MAAEMO founder Hillary Wilcox on herbal medicine and skincare.
We caught up with Melbourne-based naturopath and herbalist Hillary Wilcox to talk about how to achieve a healthy skincare regime and her six-piece skincare range MAAEMO.
Hillary, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background
I am 24 years old and I’m a degree qualified naturopath, herbalist and nutritionist. I’ve always been incredibly passionate about health and wellbeing which is what lead me to become a Naturopath. It was during my studies at uni that I discovered my interest in organic skincare, which led me down the path of launching MAAEMO.
How did the concept and idea behind MAAEMO come about?
My journey with MAAEMO began when I was studying to become a naturopath. I was really fascinated with phytotherapy, specifically with benefits that certain herbs could have on the skin. I would research herbs and then search for them in products in stores but I could never find the combination of ingredients that I wanted.
These botanical ingredients were so well researched and had great evidence behind them yet all of the skincare products I had in my cupboards were full of toxic ingredients! I was really shocked when I actually took the time to look into my own collection of cosmetics and became aware of the ingredients in my products. When I made the decision to move to organic skincare, I really felt that there weren’t enough options on the market that offered high performance, affordable, certified organic skincare! And with that, I decided to start up my own range.
How would you describe MAAEMO and the products
MAAEMO is a conscious skincare brand that considers the health and wellbeing of every life on Mother Earth. We believe in uncomplicated products that utilise high quality, certified organic ingredients straight from nature to your skin!
As a naturopath, from your experience, how can organic and natural skin care products assist with problem skin
There is definitely a misconception that organic and natural products don’t perform as well as generic skincare but this is so far from true! There are so much research and science behind the benefits of botanicals and their ability to support and nurture the skin. In particular, I have seen amazing results in conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne and dermatitis.
You also specialise in herbal medicine, can you tell us a bit more about your work in this field and what your clients can expect during a consultation
Naturopathy is a holistic modality which means we treat the person as a whole. The primary focus of a naturopathic consultation is to gain a complete understanding of how and why a person is presenting with their current picture of health in order to recognise the cause of what is happening. This can involve an investigation of the clients’ health history, their dietary and lifestyle habits etc.
What are your top tips to maintain a healthy and glowing skin
- AMAZING organic skincare
- SPF everyday
- A clean diet
- Marine collagen! I swear by this
Lastly, what are your top products and why
My all-time favourite product in the range and a product which I recommend to everyone is the Vitalize face elixir! It is honestly a game-changer for all skin types and works wonders for everyone. I always describe it as a multivitamin for the skin. It contains a blend of fruit, nut and seed oils that I have carefully selected for each of their own unique properties. The main ingredient is hemp seed oil which is incredible for the face as its one of the very few oils that is non-comedogenic which means it won’t clog the pores. This means it’s perfect for those of us with oily skin and suffers from congestion. It’s also rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants from the pomegranate seed oil which makes it a dream for those who wish to repair damage to the skin, even out the skin tone or provide a deep level of nourishment and hydration.
To learn more about the six-piece skincare range MAAEMO visit https://maaemo.com.au
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