having surfing lessons with my nieces. I really want to make the most of my time and so I decided resolutions were in.

The first resolution I made was to learn guitar. This is definitely out of my comfort zone as I last tried learning guitar as a child (my father was a professional player) and after several lessons I convinced myself I couldn’t play. I’ve carried that mindset for years but on New Year’s Eve, when sitting around listening to friends play guitar, I decided it was time to give that mindset the heave ho.

The second resolution I made was to keep a diary. I haven’t done this for years as I convinced myself it was better to focus on the here and now, rather than reflect too much on the past. But when the kids ask me questions about my Dad that I can’t answer, I can’t help but wish that he had kept a diary that I could refer to. I want my kids to have the facts if they want them.

The third resolution I made was to improve my health wherever possible. I’m so conscious of the fact that I’ve lost my sister and father to cancer, and I want to be certain that I’m doing everything I can do reduce my risk factors. I just don’t want to live my life in fear. And so I started researching longevity which led me to the book ‘The Blue Zones’ by Dan Buettner. This book delves into the communities around the world that live the longest and shares the goods on what gives them the extra years. So far it’s a fascinating read and, as I learn more, I’ll definitely be sharing it with you.

I also made a business resolution to get clear on my audience and make sure I was reaching all the people that need Clémence Organics in their lives. The truth of the matter is you can’t meet everyone’s needs and you can’t make everyone happy. So whose problems am I trying to solve?

You see I originally made this skincare to solve a problem. It was a problem that was first and foremostly mine. A few years ago I say would that my skin sucked. No matter how many products I wasted money on, nothing really worked for me. I also hated choosing products that weren’t natural but somehow I thought they might be my only option with my skin issues. How wrong I was! Turns out it was all about choosing the right ingredients, in the right application method, to fix my skin. Since then I’ve changed copious other clients’ skin issues and, as our reach grows, I need to make sure I continue to reach the right audience.

So is Clémence Organics for you? Let’s take the test!
• Do you have skin issues that have seen you waste money on countless skincare products over the years?
• Do you like to see results from your skincare?
• Do you care about your health and the health of the environment?
• Do you like supporting a brand that is 100% Australian made and owned?
• Do you like a brand that loves you back with free shipping, rewards points and special offers?

If you answered no to any of those questions then please unsubscribe from this newsletter now. Clémence Organics is not for you. If, however, you said yes then you my friend are in the right room.

I’m only just over 2 years into this business and so I’m still very much learning. I treasure my customers and all that they share with me. If you have any feedback, good or bad, that you feel would help improve Clémence Organics, then I’d love to hear from you.

I truly hope that 2019 is a bountiful year for you and that together we can make it our healthiest yet. What’s your New Year’s resolution?

Living in the NSW Blue Mountains, I'm surrounded by people who love the outdoors, and nearly everyone you meet is a rock climber. But there are rock climbers and there are rock climbers, and Am