We chat with Bridget Carmady, founder of natural skincare brand
Clémence Organics, about radiating beauty and health from within.
Q: What inspired you to create Clémence Organics?
A: I have dabbled in making my own skincare since I was a child, and this gained momentum as a teenager when I faced my own skin issues, including scarring and acne.
I only really took it seriously when my father was diagnosed with throat cancer in the final year of my naturopathy degree. The oncologist handed him a tube of chemical-laden cream to “soothe” his radiation burns, which I took one look at and promptly threw in the bin. I made him a balm based on calendula and vitamin E, which was hugely successful and caught the eye of the oncology nurses due to its evident benefits. This was a bit of a light-bulb moment for me — that something as simple as skincare could make such a big difference to someone’s cancer experience. It changed the course of my career.
Once I started practice the following year, I wanted my naturopathic clients to have the best products for their skin that were made from organic ingredients and delivered powerful results for their specific skin conditions. My clients loved the products I made for them and, because of this, the skincare side of my business grew quite quickly. Pretty soon I had to decide between my naturopathic practice and making organic skincare. My heart was pulling me towards Clémence, so I launched it as a standalone skincare brand in 2016.
Q: How has your background as a qualified naturopath influenced your product line?
A: Naturopaths support the body’s inherent healing process by using natural medicines and practices. For me, my focus has always been on nutrition and herbal medicine, and so all of my product formulations involve a combination of these two. 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, as well as fatty acids. Then I looked at the herbs and plants that have been proven to encourage the skin to heal — rosehip, calendula, jojoba, and 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. I just love how science can now back up traditional use!
Q: How does Clémence Organics make a difference to an individual’s beauty and health?
A: Firstly, all products contain the highest amount of certified organic ingredients possible. This is because organic botanicals contain a higher percentage of antioxidants, which are essential to fight free-radical damage. A higher percentage of vitamins and minerals have also been found in organic botanicals, the most relevant to skincare being vitamins A, C and E.
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 that could undermine our product’s key benefits or potentially harm your health.
Q: Please share a bit about Clémence Organics’ environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.
A: When creating the brand, our environmental ethics had to shine through in all elements of our business. For starters, our packaging had to be as recyclable as possible, as well as not being made from materials that could potentially be harmful to health (eg bisphenol A [BPA] found in some plastic packaging). Choosing certified organic ingredients is not only better for human health, but it’s also better for the environment, with less toxins entering the soil and waterways during growth and production. We would also never use microbeads or nanoparticles, which are detrimental to marine life. To ensure we further support the restoration of the environment, we are a member of 1% for the Planet, an organisation that assists us in donating 1 per cent of our profits to organisations that have been accredited.
Q: What does natural beauty and health mean to you?
A: For me, the two are very much intertwined. You can’t have natural beauty without health first. Having a nutritious diet, living a healthy lifestyle and having a healthy mind are the principles that I live by. What I put on my skin is part of living a healthy lifestyle, so I very carefully consider each and every product that touches it. Natural beauty is beauty inside and out.
Q: What everyday, all-rounder Clémence Organics product would you recommend to readers of Being?
A: It would have to be our Ultimate Face Crème. This product has been our bestseller right from the get-go because it does what it says it will — rapidly hydrate dry skin and sort out any skin inflammation — all while being certified organic and super luscious to use.
For more information about Clémence Organics, visit clemenceorganics.com
