Handmade Skin Care is my Passion!

Hello!  I am Pauline Thompson, Skin Care Alchemist and founder of Imago Skincare.  Handmade Skincare is my passion, which is why I still love making Imago Skincare after 20 years!  I like nothing better than formulating plant-based, luxurious but cost-effective products that work!

I started making skincare several years ago after attending training courses in Forres, Scotland with Kolbjorn Borseth, director of Aromantic Skincare. Ever since the training, I have been working towards creating my range of products containing the best ingredients to nourish and care for your skin. The products were designed for specific skin types or needs and I choose ingredients carefully so as to get results.  My first ever range was the Firm and Nourish Range.   I have been known to spend 3 years perfecting a product.

 

Honesty is the Best Policy!

You won’t see any exaggerated claims on this website!  The foundation of my brand is honesty – I formulate the products by researching the ingredients that will help achieve the solution, or benefit I’m looking for.  You can ask me anything and always get an honest answer!

To me, it is essential that you can trust me!  I will not try to mislead you, what you see is what you get.  You can ask me anything and always get an honest answer!

 

Why I Chose the Name For My Products

People often wonder where the name Imago Skincare came from.  Imago is the term used to describe the final stage in the development of a butterfly, (and other insects), when they become those beautiful creatures we all know and love so much!

Because Imago skincare can really transform your skin it struck me as the perfect name for my range!

 

I’m Passionate about my Handmade Skincare – but what do other people think?

 

If you would like to see what my customers think of my products, you can read my Trustpilot reviews.  I have many reviews and testimonials that I have collected over the years – they can be found here.

 

If you want to ask me anything about my skincare products, please get in touch via Facebook

Or you can email me here

Handmade Skincare is My Passion – but being honest is very important to me

 

The term “natural” means different things to different people because it is not legally regulated!

My aim is to make the best, solution-focused skincare that I can, using the best quality plant-based ingredients from a couple of trusted suppliers. I feel that it is important to tell you what MY version of natural means.

• Most of my ingredients can be called natural in the purest sense of the word and many are organic.  This means that the chemical composition is identical to the plant from which it is derived. Most of my ingredients fit into this category!
• Other ingredients, while derived from plants, have gone through a chemical/manufacturing process
  which changes their chemical composition.   Some products, such as emulsifiers, are necessary if you want to make a cream or a lotion. I use a few different emulsifiers and, when a palm-free emulsifier became available, I reformulated many of my products.

Synthetically Processed Ingredients

• Some ingredients are synthetically processed but have the exact chemical composition of the natural
  alternative.  This option is often used when the plant in question, is either really expensive or difficult to source, or simply because it is not possible to harvest enough to supply the ingredients to everyone who uses them!  My take is that if it is chemically identical and safe, it is fine by me.

 

Preservatives Used in Imago Handmade Skincare

• Now the biggie that causes lots of concern – preservatives! I use two, broad-spectrum preservatives
  in my products.
• Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin A versatile and effective, broad-spectrum preservative suitable for leave-on and rinse-off formulations. It is palm-free, formaldehyde-free, vegan and biodegradable. 
• Benzyl alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium sorbate, Aqua, Tocopherol An efficient broad-spectrum, Palm Free Preservative that works with products.  Suitable for use with leave-on and rinse-off products.  Preservatives are necessary for water-based products. I am hoping to move to more natural preservatives, but my first concern is that my products are safe and free from bacteria and mould.  In the past, I changed to a natural preservative but had to recall the products when the manufacturer announced that it wasn’t effective!  That shook my confidence in the new product to some extent.  I choose to use only preservatives that are regulated and considered as safe in skin care. There are lots of arguments about preservatives but my view is that an effective preservative is essential.

Testing and Safety

• Each and every product is subject to a safety test, and in addition, A certified Chemist tests each batch of every water-based product.
• If you have any questions about my products, just ask – I will guarantee a straightforward and honest answer!

 

I believe that I have a natural ability to choose ingredients that make the best possible product. As a qualified aromatherapist, I use well-selected essential oils to fragrance my skincare and specifically choose the oils to enhance their effectiveness in the products. The products have a holistic aspect in that the essential oils have therapeutic effects, such as stress relief or enhanced sleep.

I formulate, produce, label, bottle and ship the products, therefore, I have full responsibility for quality control!

I have been using my products as a therapist for several years – when wearing my therapist hat, I have another business – a thriving salon where we use all my products.  Our clients love them and they are now our best-selling retail line.  People who use the products often comment that they cannot believe the difference they make to their skin!

 

Handmade Skincare is My Passion – I love each stage…

Checking the documentation. Before I begin, I check my documentation from batches I have made in the past.

The Fat Stage -Weighing the “fat stage” for the product.  This contains all the oils and fats, like Shea butter or Argan Oil.

Weighing the water Stage – this involves the water, or hydrosols that go into the product.   I use emulsifiers to make a lotion or cream.  Emulsifiers help to combine the fat and water stages.

Weighing the heat-sensitive ingredients.  It is important to add the more delicate ingredients at the correct temperature, so as not to destroy their benefits.  Excessive heat can destroy the benefits of ingredients used in Step 4.   This is particularly true of vitamins.

Heating the product.  I then have to heat both of these stages separately to 80 degrees

 

When the magic happens!

Combining the two Stages. I then need to combine the ingredients by whisking them for a very short time, then I stir the formulation until the magic happens. This is my favourite stage of making a product. The temperature has to cool down to 40 degrees. I stir it very frequently during this stage.

I stir the product until it cools to 40 degrees, before adding the stage 3 ingredients.  This is because heat can damage the ingredients in this stage.  I have to wait until the product cools down to 25 degrees, before adding the essential oils.  This is because essential oils are volatile and heat would affect the properties and scent of the oils.

I then bottle the product, using my labour-saving, hand-operated bottle filler.

Labelling, the final stage – I carry out all these steps myself, therefore, quality control is in my hands!