Born of Necessity – skin barrier first skincare
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Born of Necessity, the luxury bioactive skincare range for reactive skin, launched for exactly that reason; founder and biomedical scientist, Hana Maatugh, couldn’t find anything to soothe her mother’s post chemotherapy reactive skin as she sought a few moments of uplifting self-care. Having spent decades working as a cancer diagnostic specialist in the NHS and seeing first hand the developments in molecular testing, Hana decided to bridge her advanced cellular understanding with modern skincare to create Born of Necessity, a skin barrier first range of botanically driven formulas. I caught up with her to hear the story.
‘I graduated as a biomedical scientist in 2003 and worked my way up in the NHS to become a cancer diagnostic specialist, so I worked throughout the huge developments in cell screening progammes,’ begins Hana. ‘At the start we could only screen cells on slides until years later molecular testing came in so my background really gave me exposure to look at cellular and skin tissue from all angles.’
Hana was working in cancer diagnostics all the way until 2023 when she decided to move away having nursed her mother through terminal cancer until 2022. Hana explains, ‘my first formulation was just some almond oils I put together in my own bathroom into a body oil that could give her a little bit of self-care at the time as I couldn’t find any trustworthy products on her post chemo reactive skin.’ Upon her mother’s passing Hana began to explore ingredients and the level of greenwashing in mainstream brands ‘we had no trace of cancer in any of our family and my mother was very healthy so it really makes you question everything.’
Later her ‘aha’ moment came when her young son developed devastating eczema all over the face and body; she realised she could utilise her vast knowledge of the complex skin system and bridge the gap into a skincare range having been distraught that doctors just advised her steroids as treatment. Having undergone intense research, a formulation course and consulted a dermatologist friend who advised on anti-inflammatory and emollient, the first Born of Necessity product, the Calm Soothing Barrier Balm with Blue Chamomile launched. ‘The aim of the product was to mimic the effects of a steroid working the same pathways.’ After a week her son’s eczema had faded away and she got similar results from friends and family who tested it on psoriasis and other skin inflammation.
Hana explains her skin barrier approach that lies at the heart of the Born of Necessity range; ‘protecting your skin barrier is like protecting the door otherwise if you don’t protect that door you end up in a revolving cycle of infection and inflammation.’
So as a biomedical scientist with years of experience, what exactly is her formulation process?
Hana enthuses, ‘I work all my formulas retrospectively. I don’t look at the skin surface, I look at how all the cells communicate as that is the only way you can build the cells from within. I explain it to consumers with the analogy of a person sitting on a sofa drinking a protein shake, that will not build muscle. It is the same with the skin.’
Other hero products from Born of Necessity include the Renew Bakuchiol Serum with Blue Tansy, Restore Replenishing Barrier Balm with Hemp & Oat, and the Nourish Rich Face Balm with Rose and Geranium. I talk to Hana about the rising emergence of Bakuchiol as a plant-based alternative to retinol which I have had severe and stripping reactions to. She concurs ‘there is some confusion around bakuchiol because some mainstream companies are using the oil rather than the plant extract. It is the extract which is what mimics retinol without stripping skin layers. I use pure plant extract that also helps with collagen production and skin stimulation –it also helps people suffering from rosacea.’
Born of Necessity takes a refreshingly simplistic approach to skincare, ‘I am not looking to create lots of products targeted at different skin concerns, the skin doesn’t work like that. If you look after your skin barrier and the natural microbiome your skin will be happy – you have to work with the skin’s natural biology.’ Hana determines.
Born of Necessity works with a range of unique botanical goodies including tumeric, black soap, non-nano zinc oxide, and even rosemary and argan oil in a hair oil for sensitive scalps. Hana explains her fascination with how botanicals really work together has led her to US based mentor, the famed Susan Parker, author of the bestselling Power of the Seed, who teaches of the structure of the oil and how they bond together. She laughs, ‘sometimes in middle of night I will get up to attend a session with her. I want to fully understand the affinity of the ingredients as an end product. I also look at the clinical data and how the ingredients are proven from an epigenic point of view.’
All Born of Necessity products are sourced and made in the UK, so ingredient heritage is integral to the brand’s transparency, as well as being waterless avoiding the necessity for preservatives. Whilst Hana is looking to expand brand reach she is currently busy working with the University of Huddersfield testing cancer patients, so she can create a line specifically for cancer sufferers to support them on their journey. ‘It will be different ingredients from the main line and tested specifically on cancer cell proliferation.’
With Hana’s encyclopaedic knowledge of skin cells and intense research process, Born of Necessity is a win win range you can fully trust in a confused beauty landscape.