Shopping Guides: Benefits of Double Cleansing
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We all know that cleansing is an essential step in any daily skin care routine, but did you know that your cleansing routine might not be working as hard as it possibly could for your skin? When we consider that the one simple step of cleansing has to remove all of our makeup, skin care, sunscreen, excess oil and daily grime, it actually seems like we sure are asking a lot from our natural facial cleanser. The solution is 'double cleansing' it might sound like overkill, but this special facial cleansing method can actually help to thoroughly refresh our skin for a perfectly clean canvas for skin care and makeup.
What is double cleansing?
Rather than using a single cleanser to remove all of your makeup, skin care, sunscreen and any build-up, the double cleanse method works to thoroughly clarify and refresh skin in two steps. Adding a second cleanse to your routine can help to give your pores the most thorough clean possible to remove dead skin cells and impurities that one cleanse alone might miss! This system consists of two different types of facial cleansers the first works to remove surface build-up, while the second can really help to loosen any remaining grime and excess oil from within the pores. The double cleansing method can really benefit oily skin types, as well as anyone who wears particularly heavy makeup each day.
How to double cleanse
Step 1
For the first step in double cleansing, I recommend using a cleansing balm or oil. Cleansers of this rich consistency can be applied to dry skin after being massaged into the fingers (this step is particularly important with a balm, as you need to melt the balm down from a solid into an oil.) Massage the cleanser into the skin until it feels completely melted, then use a damp and warm face washer or muslin cloth to wipe away the residue. This step works to dislodge and melt away almost all traces of heavy makeup and excess oil with the nourishing texture of natural oils, without stripping skin.
Step 2
Step two in the double cleansing method involves using a lighter cleanser. Depending on your skin type, for this step you might prefer to use a cream cleanser, foaming cleanser, micellar water or gel. As it's done on clean, refreshed skin, this second cleanse works to really clarify pores, brighten the complexion and rejuvenate skin. It can actually also help to prep skin to absorb serums, oils and moisturisers better.
Best natural double cleansing products
100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm
Perfect for the first step in double cleansing, the 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm is a solid cleansing balm which melts upon contact with the warmth of skin. This rich and creamy formula is filled with Avocado, Coconut and Olive Oils, all powerful enough to cut right through makeup and build-up for a sweeping cleanse.
Salt & Glow Eden Cleansing Oil
If you favour liquid cleansing oils over balms, the Salt & Glow Eden Cleansing Oil is a beautiful option. This particular formula combines nourishing Sunflower, Grape Seed and Hemp Oils in a nutrient-rich cleansing oil which transforms into silky smooth emulsion when mixed with water. Suitable for all skin types, this non-comedogenic cleanser works to gently remove makeup and impurities from the skin's surface.
Pai Skincare Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil
Ideal for anyone with sensitive skin, the Pai Skincare Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil works to remove even the heaviest makeup (including eye makeup!) without upsetting the skin's natural balance. This rich cleansing oil contains certified organic Rosehip Extract along with Olive, Sunflower and Castor Oils to rid skin of daily grime while also absorbing and removing excess oil. It actually transforms into a light, milky texture when water is added for easy removal!
Black Chicken Remedies Cleanse My Face Organic Purifying Oil Cleanser
The Black Chicken Remedies Cleanse My Face Organic Purifying Oil Cleanser is another Nourished Life favourite, harnessing 14 pure oils to deeply cleanse the skin of excess sebum, dirt and makeup. Hydrating Jojoba, Sweet Almond and Macadamia Oils work to dissolve build-up sitting on the skin, leaving the complexion feeling calm and clarified.
Life Basics Organic Muslin Facial Cloths
A gentle face cloth is a must-have in a double cleansing routine (to help remove your cleanser in step one), and my absolute favourites are the Life Basics Organic Muslin Facial Cloths. These unbleached organic cotton cloths are super soft and breathable, making them ultra-gentle on all skin types once soaked in warm water. They're lightweight and effortlessly remove your cleanser of choice, leaving skin feeling supple and smooth. In a handy pack of three, it's so easy to have one cloth in use at all times as they're fast-drying and can be hand or machine washed designed to be reused over and over again.
For more help with choosing a cleanser for step two, check out my Quick Guide to Facial Cleansers by Skin Type.
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"I love the being able to read all the product reviews before I buy and LOVE, LOVE the rewards program."
https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/article/2555775/benefits-of-double-cleansing.html
We all know that cleansing is an essential step in any daily skin care routine, but did you know that your cleansing routine might not be working as hard as it possibly could for your skin? When we consider that the one simple step of cleansing has to remove all of our makeup, skin care, sunscreen, excess oil and daily grime, it actually seems like we sure are asking a lot from our natural facial cleanser. The solution is 'double cleansing' it might sound like overkill, but this special facial cleansing method can actually help to thoroughly refresh our skin for a perfectly clean canvas for skin care and makeup.
What is double cleansing?Rather than using a single cleanser to remove all of your makeup, skin care, sunscreen and any build-up, the double cleanse method works to thoroughly clarify and refresh skin in two steps. Adding a second cleanse to your routine can help to give your pores the most thorough clean possible to remove dead skin cells and impurities that one cleanse alone might miss! This system consists of two different types of facial cleansers the first works to remove surface build-up, while the second can really help to loosen any remaining grime and excess oil from within the pores. The double cleansing method can really benefit oily skin types, as well as anyone who wears particularly heavy makeup each day.
How to double cleanse
Step 1
For the first step in double cleansing, I recommend using a cleansing balm or oil. Cleansers of this rich consistency can be applied to dry skin after being massaged into the fingers (this step is particularly important with a balm, as you need to melt the balm down from a solid into an oil.) Massage the cleanser into the skin until it feels completely melted, then use a damp and warm face washer or muslin cloth to wipe away the residue. This step works to dislodge and melt away almost all traces of heavy makeup and excess oil with the nourishing texture of natural oils, without stripping skin.
Step 2
Step two in the double cleansing method involves using a lighter cleanser. Depending on your skin type, for this step you might prefer to use a cream cleanser, foaming cleanser, micellar water or gel. As it's done on clean, refreshed skin, this second cleanse works to really clarify pores, brighten the complexion and rejuvenate skin. It can actually also help to prep skin to absorb serums, oils and moisturisers better.
Best natural double cleansing products
100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm
Perfect for the first step in double cleansing, the 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm is a solid cleansing balm which melts upon contact with the warmth of skin. This rich and creamy formula is filled with Avocado, Coconut and Olive Oils, all powerful enough to cut right through makeup and build-up for a sweeping cleanse.
Salt & Glow Eden Cleansing Oil
If you favour liquid cleansing oils over balms, the Salt & Glow Eden Cleansing Oil is a beautiful option. This particular formula combines nourishing Sunflower, Grape Seed and Hemp Oils in a nutrient-rich cleansing oil which transforms into silky smooth emulsion when mixed with water. Suitable for all skin types, this non-comedogenic cleanser works to gently remove makeup and impurities from the skin's surface.
Pai Skincare Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil
Ideal for anyone with sensitive skin, the Pai Skincare Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil works to remove even the heaviest makeup (including eye makeup!) without upsetting the skin's natural balance. This rich cleansing oil contains certified organic Rosehip Extract along with Olive, Sunflower and Castor Oils to rid skin of daily grime while also absorbing and removing excess oil. It actually transforms into a light, milky texture when water is added for easy removal!
Black Chicken Remedies Cleanse My Face Organic Purifying Oil Cleanser
The Black Chicken Remedies Cleanse My Face Organic Purifying Oil Cleanser is another Nourished Life favourite, harnessing 14 pure oils to deeply cleanse the skin of excess sebum, dirt and makeup. Hydrating Jojoba, Sweet Almond and Macadamia Oils work to dissolve build-up sitting on the skin, leaving the complexion feeling calm and clarified.
Life Basics Organic Muslin Facial Cloths
A gentle face cloth is a must-have in a double cleansing routine (to help remove your cleanser in step one), and my absolute favourites are the Life Basics Organic Muslin Facial Cloths. These unbleached organic cotton cloths are super soft and breathable, making them ultra-gentle on all skin types once soaked in warm water. They're lightweight and effortlessly remove your cleanser of choice, leaving skin feeling supple and smooth. In a handy pack of three, it's so easy to have one cloth in use at all times as they're fast-drying and can be hand or machine washed designed to be reused over and over again.
For more help with choosing a cleanser for step two, check out my Quick Guide to Facial Cleansers by Skin Type.
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"I love the being able to read all the product reviews before I buy and LOVE, LOVE the rewards program."
https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/article/2555775/benefits-of-double-cleansing.html
My bush supermarket adventure and the lab work that followed it...
Its not every day that you get to work in a laboratory on Groote Eylandt, a place that I only heard about during my Help Desk duties at New Directions. On that point I have to remind you all that as a professional cosmetic chemist I cant always talk about the exciting things I do, you all must think me super dull. However, thankfully this isnt one of those ssshhhh times and so when the call for HELP came in, both myself and the NDA team were onto it because helping businesses grow is what we are all about! That said, this isnt an advertisement piece I just thought it would be useful for you to know why, how and who was involved, not least by way of showing gratitude.
So off to the bush I went but first a diversion
I didnt really plan to get into the cosmetic industry, have never really been a cosmetic girl and being something of a tree hugger feel a groaning awkwardness about the waste and consumeristic nature of the industry Im a part of. That said, I stuck at it because I also recognised it, this industry, as holding a special type of power over people. No, not the power that tells women that they are saggy and wrinkly when they are not, that they need fixing, plucking, whitening and scrubbing. More the side of the industry that helps us express our desires and goals, that invites us to care for ourselves and others, that facilitates some down time and pampering, that reminds us to touch ourselves and others with care and love. Thats the side that I love and thats the side that keeps me going.
In order to do that you need ingredients from which to make the products. It is there, in that supply chain, from the soil to the soul that Im fascinated, obsessed even. It is there that this story goes.
