This year at the Indie Beauty Expo (see post on best sellers), I met several inspiring entrepreneurs in the 'natural' beauty space, but one of them, the Founder of Edible Beauty, Anna Mitsios, really intrigued me. As an Austrailian naturopath working in a fertility clinic, she studied the affects of skincare ingredients on hormones, which brought upon her passion project, Edible Beauty.

If you were to begin each day with an intention, what would it be and why?

I begin each day with the intention of touching the lives of as many people as I can on the importance of “edible” pure beauty and achieving vitality through the use of pure foods and botanicals. I feel as though there is definitely a need to educate as many people as possible on how they can make the small changes they need to to achieve optimal energy and health. As cliche as it does sound I always think I am given all the resources I need to do this.

Congratulations on the launch of Edible Beauty! What inspired you to create it?

I became inspired to start my own skin care range about 2 years ago when treating clients in a fertility clinic and seeking a way to improve the management of my own auto-immune condition. My naturopathic practice focused on assisting women who were wanting to conceive so I was recommending products which were free of anything that would disrupt hormone balance, including fragrances, preservatives and alcohol. As we absorb about 60% of what we put on our skin I was wanting to find something truly “edible”. It was difficult for me to find products that I could use and recommend that were both 100% natural and also luxurious. I felt there was a need for a product range which was pure enough to be “edible”, but that was also luxurious and a sensual delight to use so I embarked on creating my own range.

How can skincare affect hormones and what makes Edible Beauty different?

Many skincare products on the market contain chemicals which disrupt hormone levels. One of the largest category of these ingredients is xenoestrogens which are found in everything from skincare to household products and our food. Xenoestrogens are normally found in the form of parabens and preservatives in skincare products. They lock onto our oestrogen receptor sites and mimic the way that oestrogen works thereby contributing to an excess in oestrogen in the body which will interfere with our efforts to conceive.

Perfluorinated chemicals (also known as PFCs) are another sub category of toxins found in skincare which can also impact fertility detrimentally. They have been shown in research to contribute to a range of fertility issues in both men and women.

One study conducted by UCLA researcher Chunyuan Fei, and published online in Human Reproduction, states that women with higher-than-normal levels of PFC’s have exhibited a 60-154% higher risk of infertility than those who do not. PFCs have been also shown to affect the fertility of males by decreasing the overall health and motility of their sperm.

The Edible Beauty range contains none of these hormone disrupting chemicals, yet is still therapeutic and luxurious. We have formulated our products to be rich in Australian wildcrafted plants, botanicals and vitamins which work so effectively at healing, rejuvenating and nourishing the skin.

Here's an article from Mind Body Green on Fertility Friendly Skincare.

What’s your hero ingredient across your core four and what does it do?

All of our core Four contains wildcrafted Australian ingredients which really sets apart our range. One of my favourite ingredients is the Kakadu Plum which is found in our No. 3 Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum. This is an incredible ingredient and truly boosts the antioxidant levels of our serum. The reason why it is so antioxidant rich is that is found rowing in arid, remote regions of Australia so it needs to develop a strong antioxidant defence to survive the harsh conditions of the outback. When we use these conditions in our skincare, these super antioxidants transfer across to our skin. The Kakadu Plum has the world’s highest plant based source of vitamin C. So it works so effectively to boost collagen production and brighten and repair the skin.

As a naturopath, what’s the number one lesson you preach to your clients?

It seems a little unconventional however the first thing I love getting my clients to do is to identify their passion, their mission and what makes their heart sing. When they do this it becomes so easy for them to make the changes to their lifestyle and diet that they need to make to get them on track. I simultaneously have them quit all added sugar products and provide them with customised herbal botanical elixirs designed to recharge and heal. Once they are onto this regime for a few weeks we are able to make easy and wonderful progress on their health goals, whatever they may be.

Are there any new beauty trends or research that’s exciting you right now?

The gut and skin axis is an area of research that I am so excited and fascinated by. The ability for probiotics and gut health to influence our skin is being highlighted in some ground breaking research studies. We have such a wonderful capacity to utilise this evidence in achieving beautiful and vibrant skin. Both the topical and internal application of probiotics is something we will be exploring in more detail in the near future. It really does highlight the importance of “turning beauty inside out”.

What’s next for you as an entrepreneur?

I am always thinking about new products to add to our range! We have an exciting series of products soon to be released which I truly believe will be a wonderful beauty boosting tool for us all. We are also working on plans to expand into Europe as it is currently an untouched territory for us.

Dish on the best advice you’ve ever gotten.

The best advice I have ever gotten is to not be afraid of making mistakes. By making mistakes in all areas of our life we truly learn and grow. So take a risk, do something daring that you are passionate about and if you fall, just get back on your feet quickly and find another way to chase your dreams.