HoliFrog natural cleansers are the next generation of cleansers, formulated to make your skincare routine a whole lot simpler. Clinically-effective and multi-functional cleansers are all HoliFrog make – because they believe that’s all your skin needs, in addition to sunscreen, water and regular breaks from the internet.
Meet the faces behind HoliFrog natural cleansers below, including why they are big believers in stripping back your skincare routine to cleansers only, and learn what ‘HoliFrog’ really means.
How did you arrive at the brand name ‘HoliFrog’?
It sounds gimmicky, right? Well it’s more than just a story, it’s also science! Here’s the backstory, which I learned about while touring an integral health and wellness centre in New York. Frogs’ skin is so permeable that they can’t survive in toxic environments at any levels because their skin absorbs everything that touches it. Scientists actually observe frogs as an environmental gauge for how polluted an area is. Holi is short for Holistic but also a nod to Holy, as if to say our formulas are “blessed” with nutrition. Just as frogs are a part of a larger ecosystem, your skin is one organ that is connected to the rest of your body. So we formulated using only hardworking, proven ingredients, omitting useless filler and potential irritants.
Tell us more about who is behind HoliFrog natural cleansers.
I own a PR agency in New York that specialises in clean beauty brands that are founder-led. For the past 7 years, I have been helping brands craft their messaging in the press, which creates a dialogue with the consumer. I’ve been fortunate to have a front-row seat during a time of major industry disruption, which has allowed me to really glean insight on what is both important and necessary in building a brand today. My partner, Majeed, is clean beauty whisperer in the retail space. With his ability to build a global footprint with the best retail partners and my knowledge of storytelling and awareness, he likes to refer to us as the “wonder twins.” Humbly speaking, we would be remiss to not put our learnings to good use!
Why did you decide to base the range launch around cleansing?
We are an intellectual wash-first progressive skincare line. While there are so many cleansers on the market, we felt that no one was “hero-ing” the category. We’ve come a long way since “lather, rinse, repeat”. Washing your face isn’t the sort of thing you overthink, but really should have more thought put into it than is the current situation. We’re here to say that cleanser counts, big time. Washing your face is a non-negotiable. And not doing so properly is like eating a salad without washing the leaves (imagine those consequences!). There is so much innovation coming out of the serum, cream and mask categories but we found that cleansers were supremely overlooked and under-thought. The majority of them are water and surfactants with a few key ingredients sprinkled in for good measure. We imagined a world where cleansers could deliver that fresh canvas but do so by also flooding the skin with nutrient dense formulas.
What main ingredients do you advise all green beauties avoid in their cleansers?
Every brand has their “No List” of banned ingredients; ours is called the HoliSh*t List. Most of the usual offenders like SLS + SLES, Parabens, Phthlates have been addressed by the majority of brands. So I don’t want to harp on old news. I think it’s important to look for cleansers that use coconut or glucose derived surfactants (cleansing agents), as these are the most gentle and mild. But beyond the form of surfactant, the percentage is really important. Surfactants have a VERY high pH (10) and you want your cleanser to hover around 5ish. Therefore, read the ingredient label carefully. If you see 4-7 different surfactants all huddled around the top of the ingredient list, there is a good chance the percentage of these cleansing agents is high and will be pretty stripping. My best piece of advice is: get familiar INCI lists. There are great websites like InciDecoder.com that will give you a digestible definition for any ingredient in question.
The other thing to look for with oil-based cleansers, like a balm, is Ethylhexyl Palmitate. This ingredient isn’t bad per se but many brands use it as the 1st or 2nd ingredient. It’s not an oil; it’s a mixture of fatty alcohol and palmitic acid and used to give a dry slip effect! If you are buying an anhydrous (waterless) oil-based formula, then the 1st and 2nd ingredients should be oils! This is a huge sticking point for me.
How do you recommend using the Holifrog natural cleansers alone or as duos?
One-and-done isn’t going to cut it when there’s skin in the game (literally!). Whether you consider your skin as dry, oily, combo or “normal,” all those skin cells turn over just the same, so your routine should keep up. Personally, I like to think of my wash routine as “situational cleansing.” Hear me out on this…
When your face is feeling congested and dull, something with a gentle AHA exfoliant will help shimmy those microscopic dead skin flakes away, revealing smooth baby skin underneath. My personal situation for Shasta AHA Refining Acid Wash is post-workout when I need to dig deep and wipe out the gym grime.
If it’s parched, you’ll need something a bit more pampering to keep things plush and cushy. My personal situation for Tashmoo Water Lily Nourishing Milky Wash is when I first wake up and need to flood my skin with hydration and amino acids. Some mornings, I add a little scrub to Tashmoo for circulating effects.
And when your pores are evicting sebum like it’s going out of business, that’s when the extra elbow grease is needed. And yes, you do, in fact, fight oil with oil. My personal situation for Kissimmee Vitamin F Therapy Balmy Wash is at night when I’m wearing the entire day on my face; I always double cleanse, so follow it up with Superior Omega Nutritive Gel Wash.
We’ve all got cravings and so does our skin. But you should actually listen to your skin.
