New Year, New You: How To Create A Clean Beauty Routine To Enhance Your Skin

How has the pandemic changed your grooming and self-care routine?

Including hands in my grooming ritual. As we are all washing and sanitising more often than ever, we must be more careful with what products we are using. Look for wash products with natural ingredients that don’t strip the hands. For hand sanitisers look for 7O%+ alcohol but make sure they also have some hyaluronic acid to help lock in the moisture. Using these kinds of products will support the hand cream for soothing and hydrating the hands. Use hand cream in lighter layers more often and avoid anything with silicone. More than ever, we are looking for hydrated skin cells, not surface grease!  Do this as much as required. These days too much is never enough! 

What beauty trends have you seen come out of the pandemic?

Significant increase in demand for handcare products. We are all washing our hands and sanitising more, which is good for hygiene and bad for hydration. This has led to increasing demand for hand creams also. 

Why did you start Grown Alchemist?

After working for many years as consultants in product and brand development, my Co-Founder, Keston Muijs, and I decided to move towards the natural side of the skincare market. It was during this shift that we witnessed our clinical results demonstrating improved cellular function when exposed to natural ingredients. We started working on the concept of Grown Alchemist in the late 1990s. We curated a team of the best scientists from around the world and for 10 years furthered our research into the link between health and beauty before formally founding Grown Alchemist in 2008. 

The name Grown Alchemist encapsulates the duality of our brand, one that is built on biology, then backed by science. As a brand, we have one foot firmly planted in the natural world utilising the power of botanicals, which we use in our formulations, and the other rooted in the alchemy of science in order to harness the potency of these naturally occurring ingredients. This duality makes us who we are as a brand. 

Have you found that people have become more focused on what goes into the beauty products they’re using?

Through an increasing availability of very well researched information, consumers are increasingly awakening to the responsibility we hold to ensure future generations have access to the same healthy and natural resource-abundant planet we have now. COVID-19 has also allowed the majority of us to slow down and focus on other areas of our life we previously may have neglected –such as diet, exercise and connectivity with each other.  This has overwhelmingly led to consumers making positive changes to their beauty routines –the newfound approach to health and hygiene has given rise to  ‘clean’ beauty and the demand will only continue to grow. To us, ‘clean’ beauty is sustainably produced products that are plant-based and free of harmful toxins and carcinogens. Also, beauty products that are biocompatible with the body, not tested on animals and feature consciously made recyclable packaging. We advocate clean beauty, our products use the highest quality of natural and organic ingredients and are certified toxic-free and cruelty-free, that’s our commitment to the world and to our consumers so they can make informed product choices.

What was the first beauty treatment you booked after lockdown?

Drip Therapy at our Retail Lab. We have a menu of treatments that are available from Facial Treatments and Body Treatments to Drip Therapy Treatments and Light Therapy, but Drip Therapy is my go-to treatment. It delivers vitamins and minerals directly to your bloodstream, assisting in optimal nutrient absorption at a cellular level. Our innovative treatments provide immediate beauty benefits, boosting the function of skin cells to achieve your skin goals faster for a more youthful and radiant complexion.

How do people start a clean beauty routine?

Beauty products shouldn’t compromise your health. I encourage looking for products that contain natural, clean ingredients, THE ICONIC Free From edit is a great place to start. On top of that, look out for 100% recyclable packaging. 

What are your favourite skincare ingredients?

Persian Rose, Tamanu Oil and Argan Extract which contain Vitamin A and Omegas 3, 6 & 7 noticeably replenish and strengthen the skin while visibly restoring moisture levels and elasticity. Another one is Hyaluronic Acid, which provides maximum hydration and we have a range of products that has our tri-hyaluronan complex. I also enjoy ingredients that provide powerful antioxidant benefits such as Pomegranate and Grapeseed Oil as they fight against free radical, oxidative stress. They help leave skin looking beautifully supple, soft and revived.

For someone who has never tried Grown Alchemist, what product would you recommend they start with?

The hero of this system is our Detox Serum. It’s a universal skincare serum that has been formulated with our proprietary Antioxidant +3 Complex. It’s a serum we recommend to everyone regardless of age, skin condition, or gender to fight against oxygen, carbon and nitrogen generated free radicals.

What’s a simple but effective AM skincare routine for anyone who’s struggling to get organised before work?

Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser, Hydra-Repair Day Cream, then finish with our Natural Hydrating Sunscreen and you’re all set.

How do you keep your complexion from becoming dehydrated after being in the office all day?

Drinking enough water is essential to keeping you hydrated. I also make sure that in my AM routine I use serums and moisturisers to hydrate and protect my face. My favourites are Detox Serum, Instant Smoothing Serum and Age-Repair Intensive Moisturiser. As the last step, I apply our Natural Hydrating sunscreen, which is full of skin-loving goodness such as Rosehip Oil and Hyaluronic Acid. This combo will keep my skin hydrated throughout the day.

What products are in your beauty bag?

The Instant Smoothing Serum is formulated using a complex combination of plant-derived high, medium, and low weight hyaluronan molecules that deliver an instant lifting effect through intense hydration, rapidly smoothing the skin’s surface. This formulation is ideal for use as an intensive hydrating treatment, counteracting the negative effects that sunburn, windburn, and air-conditioning can have on the skin. I also recommend this serum as the perfect instant plumping and priming product to use before an evening out!

How do you relax and reset your complexion after a long working week?

Retail Lab is one of my go-to places to wind down after a long working week. We have a menu of treatments to choose from, so if I am not doing Drip Therapy, I am having a facial or body treatment. In addition, I love spending time with my family, that’s also a perfect way to relax.