The cosmetic industry is a hungry beast. Hungry for novelty it chews up and spits out any NEW ingredient it can get its hands on in a bid to be bigger, better, faster and stronger than all the others. I see this all the time and to be honest, its hard not to get caught up on it, at least some times. One year we saw an insatiable appetite for Dragons Blood Extract, next it was Kakadu Plum and then Hyaluronic Acid, Rose Skincare, Topical Botox Peptides, Papaya Ointments and then Vitamin D skin infusions. If it sounds exotic, great, if we can get some data behind it from which product claims can be made, even better. Brands are like kids in a candy store just salivating to dive in and taste whats next and in many ways thats understandable.
But what are we missing out on when we rush like that?
The market for Australian indigenous ingredients, especially those with bush knowledge behind them is strong both here and overseas. Australia is seen as a country of extreme weather and unforgivingly rugged landscapes and as such, our plants have a reputation for being super-potent super-foods (and cosmetic actives). One could argue that this commoditisation of our landscape first became a thing in the early days of white settlement when boats would sail into Western Australia empty and out with a heavy cargo of Sandalwood. Meanwhile on the other side of this vast island was Eucalyptus which was studied, squeezed, pressed and traded with equal zeal. Thinking about it, thats always been our thing we came, we stayed, we stole it. Too harsh maybe? But really, has much changed?
You cant own Groote Eyelandt, it owns you or at least it feels that way. The moment you step foot on the shores of this beautiful tropical island you feel part of another time and space, it reminds me of that song
[embedded content]
.And just like this song, the island means something and has a rhythm and a story thats as rich and alive as it ever was, either in spite of everything or because of it, Im not sure thats for me to say.
From my viewpoint I can see that the islands narrative is complex, not for the feint hearted. Maybe thats why its so difficult to get here and stay here. Theres the croc infested waters, the stingrays, box jelly fish and death adders. The lively tradition of settling disputes by spears and the black gold that is manganese. And then theres the people, the locals. People who I recognise instinctively and yet dont know at all. People who came here on song lines long ago, who became part of the soil and who grew strong in the shade of the trees they were born under. They speak Anindilyakwa, a complex rhythmic language that I cant even pretend to understand but you can feel it when you hear it. It feels like the words sing you home, weaving threads with each sentence that remind you who you are and why you came.
But none of that matters when you just want to capitalise on a bit of the bush.
We drove out onto lands that are under Aboriginal control thats true for much of Groote thanks to a 1976 land rights were granted to the people. The path was dusty, the corrugated road shook the truck and plants tried to invade our space every time we slowed down, popping a limb or leaf through the open windows. It was warm but not hot on account of it being the dry season, something I was quite grateful for I feel that humidity is something to be endured rather than enjoyed!
There is no doubting the beauty of the landscape out here and on the day we went, the bush supermarket was quite full! We picked, scraped and gathered a few bits and pieces to go into the Bush Medicine inspired balms that Bush Medijina are becoming famous for. I wont tell you what we picked because thats not for me to say but suffice to say, every species has its story to tell.
Shopping like this really does ground you. Im not a fan of shopping usually but if this was my supermarket, Id be popping down here for a look every day! However, Im reminded of another way of seeing this as just a series of opportunities for money making. The proverbial cash-cow.
Some people dont feel anything much. They can come in, take a sniff around and walk off with everything you value without a second thought about their impact. I know people like that and the worst part is that you often dont even know you are being fleeced until it is too late. It feels like this place could easily become that, theres enough here to attract the sharks.
We took our goodies back to the laboratory and set up for the next day, a day where we would put the plants to work again, but this time in the form of their extracts, juices and infusions. I shared some of my knowledge and invited them to play and run their own experiments with the test products I took along. There was no lack of creativity or pride in seeing something so familiar transformed into something new, something other. Theres so many layers here to explore, so much potential but I think its best if they tell you that.
[embedded content]
I trained as a cosmetic chemist in the western tradition of being, doing and thinking. Before that I trained as a chemist under the same thought regimen. It may seem like nothing to many people but to me that isnt nothing. My nature and nurture only ever match up when Im out on the land. What I mean by that is that science, chemistry, education doesnt make sense to me in its abstract orphaned state. The western way is to divide things up into knowable chunks of power that can be exploited in one shape or form. It isnt all bad, this way of dissecting provided a pathway for much closer observation of each individual part than can be seen otherwise. However, I am constantly reminding myself in my head that we cant know the true nature of a table by just observing one leg. This feels like that.
My western ways provide me with an unnatural perspective on the situation be that situation a plant, product or market opportunity. But another way of knowing dominates here and that is a way I FEEL rather than KNOW. Its a way of being that requires you to step into the space fully, surrendering your individualised ego until you breathe as part of the whole. Now all of this might be sounding a bit oh my goodness woman, did you SMOKE something but I dont mean it like that. Anyone who has met me will know what a blunt speaker and practically minded beast I can be. However, this is a thing, you really can FEEL it. When you stop trying to take a plant away from its environment, stop trying to pull it apart into this part and that part you get a better insight into it as a whole dynamic being. OK, OK Hippy Trippy again. I dont mean like that, I just mean that things start to make more sense, measurable things like the vitamin C concentration, the presence of antioxidants, the potential oil yield, the plant colour and smell, the reason that this tree is better than that tree and so on and so forth. Sure we can communicate this in discrete scientific packets but we wont truly value it until we let it tell its own story.
And its there that I leave this.
This place has many stories to tell and the best placed people to tell its stories are the people who grew here and are growing here.
I dont want Groote to be seen as a trophy place where someone can come and do a drive-by plant heist, a grab-and-run cowboy, a bio-pirate. I dont want THESE people to have to be satisfied with wild harvesting their green gold while some other fella gets rich on the up-stream. I want THESE people to swim all the way and swim so strongly against the tide of the modern world that they carve their own new song lines if thats what they need to do. Song lines that bring with them ingredients, products and a sense of value that is so lacking in the world that sits outside of this magical place. Lets help them do just that.
Bush Medijina balms are beautifully made (and no, I didnt formulate them)and have aromas that will make you yearn for some me time in this great backyard we call Australia.
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So off to the bush I went but first a diversion
I didnt really plan to get into the cosmetic industry, have never really been a cosmetic girl and being something of a tree hugger feel a groaning awkwardness about the waste and consumeristic nature of the industry Im a part of. That said, I stuck at it because I also recognised it, this industry, as holding a special type of power over people. No, not the power that tells women that they are saggy and wrinkly when they are not, that they need fixing, plucking, whitening and scrubbing. More the side of the industry that helps us express our desires and goals, that invites us to care for ourselves and others, that facilitates some down time and pampering, that reminds us to touch ourselves and others with care and love. Thats the side that I love and thats the side that keeps me going.
In order to do that you need ingredients from which to make the products. It is there, in that supply chain, from the soil to the soul that Im fascinated, obsessed even. It is there that this story goes.
The cosmetic industry is a hungry beast. Hungry for novelty it chews up and spits out any NEW ingredient it can get its hands on in a bid to be bigger, better, faster and stronger than all the others. I see this all the time and to be honest, its hard not to get caught up on it, at least some times. One year we saw an insatiable appetite for Dragons Blood Extract, next it was Kakadu Plum and then Hyaluronic Acid, Rose Skincare, Topical Botox Peptides, Papaya Ointments and then Vitamin D skin infusions. If it sounds exotic, great, if we can get some data behind it from which product claims can be made, even better. Brands are like kids in a candy store just salivating to dive in and taste whats next and in many ways thats understandable.
But what are we missing out on when we rush like that?
The market for Australian indigenous ingredients, especially those with bush knowledge behind them is strong both here and overseas. Australia is seen as a country of extreme weather and unforgivingly rugged landscapes and as such, our plants have a reputation for being super-potent super-foods (and cosmetic actives). One could argue that this commoditisation of our landscape first became a thing in the early days of white settlement when boats would sail into Western Australia empty and out with a heavy cargo of Sandalwood. Meanwhile on the other side of this vast island was Eucalyptus which was studied, squeezed, pressed and traded with equal zeal. Thinking about it, thats always been our thing we came, we stayed, we stole it. Too harsh maybe? But really, has much changed?
You cant own Groote Eyelandt, it owns you or at least it feels that way. The moment you step foot on the shores of this beautiful tropical island you feel part of another time and space, it reminds me of that song
[embedded content]
.And just like this song, the island means something and has a rhythm and a story thats as rich and alive as it ever was, either in spite of everything or because of it, Im not sure thats for me to say.
From my viewpoint I can see that the islands narrative is complex, not for the feint hearted. Maybe thats why its so difficult to get here and stay here. Theres the croc infested waters, the stingrays, box jelly fish and death adders. The lively tradition of settling disputes by spears and the black gold that is manganese. And then theres the people, the locals. People who I recognise instinctively and yet dont know at all. People who came here on song lines long ago, who became part of the soil and who grew strong in the shade of the trees they were born under. They speak Anindilyakwa, a complex rhythmic language that I cant even pretend to understand but you can feel it when you hear it. It feels like the words sing you home, weaving threads with each sentence that remind you who you are and why you came.
But none of that matters when you just want to capitalise on a bit of the bush.
We drove out onto lands that are under Aboriginal control thats true for much of Groote thanks to a 1976 land rights were granted to the people. The path was dusty, the corrugated road shook the truck and plants tried to invade our space every time we slowed down, popping a limb or leaf through the open windows. It was warm but not hot on account of it being the dry season, something I was quite grateful for I feel that humidity is something to be endured rather than enjoyed!
There is no doubting the beauty of the landscape out here and on the day we went, the bush supermarket was quite full! We picked, scraped and gathered a few bits and pieces to go into the Bush Medicine inspired balms that Bush Medijina are becoming famous for. I wont tell you what we picked because thats not for me to say but suffice to say, every species has its story to tell.
Shopping like this really does ground you. Im not a fan of shopping usually but if this was my supermarket, Id be popping down here for a look every day! However, Im reminded of another way of seeing this as just a series of opportunities for money making. The proverbial cash-cow.
Some people dont feel anything much. They can come in, take a sniff around and walk off with everything you value without a second thought about their impact. I know people like that and the worst part is that you often dont even know you are being fleeced until it is too late. It feels like this place could easily become that, theres enough here to attract the sharks.
We took our goodies back to the laboratory and set up for the next day, a day where we would put the plants to work again, but this time in the form of their extracts, juices and infusions. I shared some of my knowledge and invited them to play and run their own experiments with the test products I took along. There was no lack of creativity or pride in seeing something so familiar transformed into something new, something other. Theres so many layers here to explore, so much potential but I think its best if they tell you that.
