EXCLUSIVE interview: Forest Secrets founder Dr Barbara Olioso

You’ve written against the chemical content found in conventional cosmetics. What ingredients are used in Forest Secrets and what are their benefits?
Loads of them, it is like an orchestra playing together harmoniously, tricky to pick a prima donna out of 30 ingredients! However the lupin seed extract is a very important one because it wakes the skin up in producing more collagen, and it is amazing to see its plumping and rejuvenating effects. To me this proves iRejuvenate is a gentle and smart alternative to extreme remedies such as dermal injections, working from the outside inside out in partnership with your skin.

Forest Secrets is Vegan registered and British Union for Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) approved. Why was it important that your products were ethical?
Being ethical is very much about embracing the true essence behind the green concept, which is very much about respect (for the animals and the environment) and also thinking long term, what we leave behind once we are gone. We want to show we are authentic about our ethos and that is why we took the extra effort to get those two approvals.

You’ve worked in the natural cosmetics and skincare industry for over ten years. How do you think it’s changed over the years?
The industry has expanded a lot and now natural cosmetics are sold in supermarkets as well as posh boutiques and spas, a real market invasion.  I also see a step towards sustainable where some companies use post consumer recycled packaging and fair trade ingredients (which I use in Forest Secrets too), so the natural concept is thriving and growing in different directions.

How did Forest Secrets find their way onto the Mamma Mia! film set and onto the faces of actresses Rachel McDowell, Amanda Seyfried and Ashley Lilley?
It happened all by magic! It all started from a feature in a Health Magazine in a health food shop in London where the facialist on the film set, Nuz Shugaa, noticed Forest Secrets. She asked me for some products to try without telling me anything at the time, and the rest is history!

Do you have any other products or projects in development at the moment? Oh yes, thank you for reminding me! It is a cleanser and a toner, they will be called iClear Step 1 and iClear Step 2, the rest is secret…

ForestSecretsSkincare.com