Akvile the Founder

How did SA begin?

My doctorate took a lot out of me and, more specifically, my skin. After it was completed I decided enough, was enough - I wanted healthier skin and I was going to try my hardest to make it happen.

I’ve had problems with my skin for as long as I can remember. I could list all the issues, but we’d be here all day. Basically, in short, I have combination, acne prone skin. My skin type is complicated, which means that it’s an uphill battle trying to reduce my blemishes. I’m still struggling but it’s different now - I know what I’m doing.

In the past nothing reduced my spots, and I tried everything (moisturizers, cleansers, spot-treatments, oral medication…). I was a serial product hopper, the phrase ‘the more the merrier’ comes to mind when I think back to my routine - I piled the products on in an attempt to rid myself of blemishes and/or prevent new ones as effectively as possible. But this method mainly led to skin irritation, and a waste of both my time & money. Not ideal.

I decided to put my love of research and passion for facts to the test. I knew I needed to do three things: re-evaluate, research and commit.

The more research I did the more obvious my mistakes became. Firstly, I never knew exactly what I was using on my skin, ingredients really do matter. Secondly, I had no consistent routine, I was impatient. I tried to solve my skincare problems by using whichever product whenever - if they didn’t show results immediately I would move on. Lastly, my biggest mistake was not understanding the link between a healthy lifestyle and healthy skin. I realized I shouldn’t be trying to combat my skin but love it. This is when I began the SA blog - to share all my newfound skincare knowledge with the world!

How did SA grow to what it is today?

First step, I wanted clean, simple no nonsense products. But I wasn’t finding them anywhere. This is how I developed my cleanse-exfoliate-target-moisturize products & mantra. We formulate our products with care at SA. Each ingredient is chosen thoughtfully and with intent. We make sure to keep all the formulas simple & clean - we don’t use alcohol or fragrance unless absolutely necessary to the formula & no silicon, paraben or animal ingredients are used.  

Next, I knew I needed to change up my perception of the skincare to really see results. Quick-fixes do not work. Clear skin is a hard work and dedication. 

I’ve always valued research and facts, they are essential, not just in our studies but also our daily life. That’s why we always do our homework at SA - we make sure before publishing content, creating products, or giving tips and tricks, that we have the facts backing us up. We aren’t into misleading our customers into buying our products, we present them with transparency and clarity. You’ll always know what’s what.

If you want, let us know how your skincare journey is going - share your experiences on Instagram with #sharetheskincare