[embedded content]
I trained as a cosmetic chemist in the western tradition of being, doing and thinking. Before that I trained as a chemist under the same thought regimen. It may seem like nothing to many people but to me that isnt nothing. My nature and nurture only ever match up when Im out on the land. What I mean by that is that science, chemistry, education doesnt make sense to me in its abstract orphaned state. The western way is to divide things up into knowable chunks of power that can be exploited in one shape or form. It isnt all bad, this way of dissecting provided a pathway for much closer observation of each individual part than can be seen otherwise. However, I am constantly reminding myself in my head that we cant know the true nature of a table by just observing one leg. This feels like that.
My western ways provide me with an unnatural perspective on the situation be that situation a plant, product or market opportunity. But another way of knowing dominates here and that is a way I FEEL rather than KNOW. Its a way of being that requires you to step into the space fully, surrendering your individualised ego until you breathe as part of the whole. Now all of this might be sounding a bit oh my goodness woman, did you SMOKE something but I dont mean it like that. Anyone who has met me will know what a blunt speaker and practically minded beast I can be. However, this is a thing, you really can FEEL it. When you stop trying to take a plant away from its environment, stop trying to pull it apart into this part and that part you get a better insight into it as a whole dynamic being. OK, OK Hippy Trippy again. I dont mean like that, I just mean that things start to make more sense, measurable things like the vitamin C concentration, the presence of antioxidants, the potential oil yield, the plant colour and smell, the reason that this tree is better than that tree and so on and so forth. Sure we can communicate this in discrete scientific packets but we wont truly value it until we let it tell its own story.
And its there that I leave this.
This place has many stories to tell and the best placed people to tell its stories are the people who grew here and are growing here.
I dont want Groote to be seen as a trophy place where someone can come and do a drive-by plant heist, a grab-and-run cowboy, a bio-pirate. I dont want THESE people to have to be satisfied with wild harvesting their green gold while some other fella gets rich on the up-stream. I want THESE people to swim all the way and swim so strongly against the tide of the modern world that they carve their own new song lines if thats what they need to do. Song lines that bring with them ingredients, products and a sense of value that is so lacking in the world that sits outside of this magical place. Lets help them do just that.
Bush Medijina balms are beautifully made (and no, I didnt formulate them)and have aromas that will make you yearn for some me time in this great backyard we call Australia.
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Material Girl - If you stink, it's probably your clothes fault.
It has come to my attention that the deodorant you choose and use is only part of your war-on-stink arsenal and that it possibly isnt even the most important part. With that in mind I turned to fabric in my bid to understand why I can create a deodorant that works on me one day but not every day OR that a product works on me perfectly but then doesnt work on anther person. Sure, there are many variables here but isnt it time we spoke about fabric?
This, for me has been one of those aha moments that I felt like I knew all along but didnt know at the same time. Like I get that there are fabrics that wick away moisture (sports clothes, those cool undies that my hubby loves) and fabrics that make even the most demure of us sweat like a pig (100% polyester Im looking at you). I have observed on me that I have some tops that seem to stink almost the moment after I put them on (cotton, elastane mix) and other clothing that I can do a 10 mile hike in and still smell of roses (merino wool, you are my friend). What I hadnt realised, the penny that hadnt dropped (an English saying) was the impact that this may have in my work as a deodorant creator. How can I test and accept test critique from people when I dont know what material their clothing was? Is it time for me to dictate a test protocol that includes choice of fabric? I think so.
Much of my job involves knowing and appreciating how things are tested in a lab / controlled situation but then throwing that out and just coping with the wild and unruly reality that is every-day life. Thats how Ive arrived here really, at a junction that is made trickier to navigate due to the complexities of our human habits and preferences. Very interesting but very tricky nonetheless.
Without turning this into a lesson in fabric science suffice to say that some materials are less likely to leave you smelling bad than others. The materials used to make the fibre matter, the weave of the fibre matters and then how you manage the fibre matters too do you use fabric conditioner or not, air dry or tumble dry, damp home or dry home, old clothes or new clothes etc.
Lets stop there for a moment, fabric softener/ conditioner
Chemistry wise, your fabric softener/ conditioner is rather like a hair conditioner for your clothes. It makes the fibres feel all silky and smooth which is lovely BUT it does that via a chemical reaction between the product and your clothing that deposits a cationic conditioner onto the fibre. This has many tactile benefits but one down side can be increased odour from you when you wear them, especially when you ignore the washing instructions on your gym wear and dose up the conditioner. This article is quite helpful.Fabrics that are already quite water-resistant become more so thanks to a dose of fabric conditioner and that can spell trouble for your pits, especially where the fabric conditioner interferes with the way the weave wicks away moisture from your body. Ive been a mum for 18 years and a chemist for 22 and like I said before, I kind of knew this intellectually but have always been too lazy to separate my washing. Everything gets exactly the same treatment more fool me!
So what about the fabric?
Generally speaking, fabrics that absorb moisture well perform better in reducing the formation of body odours than fabrics with little to no moisture holding or wicking capacity see, there are two points there. Wicking and Holding can happen together or apart.
Moisture holding fabrics.
Many natural fibres have good moisture holding capacity but it is wrong to think that all do. Silk is particularly bad at holding moisture but wool is really good. I tried to find comparative data on exactly how much moisture different fabrics could hold but a) I lost my notes and b) the information I did find varied so dramatically that I felt it best just to focus on the big picture being as though this isnt really my science are of expertise. Within the natural realm there are also some other stand-outs such as hemp and bamboo. Hemp is a particularly good fibre for clothing as it has good moisture absorbing properties and has some anti-microbial powers. This is a huge advantage over cotton which can rot over time and during that rotting process can also discolour and stain more easily.
Many synthetic fibres have very poor moisture holding capacity on their own and fibres such as polyester, Nylon and elastane blends are well known culprits elastane is the technical name for lycra and spandex type fibres. These modern fibres were created to make clothing more durable, flexible, light-weight, longer-lasting and, believe it or not, breathable. To vilify the fabric just for its chemistry is to not know it. Not all clothes with lycra content will be sweat-inducing, its a matter of balance (isnt everything), application and care.
Modern clothing is usually a mixture of natural and synthetic fibres that help our clothes last longer, require less ironing, hold their shape longer and feel more comfortable. Sweating and end-of-life environmental impact are, however, two down sides we have to contend with.
What can we do as brand owners, developers and product buyers to counter this issue?
The main thing that Im feeling empowered about is to know that the fabric that my clients and their customers are wearing matters in how they perceive my formulations/ their products or their competitors products.
One thought I had that I found quite interesting was about deodorant pricing and the impact that might have on these less controllable co-factors. If you create a deodorant that is $20 per tube in a market that can buy deodorants for $3 per tube you are only going to attract customers with a) expensive tastes or b) with big budgets. It is quite possible that these people have greater access to higher quality materials and as a consequence of making larger investments in clothing they may also care for these better (not just sticking them all in a mixed wash like I do). This could mean that a more expensive deodorant is perceived better than a cheap one not because its chemistry is better but because its customers have better clothes. I actually feel this is significant.
As brand owners sitting anywhere along the value chain this is also important. We can empower our clients at all points along the continuum with information that will help them get the most out of their deodorant after purchase, that may include advice on how best to care for their clothing (even if they cant afford higher quality threads).
An aside my wardrobe basics.
I had a very quick look at some of the things I wear regularly and this is what I found:
Cotton/ elastane these feel quite sweaty for me (tops and bottoms, more top than bottoms). I have a feeling that the sweatiness is related to the amount of elastane present and the weave of the blend. This fabric definitely traps sweat close to the skin for me.
100% viscose (viscose is also known as Rayon, also known as artificial silk). This is a semi-synthetic fibre that I find fairly OK and good for all but the most sweaty of days. As a fabric it is apparently fairly OK for sweaty people.
98% cotton 2% elastane These are my slightly stretchy jeans. Ive not found these to be very sweaty at all, well, for jeans.
Viscose/ nylon cardi- This is a very sweaty piece of clothing for me. It seems to make me sweat even when Im cold. Nylon is good at repelling moisture so while that sounds good, it repels it from its self (the fibre) and back towards the skin.
Moving the chemistry on with this knowledge.
As a cosmetic chemist I still have to focus on what I can bring to the party designing fabrics is not one of those things. So, with that in mind what I can do is create formulations that work as well as they can to reduce any negative impacts that different fibres may bring. This may mean that I have to make more breathable formulations or formulations that can absorb more moisture. It may mean that I need to have anti-microbials and antioxidants in their to help reduce staining and mould related damage to clothing as well as thinking about how these ingredients interact with and counter sweat.
Overall every challenge is an opportunity and I feel it is always important to focus on those who face the greatest challenges. That way, I feel you capture the main essence of the problem and hopefully solve it for the greatest number of the population. That said, in these days when everyone wants natural, pure and simple formulations it is important that we do run fair comparative in-use tests so that us cosmetic chemists arent running ragged trying to solve problems that we alone cant solve. My formula, your product can only do so much.
The bottom line.
A deodorant can only do so much on its own. The fabrics we choose to put next to our skin can help or hinder our quest to be pong free. Choosing and promoting fibres that keep our sweat-prone areas dryer for longer and then looking after them (proper washing and drying) is key to achieving great outcomes.
And that, my friends, is something that Im quite excited about!
Amanda x
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This, for me has been one of those aha moments that I felt like I knew all along but didnt know at the same time. Like I get that there are fabrics that wick away moisture (sports clothes, those cool undies that my hubby loves) and fabrics that make even the most demure of us sweat like a pig (100% polyester Im looking at you). I have observed on me that I have some tops that seem to stink almost the moment after I put them on (cotton, elastane mix) and other clothing that I can do a 10 mile hike in and still smell of roses (merino wool, you are my friend). What I hadnt realised, the penny that hadnt dropped (an English saying) was the impact that this may have in my work as a deodorant creator. How can I test and accept test critique from people when I dont know what material their clothing was? Is it time for me to dictate a test protocol that includes choice of fabric? I think so.
