MEET OUR FOUNDERS

 

 

Zena Chami (Co-founder)

 

Zena is, first and foremost, a skincare enthusiast who has undertaken a long personal journey in experimenting with various skincare brands on the market. As an experienced branding coach with extensive experience in e-commerce, however, Zena has developed a deep-seated love for building brands that ignite from a passion for making a difference in the everyday lives of consumers.

 

What She Brings to You:

 

Zena speaks your language. She empathises with you as you face the often-overwhelming task of searching for the best products that can be sustained financially and with minimal time.

 

What She Has to Say:

 

"I want to start by saying that I get it. I get that you are strapped for time, tired and worn out. And the worst part - it shows on your skin. It shows in the dark circles that are forming under your eyes and it manifests in lines that seem to appear out of nowhere.

 

And as we get older, it is just that much harder to get away with. We watch our male counterparts who seem to grow more handsome as they age; meanwhile, here we are, packing on the creams and breaking our banks to slow down the wrinkles and lines.

 

Truth is, we can't stop ageing, and we probably can't change the way society perceives beauty.  

 

But there is one thing we can change: our own perceptions of beauty.

 

We are beautiful.

 

Just because the ageless, photo-shopped models don't agree with this, doesn't mean it's not true.

 

Our deep lines are a sentimental record of our life experiences. And we should embrace this.

 

Clear, smooth and hydrated skin? Well, that's a different story.

 

I'm here to tell you, I speak your language. I am 36, a mother, work full-time, have a house to maintain and tend to never-ending family obligations.

 

I'm wearing the stress on my skin.

What did my previous skincare routine look like?

 

Come night time, I tried giving myself the time I knew I deserved by engaging in a 5-step skincare routine that consisted of a cleanser, toner, face mask, serum and moisturiser.

 

Then I would apply an eye cream for the growing darkness under my eyes. I would spend at least 45 minutes every night just to say, 'I spent time on myself today!' (and let's face it, sometimes I would skip it altogether because I was just too tired). I spent in the hundreds on the most premium skincare on the market and that made me feel like I was spoiling myself. 

 

I eventually learnt that it doesn't need to be this way and I have my brother to thank for it. At the time, I was going through some personal hardships and he took it on himself to help me.

 

My confidence was at an all-time low, my time slim and my career staggering. I let myself indulge in overly expensive skincare to compensate.

 

Retail therapy ended up being onerous and annoying. 

 

What he helped me realise what that I shouldn't let my confidence be dictated by the amount of money and time I spend. I could easily achieve better skin health with just 1 or 2 products as long as those products contained ingredients that could work as actively as what was in those several others. 

 

I am so excited to be a part of this life-changing journey with someone who means the world to me.."  

 

 

Dr. Belal Chami (Founder)

 

When you first meet Belal, what strikes you most is his absolute passion for science and skin health, combined with his dedication to educating others, to help us better understand what products will work best for us. 

A biochemist, medical researcher and expert in antioxidants in biology, Belal is on a personal mission to improve skin health for everyone, one quality ingredient at a time!

 

What He Brings to You:

 

Dr Chami, or Billy as he is known around the lab, is the head of our research and development team and comes with a deep and informed understanding of common skincare challenges. 

 

He draws on his scientific expertise to lead a team of specialists in the careful selection of the quality, stable and potent ingredients that drive the formulation of effective and proven skincare products. 

 

What He Has to Say:

 

"I’ve personally witnessed the overflowing cabinet full of skincare products owned by my sister, Zena. The amount of time, money and number of products just seemed way too overwhelming. I didn’t understand why she needed so many products, and when I quizzed her and learned she was just trying to find something that worked for her, it started my obsession! 

 

What my sister did was introduce me to a whole new world. 

 

I am a redox biologist and scientist. Building a skincare brand was not something I thought I would ever do. Ask me this time a decade ago, would I be writing a spiel on skincare? The answer would have been, 'Never in a million years.' 

 

And the honest truth is, I am still not here to write or deliver a lecture on skincare -- skin health, though, is where my passion lies and while those two things are related, the perspective is notably different. 

 

My dream?

 

To create a new approach and attitude to skincare – by helping people unlearn ineffective practices and bringing it back to science and sustainability. 

 

How will I achieve this? 

 

With education -- even though I am typically camera shy, I have forced myself out of my comfort zone so I can share what I know with people who are interested.

 

What concerns me… is the enormous wave of deception in the skincare industry, feeding into the deep insecurities and anxieties we all have as we begin to show signs of ageing.

 

I decided my long-term focus would be to not only provide a fresh perspective on skincare and skin health, but to explore and deliver solutions that are currently unavailable.

 

I aspire to 

- advocate for good skincare practice 

- lead the way in sustainability, challenging unsustainable practices and bad skincare science

- Empower through research and education - connect people to cutting edge research to inform their choices. 

 

I look forward to the journey ahead and I am excited to walk down this path alongside my sister.