In conversation with Bridget Carmady, founder of Clémence Organics

We should embrace our natural beauty and nurture the skin we are in. Bridget Carmady, Naturopath and founder of certified organic skincare brand Clémence Organics, says there’s a reason why they only have a single line of products in the range. “It’s because I don’t believe in skin types. I know it’s a bold statement but hear me out.”

Bridget says the skin types you hear most often are normal, dry, oily, mature, combination, and sensitive. “But who only has one skin type? And what is normal?”

“I know my skin varies according to the season, what I’m eating, the climate I’m in, my current stress levels, and what I’m using on my skin. For example, in summer I would say that my skin is oily. In winter it’s dry. It’s always sensitive and given that I’m getting close to 40 I would say it’s verging on mature. How do I label that?”

Bridget says “The truth of the matter is, your skin is never one skin type but rather a living, breathing, changeable organ, and you should treat it as such. By adapting your diet and skincare, you can keep your skin happy, no matter the season.”

“Currently I’m using the full regime of Clémence facial products because I live in a dry climate and its early Spring. Work has been busy lately and so my stress levels are a little higher than usual. Because of this I know that the extra cortisol pumping through my bloodstream is sending the nutrients I’m eating to other organs, feeding my skin last. I’m also exercising less at the moment because most days I struggle to get out of bed early enough to fit in a run.”

“These factors combined cause my skin to beg for extra hydration, and so I give it all the serum and cream it desires. I also spritz my skin throughout the day to keep it moist, especially when I’m in the office with indoor heating. On top of this, I use our 2 in 1 Face Exfoliant + Mask every second day to nourish my skin and increase the turnover of skin cells.”

“To look after the skin on my body, I lather myself in our award-winning Ultimate Hand + Body Lotion after every shower.”

This keeps my body super nourished and flake-free. During the cooler months I try to feed my skin by adding extra fats to my diet including avocado, nuts and oily fish. And whilst I don’t drink as much water, I sip on herbal teas throughout the day, and try not to have too much caffeine as it dehydrates skin.”

“As the weather warms, I will slowly decrease the amount of serum and cream I apply, and replace some of the extra fats in my diet with ‘lighter’ nutrient-dense meals including soups and salads. In summer I tend to use my Face Crème sparingly and will often apply the Spritz and Serum, or just the Protect + Clarify Daily Face Lotion during the day. This is because the warm summer weather naturally encourages my skin to produce more oils.”

So what makes the Clémence range so adaptable and suitable for everyone? Well for starters it’s 100% natural and certified organic, with no chemicals or unnecessary ingredients, minimising the risk of a reaction. Ingredients are non-comedogenic which means their products won’t your block pores, reducing the formation of blackheads and acne.

Perhaps more importantly, the range is designed to balance your skin’s pH, microbiome and sebum levels, allowing your skin to reach a natural equilibrium. Our skin has an inherent ability to heal itself and so the products we put on it should support this process, not make it harder.

Bridget’s advice is “don’t label your skin”. Listen to what it needs according to where you’re at, what you’re eating and how you’re feeling. Choose skincare products that support your skin. If you can adapt to give your skin what it needs right now, you may just find your ‘normal’.

Clémence Organics is a winner in this year’s BE-YOU-T Awards. Based in the NSW Blue Mountains, Bridget Carmady is a degree qualified naturopath, passionate about nutrition and complementary medicine, especially when it comes to skincare. In practice, Bridget found her clients were searching for a regime that actually worked for their skin concerns, whilst still being 100% natural and certified organic. 29 beauty awards and several international launches later, Clémence Organics is fast becoming one of Australia’s best-loved natural beauty brands.

Bridget is offering 15% off for Wellbeing readers. Simply using code ‘WELLBEING20’ when shopping at www.clemenceorganics.com (valid until 31 December 2020).