We all have a story don’t we? A journey that led us to this point in our lives, and one I am often asked about is ‘how did you get into making skincare products?’. I haven’t always made skincare, in fact until around 6 years ago I had very little interest in skincare. My relationship with skincare and my skin in general was fraught and stressful, and that is exactly what led me to this point. Skincare formulation was part of my journey to healthy, calm skin.
When I was still at primary school, and around 10 or 11, I started to get breakouts. None of my friends had this problem yet and as people began to notice, the first flush of shame about my body spread over me quickly. As I headed into my teens the breakouts continued, and worsened into acne.
Stripping the skin
Like most girls in the 90s I was turning to harsh cleansing products and mineral oil based creams or ointments to try and ease the breakouts. I remember if I saw a new ‘spot solution’ or ‘spot cream’ on the TV, how I’d pray this was the one that would make the difference. Of course, all these did was strip my skin and make it worse.
The majority of products on the market for breakouts, back then and still now, treat skin that is ‘oily and blemish prone’. I’ve never had oily skin, my skin was always on the dry side so anything I treated the acne with, stripped and dried my skin more. I dread to think what I was putting my delicate, young skin barrier through back then.
I want to tell you the story changed when I hit my twenties but it didn’t, it got worse. I imagine the prescription medication that my GP gave me only served to make things worse as it impacted the microbiome in my gut too. It certainly didn't bring me the calm skin that I hoped for.
Painful and scarred
Come my early 30s, still the same story. I was so frustrated and disillusioned with everything that I put on my skin. Everything seemed to make it worse. To add to the frustration I also found that some preservatives caused a reaction on my skin too. I got to the point where I couldn't bear to try another face cream. I could almost guarantee that the day before my period was due, I would break out into a gathering of hot painful sores that it took much of the month to calm and soothe away. The idea of healthy, calm skin seemed like a distant dream. My skin tone was also mottled with fading acne scars, particularly if i’d not resisted picking and touching at any breakouts.
Finding the answer
Finally, I decided to take matters into my own hands and I started researching ingredients. I started to order plant oils, butters, essential oils, and waxes, and learn how to make my own skincare. From there I enrolled on an organic skincare formulating course, and then I went on to complete an advanced cosmetic science course. The more I learned, and made my own products, the healthier and calmer my skin became.
I discovered how plant oils could repair and soothe my skin, I discovered how to care for my skin barrier and nourish the microbiome. I learned the importance of gentle, regular exfoliation that wouldn't cause microtears on my skin. Finally, I dived into the world of herbal medicine and discovered that the plants growing all around me would be a crucial part of healing my skin too. Healthy, calm skin had become a reality for me after 25 years.
These learnings became the foundation for the three products that we sell today.
This is how our our 3 Neve products transformed my skin...
The Tri-Elixir: Plant oils were a gamer changer for me, and one of the first things I discovered and began experimenting with. They didn’t cause me further breakouts as the internet often warned me as I doom scrolled. They actually soothed my skin, feeding it essential fatty acids to nourish and repair it. I found that they protected my skin throughout the day, softening and hydrating it. They also make cleansing a dream. Oil cleansing with plant oils was one of the best things I ever did, it was perfect for cleansing whilst also promoting calm skin. After years of harsh, foaming cleansers I started to see amazing results from gentle oil cleansing and began to give my precious skin barrier the respect it deserved.
The Tri-Elixir came about because I wanted to combine the best of these plant oils into something versatile that I could always come back to. A ‘do-all’ product that would nourish, plump and hydrate my skin while improving my skin tone and support my skin as I aged.
I am 39 now, and of course whilst I inevitably have the occasion breakout, my skin is calm, comfortable and healthy. I feel good about it, and I enjoy taking care of it. I'm at the stage now where the first signs of ageing are appearing, almost 40 years of life, showing on face, but this time I am ready for the next part of the journey. I know that the products that soothed and repaired by dry, acne prone skin are also rich in ingredients that will nourish my skin through the ageing process, keeping it bright, healthy and calm.
I know that many more of you have a story like mine, and I hope that the products we make at NEVE can help to turn your story around too. If you would like to find out more about these products take a look at our shop. If you have any questions about our products please feel free to drop me an email, I'd love to hear from you.
Sarah, NEVE Wellness co-founder x
