We sat down with MAAEMO founder Hillary to discuss the development process & her inspiration behind the brand. 

What was the initial inspiration for a skin care brand ? 

MAAEMO started with my passion for western herbal medicine and love of skincare. I studied Western herbal medicine at university and learning about the benefits certain botanicals could have when applied to the skin really sparked my interest. I began looking at ingredient labels on my skincare and cosmetic products in search of specific ingredients that I had been researching at uni. There were certain botanicals that I knew had tones and tones of research on their skin specific healing properties that I wanted to use on my own skin.

What products did you begin with & why ?

Our original 3 products were the Purifying Gel Cleanser, Vitalize Face Elixir and Hydrating Face Cream. We began with these three as our core range as they provided the perfect base for a simple yet effective skincare routine. Between the three products we address the following aspects - Cleansing, hydrating & providing nourishment. We find that a lot of people are confused and overwhelmed when it comes to skincare. We just wanted to keep it super simple and straightforward to start with.

How has your range of skin care evolved over time ?

As the range has grown we have introduced more targeted products with specific skin types in mind so that we can address a wider range of skin goals. Adding a second cleanser type for those with dry skin types is a great example of how we have done this. 

What is the process when developing a new product ?

Initially the process starts with conceptualizing the product and what we want the product to achieve. Then we begin to research specific ingredients that target that action and work closely with our formulators to find the best suited ingredients for the product in order to achieve the results we want. Next we start the sampling process which can take months- sometimes even years! This is when our concept comes to life in the form of a sample and the MAAEMO team begins to trial the samples on our own skin. We assess the performance of the product over time to ensure it achieves what we wanted it to and ticks all the boxes for us. This process can take a really long time to ensure we are 100% happy with the formula! 

How do you encapsulate all aspects of Mother Earth in your skin care ?

We achieve this by using certified organic, natural ingredients in our products.

What exciting things can we expect from MAAEMO ?

We have a lot of exciting new products in the works at the moment. Some of these will be opening the MAAEMO range up to some entirely new categories which is really exciting for us. A holistic view has always been at the forefront of the MAAEMO brand and the extension of our upcoming new product ranges really reflects that! We are also working on becoming a more educational platform where we can share more resources and tools for mindfulness and wellness