Slow Beauty
What does Slow Beauty Mean?
You’ve probably heard about it. The term Slow Beauty describes a reconnection with nature and the simple pleasures of life through regular self-care and skin rituals that provide a space to come back to one’s self amidst the flurry of contemporary life.
But once you go beyond this personal, often private, practice of Slow Beauty, this concept also represents a way of conceiving skin care that permeates the process of going from an idea to a finalized product and every step in between, recognizing and implementing the traditions and wisdoms from nature.
Here are the three concepts that define my perspective on Slow Beauty:
SYNERGY:
A bottle filled with well-balanced, whole-plant botanicals is our preferred version of beauty. This is not only because we’ve personally experienced superior results with this type of skincare than with synthetically-based cosmetics (synthetic ingredients can only go so far since they lack the intrinsic botanical synergies only found in whole plants), but also because these kinds of natural beauty products are more harmonious with the constitution of our own skin.
This way of creating skincare is a process that takes time (and it's also an exercise in patience 😉). It requires a deep understanding of the materials you're working with: the plants themselves, their chemistry and compounds, and the way they interact together, as well as on skin. And this knowledge is what makes it possible to craft comprehensive formulas that promote balance, beauty, and vibrancy at any age.
HARMONY:
Skincare is not necessary about what decades of mainstream beauty and advertising have trickled down into the collective beauty culture. It is not about a “quick-fix” as if there was something wrong with us and our skin, it's not about covering things up, it’s not about unrealistic ideals (especially when concerning anything “anti-aging”), or unreasonable goals projected into a jar.
It’s more about a tender approach to be less critical of ourselves. It should be a fun, life-long journey where we can be and look the best version of ourselves at any moment in time. It’s about protecting our largest organ throughout our lives, where if we take care of our skin while we’re young, then age will have less of an effect and we won’t NEED a quick-fix when we’re older!
I like the idea of “harmony” because as we try to balance out our skin using tools from nature (that beautifully provide the things our skin needs) we can actually improve and take care of many of the common skin issues that we all deal with. Good things come for those who wait.
SUSTAINABILITY:
We believe that the creation of any brand, good, or service should and can be done in sustainable way. To us, this is not a buzzword or a marketing tactic, but a real responsibility, one that cannot be overlooked.
When we started thinking of creating a skincare line, among the multiplicity of doubts we had, we found our True North in two concepts we heard repeatedly: the first came from family and friends where they said: “well, it hasn’t been done by you”. The second came from our own beliefs where, if we are going to put out something into the world, it must be kind and respectful to the planet. This might sound like a cliché, but today it could not be more relevant.
The ways in which we intertwine sustainability with the creation of a mindful and high-performance product are yet to be determined, but aside from growing as many of our own raw biodynamic materials as possible, we specifically source ingredients that come from other Biodynamic growers, that don’t travel the world or harm the habitats of local species in order to get to our studio and of course we will adopt a low-waste philosophy to packaging.
-------
Effective skincare is the result of Slow Beauty. Our intention is not to mass produce beauty products in the quickest and easiest way possible, but to take the necessary time in every step of the process. With the 3 facets just described, we am looking forward to the positive impact that this philosophy can bring to Maison/Made.
xo,
Carolina