Much of my job involves knowing and appreciating how things are tested in a lab / controlled situation but then throwing that out and just coping with the wild and unruly reality that is every-day life. Thats how Ive arrived here really, at a junction that is made trickier to navigate due to the complexities of our human habits and preferences. Very interesting but very tricky nonetheless.
Without turning this into a lesson in fabric science suffice to say that some materials are less likely to leave you smelling bad than others. The materials used to make the fibre matter, the weave of the fibre matters and then how you manage the fibre matters too do you use fabric conditioner or not, air dry or tumble dry, damp home or dry home, old clothes or new clothes etc.
Lets stop there for a moment, fabric softener/ conditioner
Chemistry wise, your fabric softener/ conditioner is rather like a hair conditioner for your clothes. It makes the fibres feel all silky and smooth which is lovely BUT it does that via a chemical reaction between the product and your clothing that deposits a cationic conditioner onto the fibre. This has many tactile benefits but one down side can be increased odour from you when you wear them, especially when you ignore the washing instructions on your gym wear and dose up the conditioner. This article is quite helpful.Fabrics that are already quite water-resistant become more so thanks to a dose of fabric conditioner and that can spell trouble for your pits, especially where the fabric conditioner interferes with the way the weave wicks away moisture from your body. Ive been a mum for 18 years and a chemist for 22 and like I said before, I kind of knew this intellectually but have always been too lazy to separate my washing. Everything gets exactly the same treatment more fool me!
So what about the fabric?
Generally speaking, fabrics that absorb moisture well perform better in reducing the formation of body odours than fabrics with little to no moisture holding or wicking capacity see, there are two points there. Wicking and Holding can happen together or apart.
Moisture holding fabrics.
Many natural fibres have good moisture holding capacity but it is wrong to think that all do. Silk is particularly bad at holding moisture but wool is really good. I tried to find comparative data on exactly how much moisture different fabrics could hold but a) I lost my notes and b) the information I did find varied so dramatically that I felt it best just to focus on the big picture being as though this isnt really my science are of expertise. Within the natural realm there are also some other stand-outs such as hemp and bamboo. Hemp is a particularly good fibre for clothing as it has good moisture absorbing properties and has some anti-microbial powers. This is a huge advantage over cotton which can rot over time and during that rotting process can also discolour and stain more easily.
Many synthetic fibres have very poor moisture holding capacity on their own and fibres such as polyester, Nylon and elastane blends are well known culprits elastane is the technical name for lycra and spandex type fibres. These modern fibres were created to make clothing more durable, flexible, light-weight, longer-lasting and, believe it or not, breathable. To vilify the fabric just for its chemistry is to not know it. Not all clothes with lycra content will be sweat-inducing, its a matter of balance (isnt everything), application and care.
Modern clothing is usually a mixture of natural and synthetic fibres that help our clothes last longer, require less ironing, hold their shape longer and feel more comfortable. Sweating and end-of-life environmental impact are, however, two down sides we have to contend with.
What can we do as brand owners, developers and product buyers to counter this issue?
The main thing that Im feeling empowered about is to know that the fabric that my clients and their customers are wearing matters in how they perceive my formulations/ their products or their competitors products.
One thought I had that I found quite interesting was about deodorant pricing and the impact that might have on these less controllable co-factors. If you create a deodorant that is $20 per tube in a market that can buy deodorants for $3 per tube you are only going to attract customers with a) expensive tastes or b) with big budgets. It is quite possible that these people have greater access to higher quality materials and as a consequence of making larger investments in clothing they may also care for these better (not just sticking them all in a mixed wash like I do). This could mean that a more expensive deodorant is perceived better than a cheap one not because its chemistry is better but because its customers have better clothes. I actually feel this is significant.
As brand owners sitting anywhere along the value chain this is also important. We can empower our clients at all points along the continuum with information that will help them get the most out of their deodorant after purchase, that may include advice on how best to care for their clothing (even if they cant afford higher quality threads).
An aside my wardrobe basics.
I had a very quick look at some of the things I wear regularly and this is what I found:
Cotton/ elastane these feel quite sweaty for me (tops and bottoms, more top than bottoms). I have a feeling that the sweatiness is related to the amount of elastane present and the weave of the blend. This fabric definitely traps sweat close to the skin for me.
100% viscose (viscose is also known as Rayon, also known as artificial silk). This is a semi-synthetic fibre that I find fairly OK and good for all but the most sweaty of days. As a fabric it is apparently fairly OK for sweaty people.
98% cotton 2% elastane These are my slightly stretchy jeans. Ive not found these to be very sweaty at all, well, for jeans.
Viscose/ nylon cardi- This is a very sweaty piece of clothing for me. It seems to make me sweat even when Im cold. Nylon is good at repelling moisture so while that sounds good, it repels it from its self (the fibre) and back towards the skin.
Moving the chemistry on with this knowledge.
As a cosmetic chemist I still have to focus on what I can bring to the party designing fabrics is not one of those things. So, with that in mind what I can do is create formulations that work as well as they can to reduce any negative impacts that different fibres may bring. This may mean that I have to make more breathable formulations or formulations that can absorb more moisture. It may mean that I need to have anti-microbials and antioxidants in their to help reduce staining and mould related damage to clothing as well as thinking about how these ingredients interact with and counter sweat.
Overall every challenge is an opportunity and I feel it is always important to focus on those who face the greatest challenges. That way, I feel you capture the main essence of the problem and hopefully solve it for the greatest number of the population. That said, in these days when everyone wants natural, pure and simple formulations it is important that we do run fair comparative in-use tests so that us cosmetic chemists arent running ragged trying to solve problems that we alone cant solve. My formula, your product can only do so much.
The bottom line.
A deodorant can only do so much on its own. The fabrics we choose to put next to our skin can help or hinder our quest to be pong free. Choosing and promoting fibres that keep our sweat-prone areas dryer for longer and then looking after them (proper washing and drying) is key to achieving great outcomes.
And that, my friends, is something that Im quite excited about!
Amanda x
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When plants are chemical factories.
Let me introduce you to another Australian Native plant, Nicotiana Benthamiana and yes, you can smoke or chew it:
This unassuming little plant that grows across WA, the Northern Territory and Queensland is quite the laboratory super-star thanks to its ability to act as a virtual chemical factory. In fact, it has been put forward as a possible premier plant cell biology model by a number of academics in this field.
I came across this when looking at research into a plant-derived peptide that a customer of mine will be stocking. On hearing that the ingredient I was reading about, a peptide, was grown using this plant as its factory I was somewhat stunned. I hadnt known before today that plants can be used in this way and if Im honest, I still dont fully understand how it all works. It is not really surprising, given the complex nature of the science involved.
Like so many other Indigenous Australian plants, this plant was scooped up in the great white take-over of early settlement. Seeds and specimens of many botanical species were bagged, labelled and spirited away by boat to Kew gardens and other places. I never really thought much about this until relatively recently but now Ive become WOKE (awakened I think it means) it really sucks. What sucks is the fact that the local people whose interest in, and use of plants like these informed much of the early picking have rarely received anything other than a token mention in dispatches for their time. The fact that Australian Intellectual Property is still trouping out of the country without even saying thank you is a little hard to stomach. But here is where we find ourselves and here is where we need to start making amends so thats what Ill try to do.
As the name suggests this is a nicotine plant. I found a great summary article on the indigenous uses of this in the Australian newspaper by Nicolas Rothwell who describes beautifully how the dried leaves of this plant are ground up with ash (to help release the nicotine) before being shaped into a pellet and chewed this is the traditional way. This plant, Pituri, formed part of Central Australian and Western Desert culture (the word Mingkulpa is used to talk about cultural significance of the plant and rituals) and is still used today typically by women elders. If, like me, you are concerned about how little thought is given to Indigenous Australia with regard to plant knowledge, this may be useful, it is a submission to IP Australia on this very topic. It is good to see that people are stepping up and trying to put some protections in place. This review from March 2018 is also very good.
The Westerners who first stole the plant matter in order to study it were quite disappointed to find that the active was only tobacco. The tobacco from this native Australian plant isnt quite up to the level of productivity of the plant typically used to make cigarettes, apparently that came from Mexico and South America. However, this plant has much more exciting things to offer.
Part of the scientific interest in this tobacco plant is its lack of immune system. As I mentioned Im still trying to get to grips with this but this article states that as a key factor making this plant a useful candidate for studying plant disease and how plants might survive in other climates or even on other planets useful research given the mess we are making down here
In addition, the plant is also being looked at for the production of terpenoid chemistry, a chemistry that has many uses in cosmetics for flavours, fragrances and even antimicrobials.
Before I wrap this up I guess it is worth asking the question what do you think about using plants as chemical factories? Apparently this work doesnt meet the definition of genetic modification so the ingredients made are GMO free (if that is important to you). I get asked quite often about the origins of ingredients and where I used to be able to say synthetic or natural and that would be it, now people want a much deeper answer. Im usually really fine with giving people answers but some things are beyond our untrained comprehension so I do wonder of the merits in the discussion, especially given the general appetite for if you dont understand it, reject it. Maybe Im being too harsh
This really is the tip of the iceberg for this plant and my knowledge of the role it is playing in my cosmetic future. I am going to carry on reading and if I find anything else out that is worthy of sharing Ill pop it up here.
Amanda x
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This unassuming little plant that grows across WA, the Northern Territory and Queensland is quite the laboratory super-star thanks to its ability to act as a virtual chemical factory. In fact, it has been put forward as a possible premier plant cell biology model by a number of academics in this field.
I came across this when looking at research into a plant-derived peptide that a customer of mine will be stocking. On hearing that the ingredient I was reading about, a peptide, was grown using this plant as its factory I was somewhat stunned. I hadnt known before today that plants can be used in this way and if Im honest, I still dont fully understand how it all works. It is not really surprising, given the complex nature of the science involved.
Like so many other Indigenous Australian plants, this plant was scooped up in the great white take-over of early settlement. Seeds and specimens of many botanical species were bagged, labelled and spirited away by boat to Kew gardens and other places. I never really thought much about this until relatively recently but now Ive become WOKE (awakened I think it means) it really sucks. What sucks is the fact that the local people whose interest in, and use of plants like these informed much of the early picking have rarely received anything other than a token mention in dispatches for their time. The fact that Australian Intellectual Property is still trouping out of the country without even saying thank you is a little hard to stomach. But here is where we find ourselves and here is where we need to start making amends so thats what Ill try to do.
