Ordinary Skincare is a beauty range from Cape Town that aims to moisturise and shield skin. The products are formulated especially for dry and sensitive skin types and protecting Capetonians from the elements of the sun, sea and sand. We caught up with Dr Claire Jamieson and Robert Rae from Ordinary Skincare to find out how to keep your skin looking healthy and glowing.

How has Cape Town inspired the ranges from Ordinary Skincare Co?

Cape Town – like Sydney, the Mediterranean, and Southern California – enjoys a wonderful sunny oceanic climate. It’s a great place to be, but is tough on the skin! So where better to create a new range of high-quality product designed to offer really great results?

We created the Moisturising Balm to fulfill a need we identified personally. Whilst testing, we had such a positive response from our volunteers that we wondered if we could make a South African brand of skin care that was honest, no nonsense and authentic. We also decided that we wanted our products to be exceptional both outside and inside. So the packaging had to be simply beautiful and the creams the best possible. Like Cape Town. A beautiful city with authentic people!

We do not promise anti-ageing, we promise beautiful soft skin every time you use our products.

We also wanted to create an online store so wherever you are you can obtain our products. We even deliver free! Many worry about the internet and shopping – not with us. The latest 3D security, and Aramex to securely courier your order right to your door or place of work. Visit our site and you’ll land on Table Mountain – an icon of Cape Town! Watch the umbrellas pop open against the sun and rain – and then the moon races across the sky – just like our products will race to you!

We drew on olive oil, grape seed oil and aloe ferox all commercially grown crops from the Western Cape. All have been used on skin for centuries and the crops are sustainable as well as providing employment.

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Which Ordinary Skincare product should be in everyone’s beauty cupboard?

Claire: The Moisturising Balm is my hero product. It is completely free of chemicals of any kind. Containing only vegetable waxes and beeswax. It can be used anywhere on any skin at any time. But please – only use a LITTLE!! It’s very rich and hydrating – and a little is all you will need.

Robert: The Day Cream + SPF is indispensable. The South African sun is harsh and UV rays penetrate the skin all around the year, so the hydrating non-greasy sun protection is a great daily choice. But we should all remember – while we call our product a sun cream – it is really for any time you are outside. Did you know the mid-range UVB rays are 40% more potent on CLOUDY days than when sunny – because of the diffusing effect of the clouds? Water intensifies the UVA and UVB through reflection.

Name your biggest no-no when it comes to skin care.

Claire: Slapping on every anti-ageing miracle cream you can lay your hands on. It is so bad for the skin to be exposed to so many irritants. Rather ‘flat age’. That means to look after your skin and treat it with respect. Einstein proved you cannot travel backwards in time! So nothing the beauty industry has to offer will make this happen. But you CAN keep your skin healthy all your life – Flat Ageing – by moisturizing and protecting yourself from the sun.

Robert: Using too much detergent too often. Detergent strips the fatty cells of the skin that keeps it moist and plump. Chemists call it emulsifying. Dermatologists call it premature ageing! I call it dry skin after showering with a hotel’s fancy shower gel or using a shampoo rich in detergents! So use less, and don’t use it every time! Another thing to watch are those antiperspirants – they can really cause trouble too! Claire listed all the chemicals she used one day in all six closely written pages – and some surprises! In the European Union – probably the toughest cosmetic testing regimen in the world – some chemicals we use on our skins are licensed assuming we will wash them off completely after 8 hours! So take care what you choose to apply! Be informed!

If you can, make sure you use products licensed for sale in the EU – as they will have been Safety Assessed (400 pages of expert analysis of everything in each product). With a slightly lighter wallet, you then receive approval and an entry into – you guessed it – databases around Europe.
All our products are EU approved, because there is only one standard of treatment we will accept for our skin – the best.

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What is your best advice for Capetonians this upcoming summer?

Be sun aware. The burning UV rays can bounce off walls and windows, sand and water. They can be stronger on cloudy days too. So wear a daily sunscreen, cover up in the bright midday sun, and take special care of small children and babies. Use Ordinary Skincare Day Cream +SPF , of course! Take special care when doing a ‘little bit of gardening’ or a ‘short run on the hill’ – this is when the trouble can begin.

Besides using great products, what other healthy habits will help us achieve radiant skin all year round?

The number one rule is do not smoke! Nothing ages skin quite as effectively as cigarette smoking.

Overexposure to the sun is also terribly bad for skin, and skin cancer is caused by sunburn. Regular cleansing and patting your skin dry with a clean towel is important. I do not like face cloths that sit around gathering germs. Use a basic good quality moisturizer, and avoid putting things on your skin that you can’t spell!

Remember your skin is multifunctional, and your largest organ. Not only does it literally keep you together it also acts to control our temperature, gathers information from the environment and transmits information about you to the outside world. It can regulate moisture, and absorb all sorts of chemicals.
Wear gloves when using detergents, wear a hat outside and touch and feel life with your skin.

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Dr Claire Jamieson from Ordinary Skincare

Photography Courtesy

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