MEET HAFSA, FOUNDER OF BOTANICAL MISSION
For this week’s edition of The Self Love Hub’s Q&A series we spoke to Hafsa Issa-Salwe, founder of Botanical Mission - a naturopathic health and skin clinic in Camden. The clinic offers bespoke beauty treatments with a focus on skin care and wellness from the inside-out. Hafsa has worked in the industry for a decade, writing beauty blogs for top publications like Cosmopolitan, and hosting her own podcast series Mind Pretty Soul. She is also a Level 4 qualified aesthetic practitioner. Earlier this year, Hafsa hosted a Facial Massage workshop in collaboration with The Self Love Lab. The session covered the basics of facial massage, lymphatic drainage and working with massage oils. Hafsa explained how our skin care regimes can be an opportunity to demonstrate self-love. If we apply our oils/serums/creams as though we are anointing ourselves, and focus our minds on this small act of self-care, we set ourselves up for a more mindful day. This starts our day telling our body that we will nurture it and treat it well. Here, we talk about her business and wellness journey, her views on the current state of the beauty and skin care industry and her approach to self-love.
MEET HAFSA
I opened the clinic in June 2022 with my business partner and friend, Nirvana, after working in the beauty industry for more than 10 years. Nirvana's also worked in the industry for the same amount of time, and having worked in the industry for this long, we noticed that the internal causes of concerns and conditions such as acne weren't included in the discussion around skin. I personally have dealt with PCOS for as long as I can remember, and managing my wellbeing by keeping a diet low in processed sugars, minimising stress and taking certain supplements and herbs have helped manage my acne just as much as topical skin care and treatments. That's why we opened the clinic - to offer people an all- encompassing solution to peoples' concerns.
How did your journey with Botanical Mission begin?
I like to think that we reinforce the idea that everything is interconnected, and that nothing exists in isolation; our skin is a prime example of that. For years, we've looked at concerns such as acne as a problem that needs to be addressed with harsh and drying ingredients, and then we call it a day. However, there are plenty of studies suggesting that stress causes inflammation which can then trigger breakouts in people - this just highlights how interconnected the body is; when one part of the body is under pressure, another can in turn experience trouble too. The same goes for our sleep, diet, gut health and hormones. We ultimately want to shift the conversation away from just purely considering the external, but to also consider the internal and that the two ultimately play into one another.
How do you feel Botanical Mission is making an impact on the wellness scene in London?
I love how your company centres natural, quality ingredients - why have you gone for this less commercial route?
I'd rather offer people something that works versus something that's mediocre or simply won't make a difference. Our dispensary is a good example of that; the herbs we stock come from the best quality suppliers, and sometimes this means taking a hit on our profit margins, knowing that we can stock herbs which are a little sketchy in terms of their supply chain or not necessarily the best quality. Our work at Botanical Mission is to support people in bettering their wellbeing, and so opting for low quality for the sake of money would be antithetical to this.
I like to go into great detail during a consultation - I want to understand my client's lifestyle, from what they eat right down to how often they go on holiday. The more I get to know them during the consultation, the more likely I am to put them in the right direction. I also like to ask objective questions like "on a scale of 1-10, how badly do you feel about your skin at the moment?", and I ask this because I can objectively observe a client's skin and determine that their hyperpigmentation is mild, however if they feel it's at a 10 and this is the worst their skin has been, then my observation is irrelevant and it's my job to help them to feel better about their skin, and so it makes creating a plan a lot easier.
You focus on the individuality of each customer’s needs, offering one on one consultations. How do you discern each clients specific issues/goals?
What does your morning skincare routine look like?
I have an extremely simple routine. I cleanse with the Bioderma Sensibio Soothing Micellar Face Wash, and then I use the Dr. Schrammek Herbal Care Lotion to tone as it contains calendula, panthenol and melissa which are very soothing. I then use an SPF, and lately it's been the Garnier SPF50 which does the trick, and because it contains vitamin c it has added antioxidant properties.
Can you quickly summarise what was covered in your Facial Massage Mastery event in collaboration with TSLL?
Absolutely! We touched on the importance of taking a moment out of your day to be present, and a facial massage routine can be a way to do this. I also stressed that you don't have to carve out a specific ritual for this, and you can instead habit stack and incorporate massage into your skincare routine, for instance if you use a cleansing oil or balm, it's a great opportunity to fit some massage in. I also showed the attendees how to do lymphatic drainage massage at home, as well as acupressure, lifting/sculpting and how to use a gua sha correctly - you'd be surprised how many people use it incorrectly!
Honour your skincare barrier, no matter what. I love retinoids and exfoliators as much as the next person, however they don't need to be used as often as people think, and certainly not daily unless your skin is used to it. Make sure you're taking breaks between using active skincare, for example you can give your skin a couple of days off a week and just use skincare with hydrating and calming ingredients i.e. hyaluronic acid, glycerin, cica and panthenol. When you don't properly care for your skin barrier, you run the risk of worsening your skin concerns, particularly when it comes to acne. We've been taught to blast our skin with exfoliators, but hydrating the skin and using barrier-restoring skincare is massively helpful at calming the inflammation that comes with acne.
What is your top skincare tip?
How does taking care of your face and body correspond with self-care?
My number one ingredient has to be mandelic acid - it's incredible! It's great for brightening the skin and giving it a gorgeous glow, it's hydrating and it's a miracle for inflamed acne- prone skin, which I have.
How does taking care of your face and body correspond with self-care?
For me, taking care of your face and body is a fundamental aspect of self-care, because I've always been of the belief that when you look good, you feel good. If I'm not moving my body, eating nourishing foods, doing my skincare and other self-care essentials like my monthly massages, something feels off. A lot of these things facilitate an opportunity to look inwards, relax, and be mindful; it isn't just about aesthetics, and it goes back to the work I do because the internal and external are naturally interconnected.
So many things! It's to be self-disciplined, even when I don't want to do the things that future me will benefit from such as cleaning the house, going to bed on time or working out. On the other hand, it's to be compassionate enough to give myself grace when I'm not operating at my best. I ultimately see self-love as being a parent to yourself, in that your parents steered you away from the wrong things for your greater good, and then you had times where you were showered with affection.
Finally, what does Self-Love mean to you?
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Camille is a writer and curator based in London. She specialises in wellness, art and creativity as a means of self-love and expression.
She has worked with a number of wellness brands and art galleries, creating written and social content and helping develop and run events, exhibitions and educational outreach schemes. She is passionate about the power of incorporating self love rituals into your routine to support wellbeing, balance your daily rhythm and find time to let your artistic spirit bloom.
Article written by Camille Leadbeater
Communications Lead @ The Self Love Lab
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