Yanka skincare
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Yanka Skincare grew from Scotland-based founder Renata Radzicka’s long fascination with essential oils and natural botanicals. Years of researching, testing and experimenting with ingredients eventually led her to create a skincare brand rooted in nature and thoughtful formulation. I caught up with Renata to talk about her approach to essential oils, botanical ingredients and how Yanka products aim to connect mind, body and senses.
‘Essential oils have two important dimensions. The first is their aromatherapeutic quality –how scent can influence our mood, emotions and overall sense of wellbeing. The second is their effect on the skin itself, through the natural compounds that can support and care for the skin, such as calming inflammation, supporting regeneration or helping to balance the skin’ explains Renata. She continues, ‘Essential oils are incredibly complex natural substances. Each one contains many different active compounds that can be beneficial, but they are also very concentrated botanical extracts. In their pure form they are extremely potent, which is why they must always be formulated properly.’
A creative soul, Renata has explored the efficacy of natural essential oils (rather than the mainstream synthetic options) through home scents, aromatherapy and later her own eco-conscious candle range. Renata originally trained as a laboratory technician, so formulation came quite naturally to her. After experimenting with botanical oils for friends and family, she went on to create her first skincare product the Moisturising Body Oils, in 2018. Encouraged by the positive response, Yanka Skincare officially came to life in 2020.
These rich balms are presented in small jars and made with nourishing botanical ingredients including coconut oil, cocoa butter, argan oil and vitamin E. The formulations are scented with carefully balanced essential oil blends, available in two aromatic combinations: Mandarin and Grapefruit, or Geranium and Bergamot. Emboldened by the positive reactions to the body oil, Renata continued into skincare, launching the bestselling Oil-to-Milk Cleansing Oil and the Tetra C+E Face Serum.
As someone with sensitive skin who understands the importance of getting the cleansing stage right, I could never find a cleanser I was really satisfied with – that wasn’t over textured but still deeply cleansed. Renata explains, ‘The formulation begins as a lightweight oil that gently lifts impurities from the skin. When water is added, it transforms into a soft milky emulsion that rinses away easily, leaving the skin clean but still comfortable and nourished. ‘She continues, ‘an important aspect of this formulation is that once water is added the product forms an emulsion with a skin-friendly pH of around 5.5, helping maintain the natural balance of the skin.’ Formulated from a rich blend of premium plant oils including safflower seed oil, apricot kernel oil and camellia, the cleansing experience is enriched with the enticing aromatic blends of lemon balm and sweet orange peel essential oil.
Another hero product is Yanka skincare’s Tetra C+E Face Serum; as a discerning face serum user, I even carry the magical mini bottle in my bag if my skin feels dull or aggressed. A sumptuous texture it deeply glides into the skin without overloading the skin surface: ‘I chose Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate as the form of Vitamin C because it is highly stable, gentle on the skin and easily absorbed. Once inside the skin it converts into pure Vitamin C, providing antioxidant support,’ explains Renata, ‘Vit E adds further antioxidant protection, whilst Acmella Oleracea extract – often called ‘natural botox’ – contains a compound called spilanthol that is valued for its skin soothing properties.’ The additional blend of light fruit oils– watermelon seed, apple seed, pomegranate seed, raspberry, to name a few –add a calming, mood enhancing element to this age defying oil.
Whilst working with the skin’s microbiome and easy to use, Yanka skincare utilises the essential oil aromas to create a self-ritual around the skincare experience; to use the oils is to breathe, pause, reflect. From using the oils, it is clear what a skilled formulator Renata is; in blending such an array of ingredients with expert precision, ‘achieving the right balance in all the formulations is essential.’ So, what are the challenges to sourcing such high premium, natural ingredients as an independent brand? ‘It is time consuming because even when the ingredients are technically the same, they can vary from different suppliers,’ she muses, ‘because scent plays such an important role in my formulations I work only with reputable UK and EU suppliers – all ingredients come with source lineage, traceability and documentation.’ Yanka skincare also aims for sustainable supply chain evolving as they grow: the skincare products are packaged in glass containers, which are fully recyclable and reusable. Shipping boxes are made from recyclable cardboard and filled with natural, biodegradable plant-based packing materials rather than plastic. For products such as scrubs, where plastic packaging is used for safety, the containers are also fully recyclable.
What are the future plans for this niche, exciting brand? ‘Our focus at Yanka Skincare is on continuing to grow and reaching more people who appreciate natural, thoughtfully formulated skincare. I’m also very interested in sharing the craft behind the products, perhaps through small workshops or hands-on experiences where people can learn more about natural ingredients and the formulation process,’ Renata explains. She concludes, ‘For me, Yanka has always been as much about curiosity and connection as it is about the products themselves.’