As the name suggests this is a nicotine plant. I found a great summary article on the indigenous uses of this in the Australian newspaper by Nicolas Rothwell who describes beautifully how the dried leaves of this plant are ground up with ash (to help release the nicotine) before being shaped into a pellet and chewed this is the traditional way. This plant, Pituri, formed part of Central Australian and Western Desert culture (the word Mingkulpa is used to talk about cultural significance of the plant and rituals) and is still used today typically by women elders. If, like me, you are concerned about how little thought is given to Indigenous Australia with regard to plant knowledge, this may be useful, it is a submission to IP Australia on this very topic. It is good to see that people are stepping up and trying to put some protections in place. This review from March 2018 is also very good.
The Westerners who first stole the plant matter in order to study it were quite disappointed to find that the active was only tobacco. The tobacco from this native Australian plant isnt quite up to the level of productivity of the plant typically used to make cigarettes, apparently that came from Mexico and South America. However, this plant has much more exciting things to offer.
Part of the scientific interest in this tobacco plant is its lack of immune system. As I mentioned Im still trying to get to grips with this but this article states that as a key factor making this plant a useful candidate for studying plant disease and how plants might survive in other climates or even on other planets useful research given the mess we are making down here
In addition, the plant is also being looked at for the production of terpenoid chemistry, a chemistry that has many uses in cosmetics for flavours, fragrances and even antimicrobials.
Before I wrap this up I guess it is worth asking the question what do you think about using plants as chemical factories? Apparently this work doesnt meet the definition of genetic modification so the ingredients made are GMO free (if that is important to you). I get asked quite often about the origins of ingredients and where I used to be able to say synthetic or natural and that would be it, now people want a much deeper answer. Im usually really fine with giving people answers but some things are beyond our untrained comprehension so I do wonder of the merits in the discussion, especially given the general appetite for if you dont understand it, reject it. Maybe Im being too harsh
This really is the tip of the iceberg for this plant and my knowledge of the role it is playing in my cosmetic future. I am going to carry on reading and if I find anything else out that is worthy of sharing Ill pop it up here.
Amanda x
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My bush supermarket adventure and the lab work that followed it...
Its not every day that you get to work in a laboratory on Groote Eylandt, a place that I only heard about during my Help Desk duties at New Directions. On that point I have to remind you all that as a professional cosmetic chemist I cant always talk about the exciting things I do, you all must think me super dull. However, thankfully this isnt one of those ssshhhh times and so when the call for HELP came in, both myself and the NDA team were onto it because helping businesses grow is what we are all about! That said, this isnt an advertisement piece I just thought it would be useful for you to know why, how and who was involved, not least by way of showing gratitude.
So off to the bush I went but first a diversion
I didnt really plan to get into the cosmetic industry, have never really been a cosmetic girl and being something of a tree hugger feel a groaning awkwardness about the waste and consumeristic nature of the industry Im a part of. That said, I stuck at it because I also recognised it, this industry, as holding a special type of power over people. No, not the power that tells women that they are saggy and wrinkly when they are not, that they need fixing, plucking, whitening and scrubbing. More the side of the industry that helps us express our desires and goals, that invites us to care for ourselves and others, that facilitates some down time and pampering, that reminds us to touch ourselves and others with care and love. Thats the side that I love and thats the side that keeps me going.
In order to do that you need ingredients from which to make the products. It is there, in that supply chain, from the soil to the soul that Im fascinated, obsessed even. It is there that this story goes.
The cosmetic industry is a hungry beast. Hungry for novelty it chews up and spits out any NEW ingredient it can get its hands on in a bid to be bigger, better, faster and stronger than all the others. I see this all the time and to be honest, its hard not to get caught up on it, at least some times. One year we saw an insatiable appetite for Dragons Blood Extract, next it was Kakadu Plum and then Hyaluronic Acid, Rose Skincare, Topical Botox Peptides, Papaya Ointments and then Vitamin D skin infusions. If it sounds exotic, great, if we can get some data behind it from which product claims can be made, even better. Brands are like kids in a candy store just salivating to dive in and taste whats next and in many ways thats understandable.
But what are we missing out on when we rush like that?
The market for Australian indigenous ingredients, especially those with bush knowledge behind them is strong both here and overseas. Australia is seen as a country of extreme weather and unforgivingly rugged landscapes and as such, our plants have a reputation for being super-potent super-foods (and cosmetic actives). One could argue that this commoditisation of our landscape first became a thing in the early days of white settlement when boats would sail into Western Australia empty and out with a heavy cargo of Sandalwood. Meanwhile on the other side of this vast island was Eucalyptus which was studied, squeezed, pressed and traded with equal zeal. Thinking about it, thats always been our thing we came, we stayed, we stole it. Too harsh maybe? But really, has much changed?
You cant own Groote Eyelandt, it owns you or at least it feels that way. The moment you step foot on the shores of this beautiful tropical island you feel part of another time and space, it reminds me of that song
[embedded content]
.And just like this song, the island means something and has a rhythm and a story thats as rich and alive as it ever was, either in spite of everything or because of it, Im not sure thats for me to say.
From my viewpoint I can see that the islands narrative is complex, not for the feint hearted. Maybe thats why its so difficult to get here and stay here. Theres the croc infested waters, the stingrays, box jelly fish and death adders. The lively tradition of settling disputes by spears and the black gold that is manganese. And then theres the people, the locals. People who I recognise instinctively and yet dont know at all. People who came here on song lines long ago, who became part of the soil and who grew strong in the shade of the trees they were born under. They speak Anindilyakwa, a complex rhythmic language that I cant even pretend to understand but you can feel it when you hear it. It feels like the words sing you home, weaving threads with each sentence that remind you who you are and why you came.
But none of that matters when you just want to capitalise on a bit of the bush.
We drove out onto lands that are under Aboriginal control thats true for much of Groote thanks to a 1976 land rights were granted to the people. The path was dusty, the corrugated road shook the truck and plants tried to invade our space every time we slowed down, popping a limb or leaf through the open windows. It was warm but not hot on account of it being the dry season, something I was quite grateful for I feel that humidity is something to be endured rather than enjoyed!
There is no doubting the beauty of the landscape out here and on the day we went, the bush supermarket was quite full! We picked, scraped and gathered a few bits and pieces to go into the Bush Medicine inspired balms that Bush Medijina are becoming famous for. I wont tell you what we picked because thats not for me to say but suffice to say, every species has its story to tell.
Shopping like this really does ground you. Im not a fan of shopping usually but if this was my supermarket, Id be popping down here for a look every day! However, Im reminded of another way of seeing this as just a series of opportunities for money making. The proverbial cash-cow.
Some people dont feel anything much. They can come in, take a sniff around and walk off with everything you value without a second thought about their impact. I know people like that and the worst part is that you often dont even know you are being fleeced until it is too late. It feels like this place could easily become that, theres enough here to attract the sharks.
We took our goodies back to the laboratory and set up for the next day, a day where we would put the plants to work again, but this time in the form of their extracts, juices and infusions. I shared some of my knowledge and invited them to play and run their own experiments with the test products I took along. There was no lack of creativity or pride in seeing something so familiar transformed into something new, something other. Theres so many layers here to explore, so much potential but I think its best if they tell you that.
[embedded content]
I trained as a cosmetic chemist in the western tradition of being, doing and thinking. Before that I trained as a chemist under the same thought regimen. It may seem like nothing to many people but to me that isnt nothing. My nature and nurture only ever match up when Im out on the land. What I mean by that is that science, chemistry, education doesnt make sense to me in its abstract orphaned state. The western way is to divide things up into knowable chunks of power that can be exploited in one shape or form. It isnt all bad, this way of dissecting provided a pathway for much closer observation of each individual part than can be seen otherwise. However, I am constantly reminding myself in my head that we cant know the true nature of a table by just observing one leg. This feels like that.
My western ways provide me with an unnatural perspective on the situation be that situation a plant, product or market opportunity. But another way of knowing dominates here and that is a way I FEEL rather than KNOW. Its a way of being that requires you to step into the space fully, surrendering your individualised ego until you breathe as part of the whole. Now all of this might be sounding a bit oh my goodness woman, did you SMOKE something but I dont mean it like that. Anyone who has met me will know what a blunt speaker and practically minded beast I can be. However, this is a thing, you really can FEEL it. When you stop trying to take a plant away from its environment, stop trying to pull it apart into this part and that part you get a better insight into it as a whole dynamic being. OK, OK Hippy Trippy again. I dont mean like that, I just mean that things start to make more sense, measurable things like the vitamin C concentration, the presence of antioxidants, the potential oil yield, the plant colour and smell, the reason that this tree is better than that tree and so on and so forth. Sure we can communicate this in discrete scientific packets but we wont truly value it until we let it tell its own story.
And its there that I leave this.
This place has many stories to tell and the best placed people to tell its stories are the people who grew here and are growing here.
I dont want Groote to be seen as a trophy place where someone can come and do a drive-by plant heist, a grab-and-run cowboy, a bio-pirate. I dont want THESE people to have to be satisfied with wild harvesting their green gold while some other fella gets rich on the up-stream. I want THESE people to swim all the way and swim so strongly against the tide of the modern world that they carve their own new song lines if thats what they need to do. Song lines that bring with them ingredients, products and a sense of value that is so lacking in the world that sits outside of this magical place. Lets help them do just that.
Bush Medijina balms are beautifully made (and no, I didnt formulate them)and have aromas that will make you yearn for some me time in this great backyard we call Australia.
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So off to the bush I went but first a diversion
I didnt really plan to get into the cosmetic industry, have never really been a cosmetic girl and being something of a tree hugger feel a groaning awkwardness about the waste and consumeristic nature of the industry Im a part of. That said, I stuck at it because I also recognised it, this industry, as holding a special type of power over people. No, not the power that tells women that they are saggy and wrinkly when they are not, that they need fixing, plucking, whitening and scrubbing. More the side of the industry that helps us express our desires and goals, that invites us to care for ourselves and others, that facilitates some down time and pampering, that reminds us to touch ourselves and others with care and love. Thats the side that I love and thats the side that keeps me going.
