Is it time to look at healthier skin care? Vanessa Megan thinks so. She claims less chemicals in skincare keep us looking younger, and healthier.
Vanessa spoke exclusively to Bondi Beauty
1) Explain your philosophy that we should never put anything on our skin we wouldn’t eat?
When my best friend said this quote to me, it was my ‘Light bulb’ moment. It was the visual that really hit home and made sense to me. If I wouldn’t eat it, why on earth would I put it on my skin. Since the skin is our largest organ, it digests whatever we put on it, just like our stomach.
I guess the best way to really understand this is to look at how nicotine and HRT patches work. It makes sense that what we put on our skin ends up in our blood stream. The philosophy behind the Vanessa Megan motto is that the product is chemical free and is actually ‘Great’ for your skin to digest.
Since the skin is our largest organ, it digests whatever we put on it, just like our stomach.
2) Women have been putting chemicals on their skin for years – how do you feel about that now?
The lack of education and long-term statistic research / results on the effects of the chemicals used in skincare to date is one of the main reasons consumers have kept using the ‘old’ ingredients. Now that these statistics are coming to light and we are seeing the results of the chemicals and the effects they have on the physiology of our bodies, we are able to make that conscious choice to avoid these certain chemicals and choose an organic / natural option.
I believe the more we are educated, and educate ourselves on the effects of these chemicals, the more consumers will opt for the natural / organic product. At Vanessa Megan we are happy to pass on our information to help educate the consumer as much as possible.
3) Do you believe natural skincare keeps our skin looking younger long-term?
Absolutely. This is from first hand experience with our customers that they notice / feel the difference in their skin within 24 hours of using our certified organic products. We receive calls constantly from customers repeating stories that their family / friends / husbands ask if they have had ‘Botox’, ‘chemical peels’ or done ‘something’ to their skin, because the change is that dramatic. I believe the dramatic change is that the skin is being fed a product that actually penetrates the skin deep down and when absorbed makes the skin glow because of the natural vitamins / properties of the ingredients. We especially get this kind of feedback when customers use our ‘Nature’s Elixir Oil – N.E.O the results are pretty much instantaneous. The long-term effects are just as potent, especially on age spots and skin discoloration / rosacea / dry / mature skin.
4) Is it even more important for women who are into fitness to review their skincare routine?
I believe it is important for men and women wether they are into fitness or not, to review their skincare routine. It is highly important to understand what you are putting onto your skin, what ingredients are the most dangerous for you and your family and what the natural alternatives are.
5) What makes an ingredient in skincare certified organic?
An ingredient is certified organic when it passes rigorous testing ( a 10 page document) for its origin and method of extraction. Each individual ingredient we use in every one of our formulas has been tested as such, so that we can a) Be certain that the product is completely free from any chemicals, b) It will give the skin the ultimate nourishment c) Vanessa Megan customers can trust that our Certification Logo is 100% transparent. This links into the question below…
6) As consumers, how can we be sure what we are buying- from skincare brands generally – is truly natural?
As a consumer myself, of other certified organic products, (makeup / food) there is only one logo that I trust above and beyond any other because of its honesty and dedication to the consumer. This logo is the ACO (Australian Certified Organic Bud Logo) you will see this logo on our products and other brands that are certified organic. There are other certification bodies that are not as rigorous or as stringent as the ACO and may not be as transparent in their policies. The ACO are the hardest certification to attain, due to their dedication to the consumer and attention to every aspect of the organic process, therefore when I see this logo, I just know it is a logo I can trust. This is the reason I chose to have this Certification body on the Vanessa Megan Brand and spend three years working on formulas / ingredients to attain this certification.
The other way we can be sure that what we are buying is truly natural is to look at the ingredient listing on the box of the product. By Australian law, every ingredient must be listed in order of percentage used on the product. If you see any numbers in this listing you can be sure it is not of a natural source and is most likely a synthetic ingredient. Start becoming your own best educator and start reading your ingredient listing.
If you see any numbers in this listing you can be sure it is not of a natural source and is most likely a synthetic ingredient.
7) What do you believe are the most important products we should all use on our skin to keep it healthy and young?
At Vanessa Megan we believe all you need for great skin, is a good cleanser and a great moisturiser and that is the foundation to great skin. Less is more. Sometimes overfeeding is just as bad as underfeeding the skin.
Once you have these basics you can add products according to what you need. Most women use eye creams when they actually don’t need to, when you start with these two basics you will be able to target the areas you know you need to focus special attention to, but the majority of women realise that once they have peeled back to these two items, that they actually don’t need a 5 step skincare routine. You can then focus your attention on other body products that will nourish your skin.
Less is more. Sometimes overfeeding is just as bad as underfeeding the skin.
8) How important is what we eat to how our skin looks?
Extremely important. The old saying, you are what you eat is so true. You can see it in people who eat healthy to those who chose a diet of fast food; the skin tone is completely different.
9) Outside of the skincare brands we use, what else can we do to keep our skin healthy?
Sleep – I didn’t realise How important a good nights sleep was for your skin until I actually saw it myself. I had been working so hard and such long hours, there was a period of time when I was sleeping maybe 4-5 hrs a night for about 3 months, when things finally slowed down and I started getting my regular 7-8 hrs sleep a night, my skin just glowed again. If I hadn’t seen it myself I would have believed it to such an extent. Also Water, Hydration from the inside out is extremely important. You notice this on long international flights, by the end of the trip your skin has become dehydrated and in need of a good boost. I drink up to 2 litres of water a day to keep my skin hydrated, especially in the Aussie Summer heat.
10) Is there anything else you do in the corporate environment to keep your office environment healthy?
Meditation has become a huge part of my corporate health environment. It has really helped me to focus, de-stress and come back to a healthy mental place to make decisions, especially when you are flooded with constant business pressures. It really evens me out and makes me work more efficiently and helps my stress levels decrease, which in turn makes me a more physically healthy person.
At Vanessa Megan we have an environmental policy in place, which is more on a sustainable / carbon footprint health side, I believe that this is just as important as the things we do for our bodies. We must also remember the environment and how we are metaphorically being healthy.
Meditation has become a huge part of my corporate health environment.
