Maybe it’s time we started asking different questions.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about the beauty industry.
Not because I think it’s broken.
Not because I think I have all the answers.
Quite the opposite.
The more I learn, the more I realize how much there still is to learn.
After more than ten years of formulating botanical skincare, I still spend evenings reading about ingredients, taking formulation courses, learning about new botanical extracts and following advances in green chemistry. Sometimes I discover an ingredient that truly excites me. Sometimes I find a better way to formulate a product I’ve been making for years. And sometimes I challenge something I once believed.
I don’t see that as changing my mind.
I see it as growing.
Lately, that growth has led me to think less about skincare itself and more about how we make decisions.
Because whether we’re buying a moisturizer, a supplement, a new kitchen gadget or the latest wellness trend, we’re all navigating the same thing.
We’re constantly being influenced.
I’ll Go First…
Can I confess something?
I’m just as susceptible to good marketing as anyone else.
I’ve watched those beautifully produced videos that seem to know exactly what problem I’m trying to solve.
You’ve probably seen them too.
The perfect lighting.
The glowing skin.
The dramatic before-and-after.
A friendly face explaining why this product is different from everything else you’ve tried.
Sometimes it’s an influencer.
Sometimes it’s an expert.
Sometimes it’s an AI-generated person who doesn’t even exist.
And before I know it, I’m thinking,
“Well… maybe this really is the answer.”
Click.
Buy Now.
Then, a day or two later, curiosity finally kicks in.
I search the company.
I read the reviews.
I look more closely at the ingredient list.
Sometimes I discover that the story wasn’t quite what it seemed.
Sometimes the reviews tell a very different story than the advertisement.
Sometimes I can’t even figure out who’s actually behind the brand.
I’ve caught myself thinking,
“Why didn’t I spend five minutes doing this before I ordered?”
Maybe you’ve done the same.
If you have, you’re certainly not alone.
Marketing Isn’t the Enemy
Here’s the thing.
I don’t think marketing is bad.
I own a business.
I market my products.
Good marketing helps people discover products they’ll genuinely love.
The problem isn’t marketing.
The problem is when we stop asking questions.
The beauty industry understands our pain points better than almost any other industry.
Dry skin.
Fine lines.
Dark spots.
Hair loss.
Sensitivity.
Rosacea.
Eczema.
We all have something we’d like to improve.
Marketing speaks directly to those hopes.
It promises confidence.
Youth.
Health.
Simple solutions.
And sometimes those promises are backed by thoughtful products.
Sometimes they aren’t.
The challenge is learning how to tell the difference.
I Think We’ve Forgotten to Be Curious
Somewhere along the way, I think many of us stopped researching and started reacting.
We’ve become so used to scrolling that we’ve forgotten how powerful it is to pause.
Five minutes.
That’s all I’m suggesting.
Before you click “Buy Now,” take five minutes.
Visit the company’s website.
Read their story.
Who founded the business?
Can you find the people behind it?
Do they explain why they formulated the product the way they did?
Read reviews from more than one source.
Look at the ingredient list.
Ask yourself if the claims actually make sense.
Not because you should become skeptical of everything.
But because curiosity is one of the best tools we have as consumers.
A Little Honesty About “Clean Beauty”
If you’ve followed Be Love for a while, you’ve probably heard me use the phrase clean beauty.
I’ve used it because it’s familiar.
It gives people a quick understanding of what Be Love stands for.
Thoughtfully chosen ingredients.
Simple routines.
Products that support the skin rather than overwhelm it.
But over the years, I’ve realized that phrase has also become… complicated.
Everyone seems to define it differently.
Some brands use it because they genuinely have thoughtful formulation standards.
Others use it because it’s a popular marketing term.
The same goes for words like “natural,” “non-toxic,” “chemical-free,” and “medical grade.”
Some have value.
Some have no regulated definition at all.
That’s why I’ve become less interested in labels and more interested in conversations.
Instead of asking,
“Is this product clean?”
I think a better question is,
“Why were these ingredients chosen?”
That’s a much more interesting conversation.
Why I Formulate the Way I Do
When I formulate a product for Be Love Organic, every ingredient has a purpose.
Not because it’s trendy.
Not because social media says it’s the next miracle ingredient.
Because it belongs there.
Sometimes that means using beautiful botanical oils that have been trusted for generations.
Sometimes it means embracing newer ingredients that have excellent research behind them and improve the performance of a formula.
Nature and science aren’t competitors.
They’re partners.
One teaches us.
The other helps us understand why something works.
I’ve never believed you have to choose one over the other.
Learning Is Part of My Job
One thing I hope never changes is my willingness to learn.
If new research teaches me something, I want to know.
If a better emulsifier becomes available, I’ll test it.
If I discover a more elegant preservative system that aligns with my formulation philosophy, I’ll evaluate it.
That’s why many of my formulations today are different from the ones I created ten years ago.
Not because the originals were wrong.
Because I’ve grown.
And I hope I never stop.
What I Hope Be Love Represents
Of course, I’d love for you to choose Be Love Organic.
But more than that…
I want you to feel confident in every skincare purchase you make—even if it’s not from me.
I want you to understand ingredients a little better.
I want you to feel comfortable asking questions.
I want you to know who’s behind the products you bring into your home.
I don’t want customers who simply believe everything I say.
I want customers who care enough to ask thoughtful questions.
Even if those questions are directed at me.
Because trust shouldn’t be built on clever marketing.
It should be built on transparency.
On education.
On curiosity.
One Small Challenge
The next time an advertisement convinces you that you’ve finally found the answer…
Pause.
Give yourself five minutes.
Read.
Research.
Ask questions.
You might still decide it’s exactly the right product.
But you’ll know why.
And I think that’s a far better feeling than buying something simply because someone was really good at selling it.
Here’s to asking better questions.
Here’s to staying curious.
And here’s to making thoughtful decisions—together.
With gratitude,
Tina
Founder & Formulator
Be Love Organic Skincare