In order to do that you need ingredients from which to make the products. It is there, in that supply chain, from the soil to the soul that Im fascinated, obsessed even. It is there that this story goes.
The cosmetic industry is a hungry beast. Hungry for novelty it chews up and spits out any NEW ingredient it can get its hands on in a bid to be bigger, better, faster and stronger than all the others. I see this all the time and to be honest, its hard not to get caught up on it, at least some times. One year we saw an insatiable appetite for Dragons Blood Extract, next it was Kakadu Plum and then Hyaluronic Acid, Rose Skincare, Topical Botox Peptides, Papaya Ointments and then Vitamin D skin infusions. If it sounds exotic, great, if we can get some data behind it from which product claims can be made, even better. Brands are like kids in a candy store just salivating to dive in and taste whats next and in many ways thats understandable.
But what are we missing out on when we rush like that?
The market for Australian indigenous ingredients, especially those with bush knowledge behind them is strong both here and overseas. Australia is seen as a country of extreme weather and unforgivingly rugged landscapes and as such, our plants have a reputation for being super-potent super-foods (and cosmetic actives). One could argue that this commoditisation of our landscape first became a thing in the early days of white settlement when boats would sail into Western Australia empty and out with a heavy cargo of Sandalwood. Meanwhile on the other side of this vast island was Eucalyptus which was studied, squeezed, pressed and traded with equal zeal. Thinking about it, thats always been our thing we came, we stayed, we stole it. Too harsh maybe? But really, has much changed?
You cant own Groote Eyelandt, it owns you or at least it feels that way. The moment you step foot on the shores of this beautiful tropical island you feel part of another time and space, it reminds me of that song
[embedded content]
.And just like this song, the island means something and has a rhythm and a story thats as rich and alive as it ever was, either in spite of everything or because of it, Im not sure thats for me to say.
From my viewpoint I can see that the islands narrative is complex, not for the feint hearted. Maybe thats why its so difficult to get here and stay here. Theres the croc infested waters, the stingrays, box jelly fish and death adders. The lively tradition of settling disputes by spears and the black gold that is manganese. And then theres the people, the locals. People who I recognise instinctively and yet dont know at all. People who came here on song lines long ago, who became part of the soil and who grew strong in the shade of the trees they were born under. They speak Anindilyakwa, a complex rhythmic language that I cant even pretend to understand but you can feel it when you hear it. It feels like the words sing you home, weaving threads with each sentence that remind you who you are and why you came.
But none of that matters when you just want to capitalise on a bit of the bush.
We drove out onto lands that are under Aboriginal control thats true for much of Groote thanks to a 1976 land rights were granted to the people. The path was dusty, the corrugated road shook the truck and plants tried to invade our space every time we slowed down, popping a limb or leaf through the open windows. It was warm but not hot on account of it being the dry season, something I was quite grateful for I feel that humidity is something to be endured rather than enjoyed!
There is no doubting the beauty of the landscape out here and on the day we went, the bush supermarket was quite full! We picked, scraped and gathered a few bits and pieces to go into the Bush Medicine inspired balms that Bush Medijina are becoming famous for. I wont tell you what we picked because thats not for me to say but suffice to say, every species has its story to tell.
Shopping like this really does ground you. Im not a fan of shopping usually but if this was my supermarket, Id be popping down here for a look every day! However, Im reminded of another way of seeing this as just a series of opportunities for money making. The proverbial cash-cow.
Some people dont feel anything much. They can come in, take a sniff around and walk off with everything you value without a second thought about their impact. I know people like that and the worst part is that you often dont even know you are being fleeced until it is too late. It feels like this place could easily become that, theres enough here to attract the sharks.
We took our goodies back to the laboratory and set up for the next day, a day where we would put the plants to work again, but this time in the form of their extracts, juices and infusions. I shared some of my knowledge and invited them to play and run their own experiments with the test products I took along. There was no lack of creativity or pride in seeing something so familiar transformed into something new, something other. Theres so many layers here to explore, so much potential but I think its best if they tell you that.
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I trained as a cosmetic chemist in the western tradition of being, doing and thinking. Before that I trained as a chemist under the same thought regimen. It may seem like nothing to many people but to me that isnt nothing. My nature and nurture only ever match up when Im out on the land. What I mean by that is that science, chemistry, education doesnt make sense to me in its abstract orphaned state. The western way is to divide things up into knowable chunks of power that can be exploited in one shape or form. It isnt all bad, this way of dissecting provided a pathway for much closer observation of each individual part than can be seen otherwise. However, I am constantly reminding myself in my head that we cant know the true nature of a table by just observing one leg. This feels like that.
My western ways provide me with an unnatural perspective on the situation be that situation a plant, product or market opportunity. But another way of knowing dominates here and that is a way I FEEL rather than KNOW. Its a way of being that requires you to step into the space fully, surrendering your individualised ego until you breathe as part of the whole. Now all of this might be sounding a bit oh my goodness woman, did you SMOKE something but I dont mean it like that. Anyone who has met me will know what a blunt speaker and practically minded beast I can be. However, this is a thing, you really can FEEL it. When you stop trying to take a plant away from its environment, stop trying to pull it apart into this part and that part you get a better insight into it as a whole dynamic being. OK, OK Hippy Trippy again. I dont mean like that, I just mean that things start to make more sense, measurable things like the vitamin C concentration, the presence of antioxidants, the potential oil yield, the plant colour and smell, the reason that this tree is better than that tree and so on and so forth. Sure we can communicate this in discrete scientific packets but we wont truly value it until we let it tell its own story.
And its there that I leave this.
This place has many stories to tell and the best placed people to tell its stories are the people who grew here and are growing here.
I dont want Groote to be seen as a trophy place where someone can come and do a drive-by plant heist, a grab-and-run cowboy, a bio-pirate. I dont want THESE people to have to be satisfied with wild harvesting their green gold while some other fella gets rich on the up-stream. I want THESE people to swim all the way and swim so strongly against the tide of the modern world that they carve their own new song lines if thats what they need to do. Song lines that bring with them ingredients, products and a sense of value that is so lacking in the world that sits outside of this magical place. Lets help them do just that.
Bush Medijina balms are beautifully made (and no, I didnt formulate them)and have aromas that will make you yearn for some me time in this great backyard we call Australia.
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When Your Science Doesn't Overcome Your Bias
I read a fair few science papers and not all of them contain what would be thought of as good science, mostly because there is something lacking in the methodology or the way conclusions are drawn. In some cases what is lacking is an understanding of how ones personal bias can cloud your judgement.
Ive talked about biases before but here is an example of a bias that is common in our industry:
Natural is best for the skin so I am going to run an experiment to find out how much better my natural product is than a synthetic one.
By highlighting that as a common bias I am not saying that I think there is no way this can be true or that I also want it to be true and think it likely to be so. Im just saying that we all have an emotional attachment to these words, the words are loaded and when we see the natural vs synthetic question posed, our brains flood with ideas (or conceptions) that we will inevitably bring to whatever we do next.
As a science trained individual I have to be careful not to fall into the dont be stupid, everything is chemical mindset and thus refuse to give any discussions along these lines the attention and academic rigour they deserve. Further, I have to avoid projecting what I think the words natural and synthetic mean onto the general public without explicitly explaining them. I want to stop there for a moment to point that out more clearly, we throw words like natural and synthetic around in this space as if it is universally known what we mean by them but actually, most people dont have a clue and neither should they given that neither word has a really good and clear boundary around it. There simply is no logical and definitive way of defining these things when you really think about it. Both are human constructs and as such, have meanings that can shift depending on where humanity is sitting on the issues relating to how these words are used at the time.
Ill leave you to ponder that and carry on in the direction that I originally intended, that is about bias science.
So this morning I read this.
I found the above to be, in my mind, a good example of where personal bias had clouded the interpretation of the results and even prevented the development of a robust set of experimental conditions. Now before I go on I must state that just because I found this paper to display bias that doesnt mean that any of the products under the test conditions are bad or otherwise deficient. Im just critiquing the method and interpretation rather than the subject or aims.
I debated in my head about what would be the most appropriate way to critique a paper like this without pulling it to shreds and then looking like I was attacking it (not my aim) so I decided that, in the name of promoting good science, Id just stick to an outline of where I felt the experiment fell short. The aim of this is to inform you, my reader, of how you might avoid falling into these traps and how you might actually progress your understanding of your product rather than potentially just wasting time and money.
The experiment in brief.
The big question was whether modern-day synthetic cosmetics are a main cause of long-term damage to the skin microbiome.The premise put forward was that there is a thought that synthetic chemicals are one factor that disrupt the skin micro biome.The investigation undertaken pitched a truly natural, a claims-to-be-natural-but-isnt and a synthetic product against each other in a body wash challenge.The conclusion drawn was that this work indicates that synthetic ingredients have an effect onskin microbiome biodiversity.
The main points that made me go huh? were:
On point 1. The experimental protocol was to wash twice a day for 4 weeks. That is not a long-term study so cant answer the question. A way around this would have been for the microbial analysis to continue post the 4 week time frame, maybe for a further 2 months with results of the micro biome mapped against the pre-experiment levels to see how the skin had responded once the product phase was over. As there are no results post the 4 week time frame we are unable to gauge whether the changes experienced persisted or constituted long-term damage. I would expect that long-term damage be demonstrated by a longer-term change in microbiome towards one that more closely resembled a dysfunctional skin sample. That then brings up another question, what specifically does a dysfunctional skin sample look like for that skin area (given that the micro biome changes all over the body).On point 2 I felt there needed to be a much deeper analysis of what constituted a synthetic chemical for the purpose of this study given the importance of that definition in drawing up a roadmap for future work. Ive looked at the brands webpage and they point out their philosophy there. For the record they include soap (as in bars of soap), alcohol, alkalis, fermented products (as separate from alcohol), xanthan gum or antiseptics. This list presents a number of other challenges in its self-given that the brands own product doesnt meet it the current cleaner formulations contain several essential oils which have antiseptic activity. With such an unformed and scattered concept of what constitutes natural and synthetic I would find it hard to draw any meaningful conclusions from this study that relate to the ingredient profile of the products. This again means the purpose of the study cant be addressed.On point 3 see point 2. The truly natural product does not meet the brands definition of a natural product as it contains antiseptics.The conclusions (point 4) reached are misleading in my opinion. It is true that the testing did show a micro biome response to the test protocol but that is all we can conclude. This article from 2007, which has been cited 568 times so far tested the microbial diversity on the forearm of 6 healthy subjects and found there to be great diversity between subjects and diversity on the same subject over time. They found that some microbes appear to be more transient than others, responding to varying external and internal factors while other microbes are more settled. If this is true it would be unwise to read too much into small microbiota changes over a short time frame in a small sample size.
