When it comes to beauty, I gravitate towards the natural stuff. For me, that means finding products I can trust. But with a growing number of natural products sweeping the beauty and wellness scene, it can be hard to know what to look for in your valiant quest for a healthier (but still fabulous) beauty regimen. I asked Coogee local, beauty expert and business entrepreneur, Anne Marshall, from Seven Islands Skincare, all of these questions and more to help get you started.

What inspired you to start Seven Islands Skincare?

My inspiration to start the range was twofold. I love beauty products so making them myself seemed like a natural thing to do. But the main reason was that my eyes were opened to the effects that harmful skincare and beauty products can have on your health after I was diagnosed with endometriosis. I wanted to switch to more safe and pure products, but I found some of them either had no benefit to my skin, or they were greasy. Basically I couldn’t find an effective natural and luxury skincare brand I could afford… so I made my own!

Why should we choose natural when buying our beauty and skincare?

For me, it’s all about healthy choices inside and out. Skincare ingredients can reach our organs via the bloodstream, so it’s important that we choose the safest ingredients possible.

Seven Islands Skincare All Natural Lip Balm

Wellness is now synonymous with beauty products. What are the main ingredients to avoid when looking for a new beauty regime?

The first ingredient I try to avoid is a group of preservatives known as parabens. While preservatives are necessary to protect our products from yeast, mould and fungi, parabens are synthetic and have been linked to a number of health issues. Parabens are still widely used, so keep a lookout for ingredients such as propylparaben, methylparaben and butylparaben or anything with a paraben on the end of it! To be on the safe side, it’s always a good idea to buy paraben-free products.

I also avoid artificial fragrances. Headaches, allergies, asthma and rashes are just some of the common side effects of artificial fragrances. Many artificial fragrances also contain another harmful group of ingredients known as phthalates. If you’re like me and enjoy a bit of aroma for a luxury experience, look for products with essential oils or naturally derived ingredients.

Tell us about the process in developing a clean, luxurious skincare range?

When I’m developing a product, I think really carefully about who will be using it and what problems the product is solving. There is a lot of trial and error. Just because something does its job, doesn’t mean it’s going to feel amazing or smell good. It’s a very fine balance between many factors! I like to use essential oils for a touch of luxury and a gorgeous aroma. Once I’m sure a product works, I use it multiple times on myself – then on my friends and family to be sure the product makes them feel amazing. After that, the official testing follows.

I’m obsessed with your lip balm. Did you have in mind that we sometimes, ahem, accidentally take an extra lick when wearing a product that tastes good?

Of course, that was a big factor. I am obsessed with lip balm myself and I’ve used non-toxic as well as food-grade ingredients for this reason. For example, I don’t use cosmetic-grade cocoa butter, I use food-grade cocoa butter – it smells and tastes better! You’d never believe how many people contact me to say their kids or pets have eaten my lip balm. Most of it is actually edible! And of course, safe.

If you want to go natural with your beauty routine, try using these expert tips. And if you’re unsure where to look, head to your local markets or check out that cute, independent store you keep walking past. There’s sure to be a natural beauty treasure trove waiting for your eager and well-researched discovery.

Find Seven Islands Skincare at www.sevenislandsskincare.com.au

This is not a sponsored blog post

Go Natural, Feel Good