After suffering from various skin issues, Chey Birch decided it was time to go toxin-free. In a little bowl with a black chicken painted on it, she began blending essential oils and therapeutic botanical extracts to create a natural remedy. Little did she realize that this kitchen experiment would lead to an entire skincare line making a physical, mental, and emotional difference to people from all around the world. Read on more to find out about Chey and her brand:
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and why you started Black Chicken Remedies?
I live in Sydney and I love swimming and the ocean! I swim 1km every day and paddleboard on Sydney Harbour. I have 2 Burmese cats who often come paddleboard with me! I am passionate about natural remedies, nature, oils and simplifying life. Originally, I was seeking natural alternatives to solve my own health issues. My desires were to use organic and natural ingredients so as not to overload my system with toxins and chemicals found in everyday mass brands professing miracles and cures. I wanted people to have products for their body, face, and mind on hand that worked, that wasn’t going to cause toxic build-up and be the cause of many allergies and health-related issues e.g. endocrine disruptors leading to bigger health issues. It all started with a little bowl with a black chicken painted on the bottom – this is how I made my first body oil. We don’t make skincare with the intention to look, smell or feel good; it’s created to make a difference on a physical, mental and emotional level. After all, that’s what a true remedy does.
Picture Courtesy: Black Chicken Remedies
Can you tell us why it is so important for people to start using products that are toxin-free?
Most of us pay attention to what we put into our bodies but we should also look at what we put on our bodies with our skincare routine. The skin is the largest organ of the body and what we put onto it is absorbed directly into it. Don’t let toxic chemicals be absorbed by your cells and pass through your vital organs. So pay attention to the ingredients in your skincare products.
Don’t let toxic chemicals be absorbed by your cells and pass through your vital organs.
What are some ingredients to avoid?
- Avoid mineral oils, petroleum jelly, liquid paraffin, and petrolatum – these are all sold as remedies for dry skin but instant relief will also result in long-term worsening of the problem as their additives clog the pores and strip the skin of natural oils, making your skin dependant on these toxins.
- Beware of ingredients with “eth” in the name like laureth or “oxynol” or “PEG” as these have been linked with cancer and known to interfere with the reproductive hormones.
- Avoid formaldehyde-releasing ingredients. Companies use them as preservatives but it is known to be extremely toxic. E.g. Ingredients listing Urea.
- Avoid parabens as these are known to interfere with normal hormone functioning. They are used as preservatives in moisturizers and can cause allergic reactions and skin rashes. They have also been found in breast cancer tumors!
- Avoid synthetic fragrances. The word fragrance can refer to thousands of ingredients, most of which are not required to be listed so you don’t know what that nice smelling spray is doing to you. Look out for Hyper-pigmentation i.e. nasty brown spots, as these may be an outward reaction, which makes you wonder what is happening at a cellular level. Look for products with 100% natural claims. Nature has some amazing smells!
- Avoid artificial colors. I know nice yellow cream looks good, but any ingredient with a number after it was derived from Coal tar which is known to cause cancer. They are not needed – you want your skin to be skin color and it already is.
It’s a minefield I know, but stick to products as close to nature as possible and you will be fine. Harmful toxins don’t grow on trees – Have you heard of a DEA, Urea, Ethyl, Butyl, propyl, or benzoate, tree?
Every ingredient in the Black Chicken Remedies range of products is there to nourish your mind and body.
What has been the business challenge in scaling your business?
No matter how much demand for the products there is – There is absolutely no change to any formula – the only difference is the quantity made. We scale our production according to demand and it has quadrupled! We have a process of strict testing on each batch to ensure consistency. It’s the very same process – just on a larger scale.
