Scents are scintillating and foams are fantastic. But when you get down to it, nothing works quite like nature. That’s why Ksenia Kish, founder of the Art of Skin Nurture, is passionate not only about creating products made entirely with ingredients derived from nature, but about reminding women of their innate, natural wisdom, too.
“There’s an art to being a woman,” Ksenia maintains, “and I think that we’ve forgotten that.” Not that we can be blamed – after all, every day, we’re bombarded with messages crafted by a billion-dollar behemoth of an industry, trying to make us feel a little ‘less than’. “We need to remind ourselves that all we can do is our best, whether you’re being a mother or pushing your career. You need to treat yourself, always, as you would your best, most cherished friend.”
The problem is that, when we’re struggling with our many responsibilities, we seldom remember to do this. The time we should be spending nurturing ourselves is often compressed into the five minutes we invest in our skincare routine. “And that’s why I’m furious that big companies fill the products we use during this special ritual with chemicals!” Ksenia says.
She explains that her distrust of chemicals started 20 years ago, when a friend suffering from a terminal illness was advised by a doctor to remove all chemicals from her home. That meant changing her detergent, hand soap, cosmetics and anything else you could possibly pour, splash or wipe. And it worked. Decades after her diagnosis, she has raised two children, lived a wonderful life, and continues to thrive.
Ksenia implemented a mass exodus of the chemicals in her own cupboards when she started menopause, although her interest in how nature provides was sparked years previously, when she left her career as a consultant to become a full-time mother. “I thought it would be all rainbows and unicorns – but it was hell!” she reflects. “It is such hard work.
I decided to approach being a stay-at-home mom as I would a profession, putting systems in place to make it easier.” One of those systems entailed loading her children with vitamins to stave away colds and flu, but she soon noticed that wholesome, nutritious food was more effective in this regard than even the most expensive brand.
The same could be said for addressing those hot flashes. When Ksenia replaced chemicals with natural products, they stayed away. But, she admits, she became a little slack. When planning a move from the United States to South Africa, the busy work of packing and planning meant she became less rigorous about keeping it natural. “And what do you know … those hot flashes returned while I was on my flight.”
That made her recommit to her cause. “It’s not actually difficult. It all comes down to reading labels,” Ksenia points out. The problem, of course, is that unless you have a science degree, those multi-syllable words and ominous-sounding names can be pretty confusing, and few – if any – of us ask cosmetic companies to explain. “I wanted to remove all of the confusion by creating a range that does not contain a single chemical,” she says.
That’s more rare than you may think, because even well-known brands that claim to be made with natural (or even organic) ingredients may contain a few nasties. After all, most consumers demand a lengthy shelf-life or stable formula, and these aren’t easy to achieve without a touch of emulsifier or preservative.
Ksenia doesn’t care that her products might need a shake to make the essential oils and water mingle before application – and neither do her customers, both here (where the Art of Skin Nurture was launched at the beginning of the year) and in the United States, where the brand has been growing a following since 2024. “Yes, you can waste time with a 12-step skincare programme – but you don’t need it. Just as you don’t need fancy packing or perfumes. All of that is just marketing. It doesn’t make the product any more effective.”
And for Ksenia, that’s what it’s all about. She’s invested hours researching the ingredients that make a visible difference to her skin, trying and testing multiple times before bottling it. “Nothing makes me happier than seeing how my customers glow after using the products,” she smiles. “And, of course, it’s fun, too. I make every product myself. I picture myself as one of MacBeth’s witches, stirring my cauldron!”
True to her ethos of embracing simplicity, Ksenia doesn’t plan to extend the range, preferring to focus instead on a few standout products that really deliver. What she does want to do, though, is create a community where women share their experiences, thoughts and ideas. “I think that we all have unique knowledge, but it’s only valuable if you share it. And it loses value when you keep it to yourself.”
Details: www.skinnurture.co
Your kitchen heroes
Forget chemicals with scary names. Some of the most effective beauty aids are sitting in your pantry right now. Here are the heroes Ksenia swears by:
• Baking soda: great for use as an exfoliator or even deodorant
• Castor oil: an extraordinary moisturiser
• Avocado oil: excellent for hydration
Skin Nature products we’re loving this month
- Skin Nature Body Butter (R390) melts into the skin and stays, providing long-lasting comfort and moisture
• Skin Nurture Gentle Foaming Cleanser (R590) removes daily impurities
• Skin Nurture night Natural Cream-Serum (R990) supports calming, restoring, and barrier balance while you sleep, using only natural oils and butters. All from skinnurture.co
Article by Lisa Witepski.