The bottom line.
It is true that us humans dont have all the answers to how our micro biome is affected by cosmetic products, ingredients or even treatment protocols (habits). It absolutely is likely that everything we do to our skin has an effect but we must not forget that what we do to our skin includes the types of clothing we wear, where we live (weather/ how suited the climate is to our skin), our home environment, our general health and our other habits (food, drink, sleep, stress etc). There seems to me to be a thought-trap that many brand owners fall into that centres around cosmetic products being the be-all-and-end-all of skin health. Mainly because thats what they are selling, that is what is within their control and making better products (or having a point of difference) is what helps them to sell. However, this is a trap and micro biome science absolutely will be the undoing of these brands as microbes respond both to what happens on the skin and under it in a homeostatic feedback loop that informs our immune system according to this paper.
I think it is great that cosmetic brands of all shapes and sizes are looking towards a scientific approach to back up their claims and progress their thinking and I really hope we see more of that in future. However, if your biases shape your science your science wont be very robust and thats not going to help anyone long-term.
Amanda
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Ive talked about biases before but here is an example of a bias that is common in our industry:
Natural is best for the skin so I am going to run an experiment to find out how much better my natural product is than a synthetic one.
By highlighting that as a common bias I am not saying that I think there is no way this can be true or that I also want it to be true and think it likely to be so. Im just saying that we all have an emotional attachment to these words, the words are loaded and when we see the natural vs synthetic question posed, our brains flood with ideas (or conceptions) that we will inevitably bring to whatever we do next.
As a science trained individual I have to be careful not to fall into the dont be stupid, everything is chemical mindset and thus refuse to give any discussions along these lines the attention and academic rigour they deserve. Further, I have to avoid projecting what I think the words natural and synthetic mean onto the general public without explicitly explaining them. I want to stop there for a moment to point that out more clearly, we throw words like natural and synthetic around in this space as if it is universally known what we mean by them but actually, most people dont have a clue and neither should they given that neither word has a really good and clear boundary around it. There simply is no logical and definitive way of defining these things when you really think about it. Both are human constructs and as such, have meanings that can shift depending on where humanity is sitting on the issues relating to how these words are used at the time.
Ill leave you to ponder that and carry on in the direction that I originally intended, that is about bias science.
So this morning I read this.
I found the above to be, in my mind, a good example of where personal bias had clouded the interpretation of the results and even prevented the development of a robust set of experimental conditions. Now before I go on I must state that just because I found this paper to display bias that doesnt mean that any of the products under the test conditions are bad or otherwise deficient. Im just critiquing the method and interpretation rather than the subject or aims.
I debated in my head about what would be the most appropriate way to critique a paper like this without pulling it to shreds and then looking like I was attacking it (not my aim) so I decided that, in the name of promoting good science, Id just stick to an outline of where I felt the experiment fell short. The aim of this is to inform you, my reader, of how you might avoid falling into these traps and how you might actually progress your understanding of your product rather than potentially just wasting time and money.
The experiment in brief.
The big question was whether modern-day synthetic cosmetics are a main cause of long-term damage to the skin microbiome.The premise put forward was that there is a thought that synthetic chemicals are one factor that disrupt the skin micro biome.The investigation undertaken pitched a truly natural, a claims-to-be-natural-but-isnt and a synthetic product against each other in a body wash challenge.The conclusion drawn was that this work indicates that synthetic ingredients have an effect onskin microbiome biodiversity.
The main points that made me go huh? were:
On point 1. The experimental protocol was to wash twice a day for 4 weeks. That is not a long-term study so cant answer the question. A way around this would have been for the microbial analysis to continue post the 4 week time frame, maybe for a further 2 months with results of the micro biome mapped against the pre-experiment levels to see how the skin had responded once the product phase was over. As there are no results post the 4 week time frame we are unable to gauge whether the changes experienced persisted or constituted long-term damage. I would expect that long-term damage be demonstrated by a longer-term change in microbiome towards one that more closely resembled a dysfunctional skin sample. That then brings up another question, what specifically does a dysfunctional skin sample look like for that skin area (given that the micro biome changes all over the body).On point 2 I felt there needed to be a much deeper analysis of what constituted a synthetic chemical for the purpose of this study given the importance of that definition in drawing up a roadmap for future work. Ive looked at the brands webpage and they point out their philosophy there. For the record they include soap (as in bars of soap), alcohol, alkalis, fermented products (as separate from alcohol), xanthan gum or antiseptics. This list presents a number of other challenges in its self-given that the brands own product doesnt meet it the current cleaner formulations contain several essential oils which have antiseptic activity. With such an unformed and scattered concept of what constitutes natural and synthetic I would find it hard to draw any meaningful conclusions from this study that relate to the ingredient profile of the products. This again means the purpose of the study cant be addressed.On point 3 see point 2. The truly natural product does not meet the brands definition of a natural product as it contains antiseptics.The conclusions (point 4) reached are misleading in my opinion. It is true that the testing did show a micro biome response to the test protocol but that is all we can conclude. This article from 2007, which has been cited 568 times so far tested the microbial diversity on the forearm of 6 healthy subjects and found there to be great diversity between subjects and diversity on the same subject over time. They found that some microbes appear to be more transient than others, responding to varying external and internal factors while other microbes are more settled. If this is true it would be unwise to read too much into small microbiota changes over a short time frame in a small sample size.
The bottom line.
It is true that us humans dont have all the answers to how our micro biome is affected by cosmetic products, ingredients or even treatment protocols (habits). It absolutely is likely that everything we do to our skin has an effect but we must not forget that what we do to our skin includes the types of clothing we wear, where we live (weather/ how suited the climate is to our skin), our home environment, our general health and our other habits (food, drink, sleep, stress etc). There seems to me to be a thought-trap that many brand owners fall into that centres around cosmetic products being the be-all-and-end-all of skin health. Mainly because thats what they are selling, that is what is within their control and making better products (or having a point of difference) is what helps them to sell. However, this is a trap and micro biome science absolutely will be the undoing of these brands as microbes respond both to what happens on the skin and under it in a homeostatic feedback loop that informs our immune system according to this paper.
I think it is great that cosmetic brands of all shapes and sizes are looking towards a scientific approach to back up their claims and progress their thinking and I really hope we see more of that in future. However, if your biases shape your science your science wont be very robust and thats not going to help anyone long-term.
Amanda
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I do believe in fairies but I don't believe in that.
Ive always believed in fairies and by believed I mean I can feel the magic of the world everywhere. Every time I go out on a bush walk (which is quite often) I see little faces in the rock formations, the clouds, the trees even. I smell the signs of a world that hides its self from me; taste the soil, rain and decaying leaf litter in my mouth as I breathe. I feel the worlds layers open and close like a pulse with every step.
I feel it is a wonderful gift to be able to see and feel the world this way, to be able to weave a narrative into the threads of spiders webs and be able to see the rays of light that filter through the branches as kisses from an all powerful star. But my ability to see the world like that does not mean that I will believe everything or anything Im told without first examining it scientifically.
This blog is an exploration of the world of wellness and wellbeing and how people elevate the personal testimony to godlike status.
I cured myself therefore I can cure you
Ive written about this before but it has recently come to the front of my mind again and so I felt compelled to examine it again.
You are a science experiment but in your own science lab. Your science lab doesnt just consist of flesh, blood and bone, its also got shelf upon shelf of prior experiences, feelings and thoughts. All of these exist on complex laneways that lead to shelves that only you have, organised in a way that only you can make sense of.
You may remember a time when you tried to untangle a ball of strings. Maybe they were shoelaces, bits of wool or thread, necklaces even. How hard is it to spot which goes with which and just pull that? How hard is it to follow one thread and one thread only all the way to the end? How often do you just want to get the scissors and chop the part you want free?
Your science lab is constantly changing. Its changing position, content and capacity. Some days it is huge and well organised with every bit of equipment you ever dreamt of needing organised in neat, shiny rows. However, on other days it is a tiny broom cupboard-like space where everything is piled up, twisted and somewhat broken. In between those two extremes is a lab that is pretty much OK for you as long as you take the time and effort to clean in properly and care for your equipment. Sure you dream of a new this or that, extra something and a few more hours in the day to get on top of it all but you manage, mostly you manage.
This is the lab in which you do your experiment of one.
Everything you do in your life shapes this lab.
Your lab is not my lab. I recognise some of the things you have and follow why and how it is organised to a point but I dont feel it like you do.
And so it goes with your personal cure.
I can see it and feel it, if Im lucky it will do something but it wont fit me like it fits you because it cant.
What is wellness and wellbeing?
Im pretty sure that the wellbeing industry is all about staying well rather than treating illness.
So the medical industry is all about treating illness so we can get well again maybe?
Wellness seems an absolutely worthwhile life cause and one that we probably should take on as our personal missions stay well, grow, have boundless energy and vitality, clear skin, shiny hair and nails and all our own teeth. Some of us find it relatively easy to stay well as we are born with a robust genetic blueprint, are nurtured in safety and love with the right amount of resources, including time, and we manage to maintain that throughout adulthood. However, most of us arent quite that lucky.
As humans, all of our bodies work fundamentally in the same way whatever life has thrown at us and in that regard we undoubtedly feel we should be knowable, measurable, diagnosable and curable, at least to some degree.
But is wellbeing as knowable and illness?
Can wellbeing be achieved in a prescribed way?
Is feeling well the same as being well?
I actually doubt it.
Wellness and Illness are not opposites.
