My first blog post. Wow. It’s been a long time coming.

My name is Zarah, I’m a dentist and a true skincare enthusiast. After a few years on Instagram (you can follow me here if you’d like to, I’m still very much active!) and exceeding the word limit with my often verbose posts, I finally decided to take the plunge and start my very own blog, chronicling my journey in the green beauty sphere. I have always greatly enjoyed writing and it is unequivocally clear that I love skincare (evidenced by all the beauty products taking over my apartment) and so it was inevitable that this blog came to life. Eventually. I’m just mortified it took me 7 years. But it’s never too late to start any endeavour and so 2019 is the year this vision finally comes to life.

Why not continue micro blogging on Instagram, you may ask. Instagram is a wonderful platform. I have engaged with so many people, made real life friends and connected with brand founders who have made me fall in love with their products but what I yearned for was a space where I could share my thorough, in depth reviews to my heart’s content. Instagram is a place for instant gratification; likes, comments or follower counts have become the sole metrics of success and it’s easy to merely focus on those, rather than on what you are truly passionate about. And for me, that is sharing my thoughts, my reviews, my routines, talking about ingredients and brands I genuinely align with as enthusiastically as it pleases me.  

My interest in skincare was sparked by Korean Beauty many years ago and, smitten by the wonderfully hydrating toners that quenched my chronically dehydrated skin, I never looked back. Fairly recently, my tastes and skincare needs evolved and I discovered the wonderful realm of green beauty. And so this blog is for anyone wishing to read about my experiences and is dedicated to anyone wanting to deviate from conventional skincare and dip their toes in the green beauty arena. Here, you’ll find comprehensive and detailed reviews, posts dedicated to brands that have caught my eye and a sprinkling of interviews of people I have connected with on my journey. I’m not here to churn out posts and they may not be as frequent as professional bloggers (after all, this isn’t my job) but when I write, I pour my heart out and I promise what you will read will be genuine and hopefully resonate with you as being honest and authentic. Unless specified, I purchase all the products reviewed here myself.

I truly enjoy connecting with green beauty enthusiasts from all over and nothing would make me happier that reading your comments or emails (drop me one at seoulfull_star@hotmail.com) as I am always open to having a heart to heart or engaging in conversation about green beauty. Let’s talk, tell me everything, feel free to ask me questions and tell me if your views are not similar to mine. This is the beginning of an exciting project for me and I welcome any feedback.

In essence, what I hope to achieve with this blog is expressing myself on a topic I truly am passionate about; skincare.  I’m really looking to connect and engage with beauty enthusiasts and even brands, whose skincare philosophies truly align with my own.

Green beauty brands are often niche, independent brands and in recent times, I have come to meet and interact with such brand owners, which has heightened my interest in this beauty genre. I see great value in handcrafted, artisanal skincare, with brand owners who are purposely and consciously taking the time to select the finest, raw and organic plant based ingredients to create their magnificent concoctions. I also greatly admire that element of personal touch and the immense passion poured into making these wonderful and effective skincare products. I often see them personally connecting with customers, telling their brand story, sharing their ethos, interacting and providing day to day advice.

The green beauty world to me is much more than luscious balms, mesmerising scents and textures (although those are marvellous!), it has become a powerful movement lately, a community that shares, that uplifts, that is certain of its convictions. I see passionate, intelligent formulators with strong- minded personalities. I am happy to see this is a community where women are thriving but also collaborating and sharing and there is immense power in that. At the end of the day, being part of this community makes me feel connected, empowered and greatly resonates with me.  

Although green beauty has become synonymous to ‘non toxic’, I am wholeheartedly against this form of marketing and I cannot stand for fear mongering in any shape or form. This is not why I’m such a passionate advocate of green beauty. But yes, I do believe that if a brand chooses to omit emulsifiers, stabilisers, unnecessary fillers, perfume and silicones in their formulations and instead products are brimming with botanicals, actives, plants oils and butters then they are more often than not exceptional and perform extraordinarily well. I would rather see a brand celebrating that, rather than utilising fear tactics. From my own experience, I was unable to achieve the results I wanted solely using conventional skincare brands and my skin has never looked better since integrating green products. I’m happy that my skincare products are mostly handcrafted by real people, in small batches and with love, care and attention.

Welcome again, I think this is the beginning of something very special and I am so pleased you are here with me!

All my love,

Zarah

xxx