“Everything I do, I do it for myself,” says Shareezma Hanif, the founder of Boost Balm. Her journey in the skincare enterprise started as she was trying to treatment her countless pores and skin issues similar to zits, eczema and melasma, attributable to hormonal imbalance. She has been a make-up and skincare junkie since younger and didn’t have points with zits till she was 20 years previous.
Different products on the market, together with laser and chemical peel remedies, didn’t work to enhance her situation. When none of her efforts got here to fruition, Shareezma sought skilled recommendation and discovered that an underlying well being drawback had led to the sudden breakouts.
“I used to be identified with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), a situation that impacts hormones and reproductive organs. Side results embody breakouts, excessive hirsuteness and weight acquire and I skilled all that. But once you’re 20, you don’t actually care about this.”
She realised PCOS was affecting her badly when she had difficulties conceiving. “I had a miscarriage twice. My zits challenge additionally hadn’t gone away and the physician wished to place me on accutane, however I couldn’t try this as a result of I wished infants.”
The now 31-year-old mom of 4 knew she needed to do one thing for herself. She determined to alter her life-style and tried an anti-inflammatory weight loss program. Eventually, she was decided to create a product that might counter her hormonal zits challenge. “Whether it’s meals, make-up or toiletries, all the pieces can probably have an effect on your well being. I observed a spot in the market [and thought] why don’t I give you a skincare product, free of endocrine-disrupting chemical substances?”
An enormous quantity of funding is required to begin a skincare line, particularly to run the analysis and growth. Shareezma tried her luck and utilized for presidency grants in 2015. Together with beauty chemists from the UK and a neighborhood producer, she developed a skin-barrier expertise and formulation that protects the pores and skin from chemical substances in make-up products. She received the Halal Hi-Tech Challenge, organised by SME Corporation Malaysia and was rewarded with RM500,000.
After three lengthy years of experimenting with about 40 samples, Skin Barrier Cream was launched in 2018. The product features as a protect to protect pores and skin in opposition to filth and impurities from the environment. “If you employ sunblock to guard your pores and skin from UV rays, why are you not making use of one thing to guard your pores and skin from free radicals in the air and chemical substances in make-up products? These disagreeable substances will age your pores and skin and that is scientifically confirmed.”
Shareezma likes multipurpose products, so she makes certain her creations are full of nourishing substances to sort out completely different points. Designed for use as a primer in the morning and therapy cream at night time, the Skin Barrier Cream comprises 15 concentrated botanical extracts similar to willow bark, sacha inchi, manuka oil, baobab and magnolia bark.
“It took so lengthy as a result of I had very particular necessities about the components we used. People who apply the cream earlier than placing on different make-up products discover their pores and skin stops breaking out. So, it was undoubtedly value the wait.”
Boost Balm’s second product, Rhassoul600, was impressed by the idea of tayammum (dry ablution) in Islam. “I used to be studying about the way it is a substitute for wudhu during which we use purified sand or mud. Essentially, it is an act of cleaning.”
Using this concept, Shareezma regarded for the greatest clay to assist with detoxifying and cleaning the pores and skin. She chanced upon rhassoul clay, additionally known as ghassoul or purple Moroccan clay. Originally from Morocco, it has lengthy been used to make cleansing brokers similar to shampoo and cleaning soap.
“It has a excessive unfavorable electromagnetic cost, which makes it nice for detoxifying. When you apply the masks, after a while, you may see whiteheads popping out. It is disgusting, however it does the job. The charcoal ingredient additionally has antiseptic properties. Fun reality: most clay masks on the market have between 40% and 50% of clay of their formulation. Ours have as much as 80%, so you may take pleasure in the full advantages of pure clay.”
Over time, Shareezma observed so much of her prospects had been those that skilled hormonal issues similar to zits and irregular durations like herself. Therefore, she collaborated with Dr Soobitha Subenthiran to create a complete meals complement known as Regen Nectar, focused at lowering physique irritation, balancing hormones and rejuvenating physique cells.
“I personally tried the complement for some time and it labored like magic to control my menstrual cycle. It is a breakthrough product. That’s why I made a decision to introduce it on my platform, figuring out my prospects would profit from it.”
While the founder loved formulating components for skincare, she was not huge on advertising, particularly in the early days. However, she picked up the abilities alongside the manner and mastered the dos and don’ts to enhance Boost Balm’s branding.
“I learnt the exhausting manner. I arrange billboards for 2 years throughout the Klang Valley in 2017 and 2018. I spent a lot cash however it didn’t give me the outcome I wished. I realised it’s vital for advertising to develop organically and cater for the sorts of contents folks eat as of late. Now, I do so much of Facebook advertisements and am lively on TikTok. You need to consider in your products and advocate for them.”
A brand new product formulated to deal with pigmentation is in the pipeline and scheduled to be launched subsequent month. Boost Balm was created to “increase skincare routine” and Shareezma needs to maintain producing purposeful items that can deliver constructive outcomes to her prospects. Sounds like she is nicely on her manner already.
This article first appeared on Aug 22, 2022 in The Edge Malaysia.
https://www.optionstheedge.com/subject/type/science-heart-boost-balms-protective-and-detoxifying-skincare-products
