I thought I'd share with you my journey to how I came to where I am today with our new skincare range, Naked Klay.

Growing up was hard. As soon as I got to high school, I was bullied and teased because of my skin. It had started breaking out terribly and it was emotionally hard going to school every day having to deal with the hurtful words and name calling. This went on for months on end until one day everything changed. 

I remember going to a party and mum let me wear her makeup and the foundation she gave me covered up all my so called “imperfections”. As I entered the party I was instantly treated like a completely different person. People that were once teasing me were now telling me how beautiful I looked and I suddenly didn't feel embarrassed and ugly, instead I felt accepted and beautiful. 

From that day on I wore makeup (foundation in particular) everywhere I went. Throughout my teenage and adult years I always searched for the perfect cover up. The best natural looking foundation. 

However, no matter how much I covered up, it didn’t solve any of my insecurities. I longed for walking out of the house without makeup. I didn’t want to cover up anymore, I just wanted to feel naturally beautiful and comfortable in my own skin. For years I went out with my makeup on, constantly being complimented on my beauty, but I’d go home and feel so ugly. I didn’t like who I saw in the mirror when all the makeup came off.

My daughter is a makeup artist and has a passion for skincare, always following the latest trends in beauty. A few years ago she came to me and told me she wanted to start her own skincare and makeup line and she asked if I would join her. It made me think that all these years I've been trying to find the perfect foundation to cover up my skin instead of trying to find the perfect skincare to expose my natural beauty. I couldn't find it, so we began to create it.

I’ve always had a passion for and studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Along the way, I also completed my studies in Cosmetic Chemistry. In the early days of creating our brand, through trialling and testing we found the perfect combination that started giving my own skin great results and along with this came great confidence. 

I soon realised I wasn’t only working on creating a skincare range, I was also working on self-love. I began to question what the definition of beauty was and who defines it? I began to look at people, really look, and I found that beauty was everywhere. I started to question “why are we trying so hard to fit in, when we are born to stand out”. 

I remember going to the shops with my daughter through these awakenings and I wasn’t wearing any makeup. I was driving home and said to her “do you know this is the first time since I was a teenager that I have stepped out of the house without any makeup?”

I remember saying, I finally feel happy in my own skin, that had improved so much with our skincare range, but it was more than that. I have minor scars and pigmentation on my face but I started looking at them in a different light, I owned them and became proud of them. I even looked at the stretch marks on my body from having 3 wonderful children and saw them as a beautiful reminder of what I have and no longer feel like I need to hide.

It's great to be able to create a wonder skincare range that helps enhance the natural beauty we all have, but it's equally great to feel comfortable if that odd pimple pops up or a rash breaks out. 

Oh and you're probably wondering if I still wear makeup. Of course I do at times, who doesn’t love a great red lippy! But now I wear makeup when I feel like expressing myself instead of hiding behind it.

My daughter and I made a promise to each other: We will not stop trying to help other people feel comfortable in their own skin along our journey.

Danielle - Co-Founder of Naked Klay

Read Co-Founder Pamela’s blog – “Feel empowered by your natural beauty” for more insight on how Naked Klay evolved into the brand we are today.