When people learn what I do, I often hear the same response: "I just can't be bothered with skincare anymore." I understand the weariness in their voices, the justified resistance to beauty standards that demand too much. But as I work in my lab, witnessing the alchemy of botanical oils merging into something entirely new, I know there's something deeper here, something that lives in the space between resistance and ritual, between self-care and ancestral memory.
Finding Our Way Back: Natural Skincare as Ancestral Connection
The first time I made a face oil in my kitchen, my hands strong and steady as I measured out precise drops of precious botanical oils, I felt something I hadn't expected: a presence. It wasn't dramatic; no spiritual visitation or sudden revelation. Just a quiet knowing that my great-great-great grandmother might have done something very similar, carefully working with plants she had gathered, creating something to nourish her skin and spirit.
I've spent years formulating skincare products, and while I deeply respect the power of modern synthetic ingredients (they absolutely have their place in our routines), there's something different about working with natural ingredients. Each time I infuse oils with herbs or blend botanical extracts, I feel that same connection - to the earth, to those who came before us, to an ancient wisdom that runs deeper than big beauty might want us to remember.
A Legacy of Care
Our ancestors didn't have access to modern skincare laboratories or perfectly preserved extracts, but they weren't without resources. They were keen observers and brilliant innovators, working with what the earth provided. They discovered that roses could soothe, honey could heal, and certain clays could purify. They passed these discoveries down through generations, often through whispered secrets and careful teachings. (This is true of so many things our foremothers had knowledge of.)
In Egypt, women used aloe and honey to protect their skin from the harsh desert climate. Across Asia, rice water became a treasured beauty secret. Indigenous peoples of the Americas discovered the protective properties of jojoba oil. These weren't just beauty treatments, they were survival strategies, cultural practices, and acts of self-care all rolled into one.
Breaking Free While Staying Connected
In the way that true things often are, it’s complicated. We live in a society shaped by capitalism, patriarchy, and racist beauty standards. Big Beauty often takes these ancestral practices, strips them of their cultural significance, and sells them back to us as "discoveries." It tells us we need these things not for our own joy or well-being, but to correct our "flaws" and conform to impossible standards.
And yet.
And yet, the simple act of caring for our skin is still profound. When I smooth drops of oil onto my face at night, I'm not thinking about meeting society's expectations. I'm connecting with my body, taking a moment to check in with myself, engaging in a practice that humans have performed for millennia.
The Complexity of Care
We can hold these truths simultaneously:
- The beauty industry often perpetuates harmful standards and practices
- Taking care of our skin can be a genuine form of self-care
- Our ancestral skincare practices were about survival, community, and tradition
- We can reject racist and patriarchal beauty standards while still nurturing our skin
- Feeling good in our skin can fuel our capacity for doing good in the world
This isn't about achieving perfection or meeting externally imposed standards. It's about connecting - with ourselves, with our ancestors, with practices that have sustained people for generations. I think that’sbeautiful.
Finding Our Way Forward
When I formulate products now, I think about this complexity. I think about creating things that honor both modern science and ancestral wisdom. I think about supporting people in caring for themselves in ways that feel authentic and connecting, not obligatory and oppressive.
Because here's what I've come to believe: When we feel good, truly good, not the temporary high of meeting some external standard - we show up differently in the world. We have more capacity for kindness, for activism, for creating generative change. Self-care, when practiced with intention and awareness, ripples outward.
A Love Letter to Ourselves
So yes, I use and create products with natural ingredients whenever possible. Not because natural is inherently better, but because it helps me feel connected to something larger than myself. Because each time I work with these materials, I feel the presence of those who came before, who figured out how to use the earth's gifts to care for themselves and their communities.
This is my invitation to you: Find the practices that make you feel connected and cared for. Question the beauty standards that make you feel less than. Honor the wisdom of those who came before us. And remember that caring for yourself can be an act of resistance, of connection, of love.
Your skincare routine doesn't have to be a response to marketing or a submission to modern beauty standards. It can be a love letter to yourself, a connection to your heritage, a quiet moment of care in a chaotic world. All of these things can be true at once. We just need to give ourselves permission to live in that complexity.
Warmly,
Kate
Want to explore natural skincare products that honor traditional wisdom while meeting modern standards for safety and efficacy? Visit my shop to discover our carefully formulated collections.
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