A conversation with Naya

We met with Sarah, the founder of Naya just as I’d started my last article ‘ What is Natural beauty?’. Sarah brought me my first light bulb moment that maybe ‘natural beauty’ wasn’t all it was cracked up to be and her belief of being ‘Committed to nature. Backed by science’ holds a lot of truth.

Luckily, Sarah is so full of information and passion for skincare and was happy to share with us her thoughts, finds and beautiful products.

She started the journey after finding an old research paper about Cacay, a plant found in the Amazon. This small find turned into a huge body of research which eventually took her to Colombia where she met with the locals and learnt about the plant, the nut and the oil.

Cacay oil is high in Vitamin E, a stable and rich anti oxidant! It’s very high in Vitamin F, Omega 6 a fatty acid which is awesome at healing and hydrating (so for blemish prone skin and mature skin). Finally, natural Vitamin A which is unheard off in the plant world! Vitamin A is Retinol and is a animal derived product. Hence the surprise finding it in a nut.

She also saw how the Colombian peace treaty of 2016 had left the farmers without income as the drug cartels (who they’d been growing Coca for) had moved out of the area. She was keen to support them and went on the hunt for the right people, who knew what good quality Cacay was and could support her plans. She then flew on to Germany and met with the labs to start creating her own formulation of Everyday Facial Oil.

The hurdle working with labs is that they are used to brands choosing an ‘off the shelf’ formulation, sticking their labels on it and spending all their money on marketing!!! Sarah was adamant this would not be the case with Naya and worked with them to create her beautiful line of products and in the process they taught her a lot about the creation, research and insight into cosmetic chemistry.

Because of this Sarah now spends time speaking with her customers, encouraging them to learn why certain ingredients are used, to connect with their skin and think about how it feels (like after it’s cleansed for instance, does it feel dry or tight? you’re using the wrong cleanser).

Her enthusiasm for skincare is infectious and I said numerous times ‘People need to know this!!!’ but as Sarah said ‘ There’s so much noise its hard for the customer to get the straight facts’.

So here are some straight facts:

Hyaluronic acid, we all need it every day. It can be used High, Medium and Low. High destiny gives you the instant plumping effect. Lovely but it will wash off. Medium/ Low which sinks in deeper and has a longer lasting effect.

Antioxidants & Vitamins A,C,&E should also be used everyday.

- Vitamin C brightens your skin. Like putting Lemon juice on your hair in the summer. It’s all in the Vitamin C! It also helps with Scars and Imperfections.

- Vitamin E is the most stable. It has a preservative and strong anti oxidant.

- Vitamin A - promotes the formation of the cells and supports the regeneration process. All these are essential vitamins!!

Oils are lovely, nice for the skin but they are just oil. They can’t do what pure Vitamin C or Bio technology ingredients can do. They don’t moisturise, they seal in moisture.

Biotech/ Green science - Pretty much every Acid/ Extract or Retinol is biotech. (with the exception of natural Retinol aka Cacay)

Serums are lighter, sink in deeply and quickly, high performing, higher level of ingredients, concentrated, water based.

Moisturiser is the over coat.

Naya_ Everyday Glow Serum £64 and Naya_ Antioxidant Defence Booster £45

Unfortunately, once you hit 30 your skin starts to produce less water and more Sebum (natural oil). In the process it can produce too much and block pores which can be the cause of Acne and skin flare ups. The absolute worst thing to do is dry the spots and pimples out. It will just tell your skin to produce more sebum. Hyaluronic acid and retinol are the answer!! (I’m slowly learning that these, and Vitamin C are basically the answer to everything)

Naya_ Everyday Cleansing Oil £26, Naya_ Everyday Glow Serum £64, Naya_ Everyday Day Cream £56, Naya_ Everyday Face Oil £52,

With all this in mind, Sarah created her everyday range. Four products everyone needs and can live happily with, if you have no massive complications with your skin. Cleansing Oil, Glow Serum, Day Cream and Face Oil.

If you do have scars, dryness etc, then you can elevate you skincare with a Vitamin C serum, Mask, or Antioxidant booster. For want of a better word: Add ons.

Here’s some facts about the add ons:

Masks are used when you’ve been busy, out and about, in the sun. The word ‘Acid’ doesn’t help but hyaluronic acid is the best thing for inflammation and dryness. Use a nice thick layer and your skin will take as much as it needs. They can be used 2/3 days a week if your skin needs it.

Antioxidant booster: Vitamin C is a very unstable ingredient and most products toting its benefits aren’t nearly as effective as they claim to be. Naya has created one that comes as a powder and once mixed with serum or water, is activated. But basically, if you are looking at a Vitamin C product, maybe ask the brand how they stabilise it? See if they know what they’re talking about.

Water: Customers understandably question the quantity of water in skincare (I’ve been known to do it) especially when you’re spending $$$ on a small bottle of serum and water is one of the top 3 ingredients. Sarah explains that water is a transporter. It’s the only way oil can sink into your skin for example. It’s needed in nearly all skincare because it’s incredibly useful in getting the ingredients deep into your skin.

And finally we spoke about the green issues surrounding skincare and what Sarah has found to be the biggest hurdles.

Small pioneers and start ups are fighting against the quantities. Sarah was keen to use grass paper boxes but unless she could buy 1000’s at a time, the costs would sky rocket and destroy her margins. The labs, factories and packaging companies are all keen to help and support start ups (even during Covid) but until the ‘big boys’ start demanding the same eco packaging which will bring the price/ quantity limits down then start ups are stuck. Sarah had to compromise with recycled paper packaging and luckily vegetable dye has become a standard!

The bottles are all Amber and Miron glass but the problem here is the pumps. They have to be soft, so have to be plastic. Naya offers a Refill service where you order your products for a cheaper price and they come with a tin lid and none of the (BEAUTIFUL) packaging.

The Naya website has a page solely on how you can recycle every part of the packaging and a discount if you tag them on Instagram when you’re doing it.

Sarah was also keen to use wastage from other industries for anything she could. So the bagasse (dry pulp) of sugar cane is used as Naya products preservative. Sweet Beet wastage is used to support the transporting of actives into the skin and the Passion fruit oil used comes from the seeds of the fruit left from the juicing industry. She explains so much can be used from the wastage of other industries if people called for it, and the savings for brands can be eye watering. Grape seed oil? Maybe that could eventually come from the wine industry. Even her labels are made from the stone industry wastage!

Sarah leaves us with this thought

“We need to share and explain what is happening in the process because unfortunately, what is out of sight, is out of mind. People need to see this because otherwise we don’t think about it unless it’s in front of us.”

Julia KennedyJuly 17, 2021

BEAUTY

A conversation with Naya