Mention natural skincare and Root Remedies is bound to crop up in conversations amongst local brand enthusiasts. As one of the main purveyors of the natural skincare movement in the local scene, the brand is no doubt changing the way we see and care for our skin, scars, wrinkles and all. To use their products is to return to the root of our human existence; extracting natural power-packed ingredients from the Earth's soil to rejuvenate one's skin again. Below, we spoke to the brand on its skincare mission, their favourite power-combinations and more.
What is Root Remedies' origin story?
Root Remedies began back in 2015 when our co-founder, Sian Chiew, was just 21 years old. Having tried various different commercial products that never really worked for the skin concerns she was facing during the time, she was adamant on finding something that was zero gimmick and all results. That was when she came across plant oils and discovered their many benefits. She started using the oils herself, then shared them with her friends and family. From there she knew that she had to share the goodness that nature has to offer with more of the world, not just her own.
Natural skincare has been super popular as of late — what was the driving force behind Root Remedies entering a market with already so many choices in selection? Back in 2015, many individuals (including many of us at RR) turned to commercial skincare and makeup products as they reigned the ads and displays everywhere. There were not many, hardly any in fact, global & local brands focusing on plant oils and their power-packed benefits. Even more so, many products’ ingredient lists were as long as grocery lists (a bit of an exaggeration but you get what we mean!).
At Root Remedies, we keep the number of ingredients to a minimum without compromising on efficacy. Our Pure Face Oil range is made with only one ingredient and with the numerous testimonials we’ve been receiving, we’re happy to see they work wonders for many. We’re definitely big believers of the saying “less is more”!
In your own words, what gives Root Remedies products an edge over other natural skincare brands? What you see is what you get, in a good way of course! We’re very transparent with our ingredients, they’re all written down on the back of our bottles. There are some skincare brands that may seem natural at first glance because of their packaging and the ingredients they emphasize on but they’re not completely chemical free. What gives Root Remedies products an edge would definitely be our transparency.
We also understand that if one product works for an individual, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll work for someone else. Everyone’s skin is different and reacts differently. Our RR community knows that and when one product doesn’t work, they’ll usually come back and talk to our Customer Happiness Officers to figure out where to go from there (we’re very grateful to have a community that trusts us and our products).
To add on, a saying that we’ve coined is Real Remedies, Real Skin. When it comes to campaigns and pictures we share on our social media platforms, we don’t hire models who already have “perfect” skin and have never tried our products before. We work with our RR community, those who have used our products, genuinely love them and have seen results. We’re trying to break the unrealistic standard of what skin should look like and share the journey of how healthy skin comes to be, without hurting the planet in the process.
Can you share with us your creative process behind a new product launch? The mind behind all our products is our co-founder’s, Sian Chiew. The number one thing that sparks light to create a new product is based on our customers’ needs. Taking into consideration what skin concerns our customers bring to our attention, Sian would read research papers on the benefits of different ingredients that’ll specifically target the concerns. We’d also bring up any ingredients we find interesting during discussions at the office, to bounce off of each other’s ideas.
What were some of the challenges you faced as a natural skincare brand and how did you overcome it? One of the most challenging parts of being a natural skincare brand would have to be sourcing; finding high quality ingredients and reliable sources. We care a lot about our product quality and it will always be our number one priority. Another challenge would have to be scale and cost. Natural ingredients are generally more costly compared to others but we believe in investing in good quality products. We continue to push through these challenges to give our customers only the best.
If you could choose just one power ingredient for dry skin, oily skin and combination skin each, what would it be and why?
A power ingredient that works for all skin types and one of our all time favorites would have to be Squalane! It mimics the natural oils our skin produces, allowing it to penetrate the skin & effectively moisturise it while balancing sebum production. It sounds too good to be true but it does exist! Our Gromwell Squalane Gentle Restoring Face Oil consists of only three ingredients; Squalane, Gromwell and tocopherol (vitamin E) and is one of our bestsellers.
For Root Remedies customers, can you share what are some ways they can make the best use of your products? Any product combinations that you recommend them try out? Of course! We’re all about sharing tips, tricks and know-hows with our RR community to give them the best experience. Our Face Oils are very versatile, they can be used on the body too. They’re good on their own but can also be mixed & matched with one another and with other products from our range to address individuals’ specific concerns.
Hyperpigmentation
Tamanu Pure Oil + Black Seed Pure Oil. Tamanu with its scar healing properties & Black Seed with its melanin-reducing properties — the ultimate duo when it comes to acne-related skin concerns, whether on the face or the body.
Use Sea Buckthorn Face Oil as a booster. It’s definitely a night time treat for the skin (as it has an orange tint to it) and results in glowing skin the next morning!
Maskne
We would recommend this skincare routine to try out: Neroli Face Mist (to reduce & prevent breakouts) + Tamanu Pure Oil (to fight acne bacteria & heal scars) + Gentle Oil (promotes healthy sebum production) + Tea Tree & Lemongrass Blemish Serum (to spot treat painful zits)
Aside from that, we’ve also put together some product recommendations for skin concerns due to lockdown such as neglected, stressed out, dried up, or exhausted skin here.
What are 3 common mistakes most people make in their skincare routine and how can they rectify it?
1. Skincare isn’t just about taking care of the skin on your face. Your body and scalp needs some loving too! You should care about your body like you do your face. In terms of acne, it doesn’t just affect our faces, but can appear on our backs and scalps as well. Don’t neglect the parts of your body that others can’t see.
2. Skincare is patience. It’s not only about investing money, it’s investing time in your skin as well — it’s not just about looking for a quick fix. Many jump from one product to another in the hopes of finding the perfect routine but most of the time, it takes a while for results to fully come about and be noticeable.
We’re trying to break the unrealistic standard of what skin should look like and share the journey of how healthy skin comes to be, without hurting the planet in the process.
3. Sometimes, the current trend promotes using and layering a lot of different products during your routine. We suggest a more minimal approach, not only in our ingredients, but in our everyday skincare regimen too. Our Remedy Series has just four steps — Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise, Treat. We believe that skincare doesn't have to be complicated, you just need high quality ingredients, made straight from Mother Earth.
Lastly, what is your vision for 2021?
As mentioned earlier, we’ve been receiving loads of testimonials from the RR community showcasing the results they’ve achieved with our products. We’re so happy they feel comfortable in doing so and we’d love to continue building this space where individuals can share their experiences.
We’re also working on expanding our range of products that could intrigue more individuals to switch to natural skin care. We want to continue being part of people’s natural journey, may it be skincare, hair care or body care.
At the end of the day, there’s always room for improvement. Root Remedies wants to keep growing and better ourselves with each and every step we take.