I introduced this blog post stating that I believe in fairies. Now I believe in fairies like I believe in wellness. I believe ( believe being the term I feel most appropriate for such a dialogue), that wellness is easier to feel than to map and measure, but just like a belief in the supernatural, the power of this belief lies more in the abstract than the analytical. One of the big issues with some cancers is that you cant feel them until it is too late. So you canreport feeling well and healthy (and even measure well in all the usual tests) even when you are carrying and growing a cancer. On the other hand, some people feel terrible in spite of any measurable or immediately knowable reason why. Us humans are funny like that and I wonder if thats something we dont really like to admit.
So maybe the wellness industry is more about helping you feel like you are doing all you can to stay well in spite of all of the above? That at least you tried
But tried what, that is the question.
Trying something that worked for someone like you.
Testimonial Time.
I think that most of us know, deep down, that the control we have over our lives is a bit of an illusion and that this reality makes us feel somewhat vulnerable. I see this vulnerability played out in the wellness industry of which the beauty industry is a part, well, at least some part of it is.
I wonder if personal testimonies are given so much power because they help us feed some important parts of ourselves:
1) the part that wants to help give others comfort
and
2) The part that makes us feel empowered and in control.
Undertaking some positive action to address these two instincts helps us feel less vulnerable.
The personal testimonial feels like the ultimate gift to give another. We open ourselves up (become vulnerable) by sharing our troubles and struggles with others. In that way we become accessible, approachable and trustable. Sharing how we overcame a problem, especially one that our audience either has or fears getting, is arguably much more powerful, relatable and wholesome than hearing how a medicine can cure a specific disease. With the latter, it is the pill or maybe procedure or practitioner that has the power, with the former the power is in your hands. That is both highly desirable and commercially valuable.
As a human I get this in the same way that I get how people, myself included, believe in things like fairies. However, the scientific part of me finds it disconcerting that these personal testimonials get confused with and placed above things like real scientific evidence. I find this hard because I actually believe that the two things can exist together, not as equivalents but as complementary parts of the whole human experience.
Reconciliation.
Throughout this mind-dump of a blog post Ive been playing with what I see are two sides of my human character, the science side and the in-awe side. The science side of me cant really understand how people can ever believe that their experiment-of-one produces transferable knowledge in the type that can be used to treat others. I cant understand how people dont recognise their own biases and how these often lead to them jumping to conclusions. Testimonial experiential experiments are often uncontrolled and have no capacity to blind the test subject in the way we do with scientific studies in order to minimise bias. Often still, results are extrapolated out far beyond the scope of the experiment are are Un-repeatable so you basically get one shot and thats it. Scientific research more typically involves repeating an experiment several times while making small, measurable changes to the conditions.
On the other hand I feel that weve often got it wrong with science. My scientific training has been done in a westernised way. As such, Ive been taught to break complex systems down into parts that can be measured, known and then sold independently from the whole. This is how pharmaceuticals work and how most western doctors go about diagnosing and treating humans. I absolutely can see the flaws in that way of thinking, how it may win a battle but fail to win the bigger war. I see how this approach makes it very difficult to give nuanced, holistic care and consideration, and how the things that us humans really need can be left wanting in this model.
But it doesnt have to be an either /or scenario.
It turns out that what I dont believe in is pitching this against that.
I believe and am therefore invested in the gentle and quiet art of observation which includes paying attention to your testimonial but not raising it to godlike status. I believe in the value of taking something apart in order to learn more about the value of each cog, wheel and system. However, I also believe that it has less power in its orphaned state and therefore always has to be returned and viewed as part of the whole.
A scientific approach doesnt have to mean that anything intangible or personal flies out of the window just as a wellness approach doesnt have to deny or ignore science. They are two hands clasping the same heart and they both empower us to survive, live and die well.
So I will continue to be that scientist that believes in fairies as thats what gives my life meaning.
Amanda x
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I feel it is a wonderful gift to be able to see and feel the world this way, to be able to weave a narrative into the threads of spiders webs and be able to see the rays of light that filter through the branches as kisses from an all powerful star. But my ability to see the world like that does not mean that I will believe everything or anything Im told without first examining it scientifically.
This blog is an exploration of the world of wellness and wellbeing and how people elevate the personal testimony to godlike status.
I cured myself therefore I can cure you
Ive written about this before but it has recently come to the front of my mind again and so I felt compelled to examine it again.
You are a science experiment but in your own science lab. Your science lab doesnt just consist of flesh, blood and bone, its also got shelf upon shelf of prior experiences, feelings and thoughts. All of these exist on complex laneways that lead to shelves that only you have, organised in a way that only you can make sense of.
You may remember a time when you tried to untangle a ball of strings. Maybe they were shoelaces, bits of wool or thread, necklaces even. How hard is it to spot which goes with which and just pull that? How hard is it to follow one thread and one thread only all the way to the end? How often do you just want to get the scissors and chop the part you want free?
Your science lab is constantly changing. Its changing position, content and capacity. Some days it is huge and well organised with every bit of equipment you ever dreamt of needing organised in neat, shiny rows. However, on other days it is a tiny broom cupboard-like space where everything is piled up, twisted and somewhat broken. In between those two extremes is a lab that is pretty much OK for you as long as you take the time and effort to clean in properly and care for your equipment. Sure you dream of a new this or that, extra something and a few more hours in the day to get on top of it all but you manage, mostly you manage.
This is the lab in which you do your experiment of one.
Everything you do in your life shapes this lab.
Your lab is not my lab. I recognise some of the things you have and follow why and how it is organised to a point but I dont feel it like you do.
And so it goes with your personal cure.
I can see it and feel it, if Im lucky it will do something but it wont fit me like it fits you because it cant.
What is wellness and wellbeing?
Im pretty sure that the wellbeing industry is all about staying well rather than treating illness.
So the medical industry is all about treating illness so we can get well again maybe?
Wellness seems an absolutely worthwhile life cause and one that we probably should take on as our personal missions stay well, grow, have boundless energy and vitality, clear skin, shiny hair and nails and all our own teeth. Some of us find it relatively easy to stay well as we are born with a robust genetic blueprint, are nurtured in safety and love with the right amount of resources, including time, and we manage to maintain that throughout adulthood. However, most of us arent quite that lucky.
As humans, all of our bodies work fundamentally in the same way whatever life has thrown at us and in that regard we undoubtedly feel we should be knowable, measurable, diagnosable and curable, at least to some degree.
But is wellbeing as knowable and illness?
Can wellbeing be achieved in a prescribed way?
Is feeling well the same as being well?
I actually doubt it.
Wellness and Illness are not opposites.
I introduced this blog post stating that I believe in fairies. Now I believe in fairies like I believe in wellness. I believe ( believe being the term I feel most appropriate for such a dialogue), that wellness is easier to feel than to map and measure, but just like a belief in the supernatural, the power of this belief lies more in the abstract than the analytical. One of the big issues with some cancers is that you cant feel them until it is too late. So you canreport feeling well and healthy (and even measure well in all the usual tests) even when you are carrying and growing a cancer. On the other hand, some people feel terrible in spite of any measurable or immediately knowable reason why. Us humans are funny like that and I wonder if thats something we dont really like to admit.
So maybe the wellness industry is more about helping you feel like you are doing all you can to stay well in spite of all of the above? That at least you tried
But tried what, that is the question.
Trying something that worked for someone like you.
Testimonial Time.
I think that most of us know, deep down, that the control we have over our lives is a bit of an illusion and that this reality makes us feel somewhat vulnerable. I see this vulnerability played out in the wellness industry of which the beauty industry is a part, well, at least some part of it is.
I wonder if personal testimonies are given so much power because they help us feed some important parts of ourselves:
1) the part that wants to help give others comfort
and
2) The part that makes us feel empowered and in control.
Undertaking some positive action to address these two instincts helps us feel less vulnerable.
The personal testimonial feels like the ultimate gift to give another. We open ourselves up (become vulnerable) by sharing our troubles and struggles with others. In that way we become accessible, approachable and trustable. Sharing how we overcame a problem, especially one that our audience either has or fears getting, is arguably much more powerful, relatable and wholesome than hearing how a medicine can cure a specific disease. With the latter, it is the pill or maybe procedure or practitioner that has the power, with the former the power is in your hands. That is both highly desirable and commercially valuable.
As a human I get this in the same way that I get how people, myself included, believe in things like fairies. However, the scientific part of me finds it disconcerting that these personal testimonials get confused with and placed above things like real scientific evidence. I find this hard because I actually believe that the two things can exist together, not as equivalents but as complementary parts of the whole human experience.
Reconciliation.
Throughout this mind-dump of a blog post Ive been playing with what I see are two sides of my human character, the science side and the in-awe side. The science side of me cant really understand how people can ever believe that their experiment-of-one produces transferable knowledge in the type that can be used to treat others. I cant understand how people dont recognise their own biases and how these often lead to them jumping to conclusions. Testimonial experiential experiments are often uncontrolled and have no capacity to blind the test subject in the way we do with scientific studies in order to minimise bias. Often still, results are extrapolated out far beyond the scope of the experiment are are Un-repeatable so you basically get one shot and thats it. Scientific research more typically involves repeating an experiment several times while making small, measurable changes to the conditions.
On the other hand I feel that weve often got it wrong with science. My scientific training has been done in a westernised way. As such, Ive been taught to break complex systems down into parts that can be measured, known and then sold independently from the whole. This is how pharmaceuticals work and how most western doctors go about diagnosing and treating humans. I absolutely can see the flaws in that way of thinking, how it may win a battle but fail to win the bigger war. I see how this approach makes it very difficult to give nuanced, holistic care and consideration, and how the things that us humans really need can be left wanting in this model.
But it doesnt have to be an either /or scenario.
It turns out that what I dont believe in is pitching this against that.
I believe and am therefore invested in the gentle and quiet art of observation which includes paying attention to your testimonial but not raising it to godlike status. I believe in the value of taking something apart in order to learn more about the value of each cog, wheel and system. However, I also believe that it has less power in its orphaned state and therefore always has to be returned and viewed as part of the whole.
A scientific approach doesnt have to mean that anything intangible or personal flies out of the window just as a wellness approach doesnt have to deny or ignore science. They are two hands clasping the same heart and they both empower us to survive, live and die well.
So I will continue to be that scientist that believes in fairies as thats what gives my life meaning.
Amanda x
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