Smart Cookie: Yvette Van Schie, Founder Of Ethical Beauty Expert

1) Could you tell us a little about yourself and what’s your business about?

I have been a beauty therapist, beauty trainer, makeup artist and holistic beauty practitioner and writer for 35 years. I am presently studying nutrition as I always recommend clients treat themselves from inside as well as out – good skincare alone will not fix the skin and a good diet alone will not either.

We need to work on our skins from inside and out. I do a lot of glowing skin consultations via zoom, I speak to clients all around the world -and have always found one of the reoccurring problems I see is overuse of skincare. They use everything constantly – causing their skins to become irritated and inflamed. When I adjusted their diets, their skins were still a mess.

The Everything Skin Cream was originally developed for my husband who is a artist blacksmith. He was always burning his hands and arms – so I made him a hand cream. He instantly put it on his face, in his hair and on his feet. When I told him it was for his hands – his answer was – ‘we only have one skin – so why so many creams?”

Because of this I then adjusted the cream for myself with more hydrating ingredients and made a facial cleansing oil.  My daughter’s stole (as girls do) my products and they they both loved them ( my eldest suffers from acne breakouts due to gut issues and eating gluten and the youngest is prone to blackheads, both of them have glowing healthy skin now!) – as did all of my friends – (of all different ages) – everyones skin was different, some oily, some dry, some sensitive, some with psoriasis, acne, rosacea and eczema. All of their skin’s improved – so they asked for more and so the business was born! I love that I can put my clients on it and see constant results.

The reason my cream and oil change skins – is that both of them work on improving the acid mantle – which is the skin’s protective layer. Once this protective layer is intact, and functioning at its best – the skin stops producing oil – so oily skins calm down. Dry skin’s loose less moisture – so feel and look less dry. Inflamed skin’s are protected – so heal. And importantly – when the acid mantle is intact – our skin’s microbiome is able to flourish – so instantly healthier skins!

2) Do you have a morning routine? If so, what is it you do to set yourself up for the day ahead?

My morning routine is a glass of warm water first up, followed by my must have organic coffee and soy milk. I then do 30 minutes of HITT exercise or weights 6 days per week. This I follow by a plant protein and green smoothie.  I then hit the shower but not before first dry brushing my whole body, and I always finish my shower with a blast of cold water. The dry skin brushing and cold water shower are to stimulate my lymphatic system – I tend to get puffy easily when I get hassled or stressed  – and both happen often (joys of running own business!)

3) Why did you choose to go sustainable and eco-friendly?

We have always been believers in sustainable living – my husband is a old hippie from the 60s – he tied himself to trees to stop them from being cut down. I have not been that active, but have always been conscious of my green foot print. There was more urgency for me to go hard core zero waste when my daughter told me she was thinking of having a baby, I thought I needed to become a bigger part of this movement. My products were always going to be sustainable and eco friendly – because that is just who I am 🙂

4) What was the hardest part of starting your own business?

The hardest part was lack of money. Two of my forms of incomedisappeared during Covid 19, but the best part of lack of money is that I had to become very resourceful as to where and how I sourced my ethical products – which was and still is hard – buying anything made here is really difficult.

5) One book and/or documentary everyone should read/watch? Why?

Any book by Norman Vincent Peale – he was practicing gratitude, giving, positive thinking and living long before it became fashionable. He changes the way you see everything in your life – and teaches you to see joy and wonder in everything and to learn kindness.

6) Best piece of advice you have ever received?

I actually have 2 best bits of advice I have been given – one is by my mother. “A is for action” she always said to me when I complained something wasn’t working for me – because action creates reaction – and changes the outcome of your day. And “Never ever give up” by my husband.

To find out more about Ethical Beauty Expert click here!