Body breakouts? This Canberra skincare brand is here to help you say ‘buh-bye’ to backne
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When we talk about skincare routines, we’re pretty serious when it comes to our face – but what about the rest of the body?
Because be it buttne, neckne, or backne, we all know body breakouts happen – and while they might not be as talked about, they can be just as uncomfortable and painful (if not more so) as facial breakouts.
That’s why one Canberra local has decided to help people say ‘buh-bye’ to backne.
Launching skincare brand Will & Zo to help people who experience body breakouts (and who might be feeling a bit self-conscious as a result), for 29-year-old Annalise Felsman the idea for the business was born from her own long-term experience of dealing with body acne and keratosis pilaris.
“I could never find any products that suited me,” she says. “When it came to my facial acne, I worked it out and found things that helped, but for my body, everything I used was too strong, it stripped my skin, it would bleach the sheets, or it would be irritating and dry out my skin – rather than healing it and helping with scaring,”
“I realised I needed to make my own products, because I know people don’t have a routine when it comes to body acne.”
Determined to create an empowered and controlled experience of managing breakouts – unlike her experience growing up (anyone else scrub themselves raw with the St. Ives Apricot Exfoliator?) – after two years of development, Annalise finally debuted her The Here Body Breakout Cleanser and The Now Body Breakout Spray in October of this year.
Both packed with natural hydrating, calming, and wound-healing ingredients, the concept was to create a simple 24/7 routine that tackles body acne morning and night. And while she didn’t have a background in the industry – just a passion and a frequently-used Mecca membership – she quickly fell in love with diving into the world of skincare and the different approaches she could take.
“It was really hard, but I wanted to do it right and I didn’t want to rush – I wanted to create a premium product,” says Annalise.
“I wanted the ingredients to be a bit different. For example, allantoin is underrated when it comes to skincare but it’s really hydrating and soothing….willow herb extract and licorice root extract are also really good for the skin.”
Incredibly proud of her products – which, thanks to their vibrant yellow and orange packaging, are not only deserving of a spot in the shower but bring a little spark of joy each time you reach for them – Annalise still believes that there’s plenty of demand in the body care market.
Because while conversations about acne and facial skin care have changed over the years, the body is still neglected.
“It’s still very taboo when it comes to body acne. When it comes to myself, when I was in my teens and early 20s, there’s no way that I would disclose it,” she says.
“When I started to talk about the brand and idea with friends, they would open up and I never knew that they also had body acne. And I think it’s because you can’t see it – you cover it up and you don’t have to talk about it. It’s a very personal thing,”
Aiming to help the skincare industry evolve even more, she also hopes that Will & Zo will not only help people regain their confidence but also be a community where body acne can be comfortably talked about.
“There’s this statistic that about 50 percent of people who experience facial acne also experience body acne,” says Annalise.
“I think there’s a lot more conversations that need to be had and we have a long way to go.”
And while the brand is still relatively new on the market, its future is looking bright. Already planning to create more products – including spot treatments and eco-friendly body wipes – Annalise hopes one day she’ll be able to take it beyond Australia and share Will & Zo with the world.
“The goal is to get into Sephora or Mecca. I feel like they don’t really have a product for this…that would be the dream,” she says.
“I want it to be a global brand – I want it to reach all of Australia and help people but also keep the Canberra roots.”
See the products for yourself at willandzo.com
