Icons: Gab Abell of Studium Essentials
Gab formed Studium Essentials as an ode to the skin. In an industry congested with misinformation and green washing, Studium is devoted to honouring science, plant wisdom and ritual. Gab was so generous to share her knowledge surrounding the integumentary system with us, read below for part one of our interview.
Hi Gab! Thank you for answering some of my burning skincare questions!
My pleasure Alice - I am so happy to be here!
How did you first become interested in skin health?
I had chronic cystic acne when I was 17 which meant lots of visits to the dermatologist and rounds of Roaccutane medication. However, even though my skin was screaming at me that something deeper was happening, it didn’t really register with me. It kind of just seemed like a right of passage. It wasn’t until I started studying Naturopathy at 21 that I started to join the dots together - lots of ‘aha’ moments! Since then my love for skin health has continued to grow, I’m still learning everyday.
How did you come to create Studium Essentials? What was your inspiration behind the skin care line?
Honestly, I never ever thought in a million years that I would be creating skincare. It started with my dear friend Amelia of a. reaching out to me and encouraging me to start my own business selling natural perfumes which I was just making for friends and family at the time. The idea of having something like that out in the world was terrifying to me, I was riddled with doubt. As any business owner, artist, musician etc would know creating something and sharing it with others can be so vulnerable. But I worked through that and from perfumes it kind of just grew to skincare.
Simply put, at the heart of studium are the things that I love: cooking, plants, art & nerding out over chemistry. Formulating products is a balance between all those things - science & art. I get to use both sides of my brain.
How do you spend your time when you’re not working on Studium products?
If I’m not in the studio making you can usually find me working in maker store & studio, a retail space that I part-own with four other amazing, creative women HALLE, Yuni, Valenteen & a. If I’m not there I’ll be cooking, bushwalking, in the ocean or spending time with loved ones over good food & wine!
What do you find to be the most common misconception about ‘natural’ skincare?
It irks me when brands make vague claims that their products are free of ‘toxins’ or ‘chemicals’ etc. Those types of claims are thrown around so much and seem so redundant to me. For example our skin makes over 20 different chemicals - lots of those we can’t pronounce. Synthetic or ‘natural’ - it doesn't matter. From a molecular point of view, they’re still classed as ‘chemicals’. I used to turn my nose up at formulations that had lengthy words or ‘chemicals’ that I couldn’t pronounce too, but since diving into the world of cosmetic chemistry I am beginning to really appreciate that each ingredient does have an important role in a formula. That’s not to say some particular ingredients aren’t harmful but it’s just about awareness.
For this reason I really admire brands that educate their audience about ingredients and why they are used, whether that be in beauty or even health professionals teaching body literacy. It’s something that I’m working on behind the scenes with studium at the moment - I’m excited to share with everyone!
Do you have any lifestyle and dietary tips for improved skin health and complexion?
This is a tricky one because everyone is different so what works for one person may not work for another. A general rule of thumb though is plenty of water (filtered if you can), quality food/nutrients that works for your body, time spent in nature and doing things that light you up and bring you joy in life. It’s cliche but it is true. And of course all the herbs! My favorites are Nettle, Calendula, Motherwort, Gotu kola and Ginger. Personally I love to splash my face with cold water in the morning (or ocean swim if you’re close to the beach) it really does make you look and feel so vital. Or you can glide an ice cube over your face after cleansing - just be careful of extreme temperature changes if you have rosacea or are prone to broken capillaries.
I love that your products are friendly to the integumentary system’s microbiome — how can we prevent damage to our skin’s ecosystem?
Simplicity is best, sticking to a small handful of products that you love and work for you. Think about how much your skin needs to adapt when you are (potentially) using a cleanser, toner, moisturiser, serum, oil, SPF, concealer, foundation, bronzer, highlighter, brow liner, mascara, eyeshadow & setting powder all before walking out the door of a morning! It’s a lot of product and no doubt each will have a different pH. I’m not throwing shade at anyone who has this routine, if that’s what makes you feel good - go for it. But for the sake of skin I love to give myself at least two days and nights a week with no product used at all (just water to cleanse). Our skin needs rest too. Another way to look after our skin’s delicate microbial balance is to go gently and stick to (as above) a handful of products that work for you. I can see the temptation to nuke your skin during a breakout - I’ve been there.You want to throw the harshest, the most “Oh this feels uncomfortable/burny/tingly on my skin so it must be working” products on all at once. This can be really damaging to our skin long term.
One of my all time favourite recipes for promoting a healthy skin barrier is equal parts unflavoured full fat greek yoghurt (or the contents of 2 probiotic capsules if you’re vegan) and high grade manuka honey (local, raw honey is fine too though). It’s the perfect balance of acids, probiotics, prebiotics and enzymes. It works for all skin and is just as effective as that $200 face mask - promise! If you are feeling fancy you can add powdered herbs like rose or a pinch of cinnamon and turmeric.
Have the principles of naturopathy influenced your products?
Absolutely, in every way. Some days I want to scream the magic of plants from the rooftops and others I want to keep it to myself. The extracts I use in the sunshine serum are all made by me (this process can take 4-6 weeks depending on the herb) and the face and body oils are all infused with herbs the slow way too. Each product is made with intention and so much love/passion. I hope that transmutes when people use them.