By The Beauty Book
Clémence Organics has rocketed to cult-like status since launching in 2016. Along with a well-earned slew of awards, it has also achieved the impressive milestone of becoming Australia’s most-awarded organic skincare brand. Yet there’s an unexpected story behind the award-winning brand – and it’s one of a daughter’s love for her father.
Sydney-based founder Bridget Carmady took an unexpected detour from her full-time career as a naturopath when her father was undergoing radiation treatment for throat cancer.
Her Clémence Organics business journey was originally sparked by a desire to create a product for her father as he was going through harsh radiation treatment.
“He was given a lotion by his oncologist, which, as a naturopath, I took one look at and politely disposed of. It was filled with petrochemicals and nasties, and I knew I could create something more healing for my Dad.
“I went back to university, spoke to my professors, did some research, and came up with a balm to help him. The result was a soothing balm that worked so well even the oncology nurses were commenting and enquiring as to what he was using.”
Passion-led career path
As a degree-qualified naturopath, Bridget has always been passionate about natural but effective ways to help people improve their health. Clémence Organics is a continuation of that genuine desire.
Having started her career in complementary medicine research, Bridget then ran a naturopathic clinic, where she used nutrition, supplements, herbal medicine, and lifestyle changes to remedy people’s health issues.
“In my clinic, I noticed that many of my clients had skincare concerns. For some, it was aging skin, for others, sensitivity, acne, eczema, or rosacea. I, too, had skin challenges, having experienced acne in my teens, scarring in my 20s, and signs of ageing in my 30s.
“Alongside my clients, I also found it challenging to find skincare products that were gentle and made from natural, organic ingredients, while also delivering powerful results and the luxurious experience of conventional high-end skincare.
“I was looking for something that ticked all of those boxes and couldn’t find it, so decided to develop my own, and Clémence Organics was born.”
The drive and motivation to create the ultimate product is a familiar story for a number of successful entrepreneurs. Bridget committed to developing her skincare knowledge with a trip to Southern France to study luxury and natural skincare companies, confirming her decision that she was on the right path.
Her business passion was tempered with extreme loss, however. Bridget lost her beloved father to cancer, which spurred her to explore natural skincare alternatives; tragically, her sister also passed away from cancer.
“Knowing that the body absorbs around 80% of what we put on it, I don’t feel we can take it too lightly.
“For me, having full confidence in what I put on my skin (and therefore in my body) makes me feel that I have at least taken control of that aspect of my health.”
A natural success
Clémence Organics has gone on to launch in Japan and the collection of 100% natural and certified organic products is proving popular elsewhere also. As Australia’s only naturopathically formulated and certified organic skincare range, it has received the most beauty awards of any organic skincare range in the country.
Bridget recently celebrated a double achievement for her Clémence Organics brightening serum, which not only won Gold in the Organic Beauty Award 2022 for best Brightening Serum but is also the first ACO COSMOS certified cosmeceutical skin brightening serum, which means it has been rigorously tested by an outside body and contains only the highest potency natural ingredients.
It’s a recognition the business owner could never have imagined when she started Clémence Organics.
The awards are an incredible achievement, particularly given how crowded the skincare market is. In fact, this strong marketplace was one of the biggest hurdles to the business originally.
“Getting started was the greatest challenge,” admits Bridget. “The skincare industry is such a competitive market that it takes a lot of time, patience (and money) to get your brand seen in the world.
“As a small and completely self-funded business, I feel like I had to work 10 times as hard as the big skincare companies of the world to get my brand out there.”
The Beauty Book caught up with Bridget to discover more about the brand.
What has inspired you along the way?
My customers. We have so many amazing customers who love sharing how our products have helped them, and this only inspires me to do more and get our products into more people’s hands.
How has your brand evolved in terms of expanding your product range and why?
When I launched in 2016, I started with a core facial and body range that I had been making for my naturopathic clients and which I knew worked really well. Over the years, we’ve added products to solve problems for our customers, including an SPF face lotion and more recently a serum targeting pigmentation.
Common misconceptions about pigmentation and pigmentation treatments
I think the most common misconception I’ve come across is that you have to have to use either harsh treatments (such as dermabrasion) or chemical products to effectively treat pigmentation. This is not true. Nature provides us with many more gentle options, which can be just as effective, if not more so, than chemical alternatives.
Pigmentation is caused by the stimulation of melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in our skin. This can either be a physical cause (scarring), a chemical cause (sun exposure), or a hormonal cause (pregnancy). Easily the best way to avoid pigmentation is prevention. In Australia and New Zealand, the number-one cause is sun exposure. To protect your skin, make sure you’re wearing a face lotion with at least SPF 15 daily and do your best to avoid the sun in the middle of the day.
What does the ACO COSMOS certification bring to the table?
Due to the rigorous nature of this certification process, I feel that ACO COSMOS gives our products a clear standard of transparency and authenticity. When we say that our products are 100% natural and organic and that they are the healthiest choice for your skin, we really mean it and we can prove it.
Three things you wish everyone knew about skincare
- It’s never too early to start looking after your skin. Prevention is always better than a cure and so the younger you establish a good skincare routine, become rigorous about applying sunscreen, and keep your skin hydrated, the more youthful your skin will stay.
- Don’t over-cleanse. So many people either use the wrong cleanser for their skin and/or cleanse too often. Stick to a gel or cream cleanser that doesn’t strip skin and only cleanse once a day, preferably in the evening when skin is at its dirtiest. Bad cleansing habits are the leading cause of skin issues, including both oily and dry skin.
- What you put on your skin goes into your body and so choose wisely. I come from a health background and so I’m supremely conscious of what I put on my skin. I would never use anything that could potentially disrupt my health. Where possible, choose certified organic skincare, as this is the healthiest choice for your skin and your body.