Interview by the journalist in Hélènes Univers

June 14, 2016 – Marina Engervik

Helen's universe beauty stories

Hélène is a well-known journalist in the beauty industry in Norway. She co-founded Norway's largest beauty magazine, Costume, and has long worked as a beauty editor and journalist.

Now she has started the fantastic blog helenesunivers.no which is a blog that writes about beauty with a cultural perspective and explores the topic a little deeper than is usually done when writing about beauty. Hélène focuses on the people behind the products and why and how we humans use beauty products. She has now interviewed me:

Helene's universe interviews Marina miracle

Marina's miracle cure

She is 28 years old, has her own skincare line and a newly opened store in Frogner. No wonder I was curious about the person behind the skincare brand Marina Miracle.

The first thing that strikes me in a café on a rainy day in the capital is the radiance of the ambitious girl. And I don't just mean her personality, but the glow of her skin. It looks healthy, well-groomed and beautiful. And then she starts talking passionately about skin problems, about how to do something about them, whether it's acne, eczema, dry or oily skin. She has clearly found her own miracle cure.

Why did you start making your own skincare?

– I had a lot of problems with my skin, like many other beauty entrepreneurs who have created their own solutions. I had a lot of acne, and dry, atopic skin in addition. Because I was very interested in skin care and makeup, I started using anti-aging products when I was 14. I always wanted the best and most expensive. In the end, my skin reacted properly.

Did you stop using the expensive products then?

– Yes, I started experimenting with different oils and started studying research reports and the chemistry of different ingredients in skincare. Eventually my bathroom counter was full of different oils and herbs that I mixed together. After a while I found a mixture that my skin really liked, and after using it for three weeks I was rid of my skin problems.

What do you think was the key to your skin becoming so beautiful?

– Herbs are very good for the skin because they have healing properties. I have used many different herbs that have been good for my skin and believe that natural ingredients are best for us. The purer the better, but you can't just use one oil. It's the mixture and the chemical effect of several oils that gives results.

What does your original miracle mixture consist of?

– In Herbal Face Oil there are only three oils in addition to the herbs. Jojoba, avocado and raspberry oil. The latter is an incredibly protective oil that is very good if you have eczema, jojoba is the oil that most closely resembles the oil we naturally have in our skin and provides moisture without clogging the pores. Avocado has nourishing ingredients.

Read more about Herbal Face Oil here >>

Can you use just one oil?

– Yes, as a moisturizer you can only use it alone during the day. You can optionally use the night serum at night to renew skin cells and give the skin a little extra care. I like to keep it simple in everyday life. Then you can instead do a proper treatment with a scrub and mask once a week.

The 100% natural products are produced in Norway where most of the ingredients used are certified organic. There are also special oils for men that are suitable after shaving, and one for the night with AHA acids that renew skin cells. In addition to all the different oils, Marina also makes a very nice face mask that cleanses the skin deeply, tightens it and makes the skin super soft. I apply it when the skin needs an extra boost. Then I like to wear the mask for half an hour while I bathe the children or watch TV. The result is visible immediately, the skin looks healthier and has more glow. On a daily basis I use Herbal Facial Oil and the effective and pleasant cleansing oil.

Marina's recommendations for fighting acne:

– You have to be very careful about cleansing your skin both morning and evening. Pores become clogged much faster when you have acne due to sebum production, so a good oil cleanser effectively dissolves impurities in the skin. Many people think that they should dry out the skin when they have acne problems, but that is an old-fashioned myth. Then you start to peel and the skin becomes red and irritated. When the skin is dry, it only produces more sebum. Instead, you should add lots of moisture so that the skin's moisture level eventually stabilizes. Apply an oil that contains almond oil, preferably in combination with herbs. I use rose, geranium and tea tree oil, which are anti-inflammatory and counteract inflammation in the skin. Be careful with peels when you have acne. After three to four weeks, you should see a significant difference, after three months your skin should be significantly better.

Marina has recently opened a store at Frognerveien 44 in Oslo.