For more than eight years, Camy Kilker Gibson, of Organic Concepts by Camy Gibson at Le Vogue Salon, in Pensacola, has been styling men’s and women’s hair using the most nutrient-dense hair products she could find. Her clients have noticed her product choices and appreciated the results, she says. And over time they began seeking her advice about other personal-care items too.

“After they’d tell me how the condition of their hair had been revived—with more shine, more body, and better health overall—they’d ask me about skin care, and specifically makeup,” she says. “So over the past few years I’ve been looking for a cosmetic line that I felt would provide the same benefits I’d discovered in my hair treatments.”

As a specialist in organic hair care, Gibson knew her clients would only be interested in cosmetics that were a safe and healthy alternative to the chemical-based makeup everyone grew up with. She’d noticed that the national trend toward a greener lifestyle was reflected in the discussions happening in her salon.

“We talk about hair, makeup, cleaning products, food—the list can go on and on,” she says. “I find that people really want to know how to care for themselves more holistically.” 

With cosmetics, as with hair products, it’s always safer in the long run to go with naturally derived and organic choices, she says. 

“Many of these products contain formaldehyde, parabens, fragrances—again, the list gets pretty long. These ingredients can allergic reactions and even cancer. Sometimes you can use a product for years and years and then one day down the road it can cause a reaction. If I can help clients avoid ever experiencing that, I would feel great about it. If you had the choice to pick a product without those ingredients and it still worked, I think we all would.”

Promises Delivered

So Gibson started doing research. She tried several professional brands, including some that were highly touted, but nothing quite hit the mark. It was a time-consuming search, she says, in large part because so many products claim to be organic or natural but aren’t. Just filtering through them is a big job.

“It’s important to me that I support product lines that deliver what they claim,” she says. “Green washing is common in the beauty industry. For the average person, it takes time to dig in and research the product. Most people are too busy to stop and read a bottle or box in the middle of a store. My clients rely on me to find healthy and clean beauty options, and so I wanted to find a product they could trust to deliver what it promised. It wasn’t just important to consider the ingredients; I also needed the product to work, and to work well.”

When Gibson finally settled on Inika, an Australian cosmetic line, she was addressing both her clients’ concerns and her own challenges of sensitive skin, breakouts and irritations. She also shared her clients' desire for makeup that was light and comfortable, and that looked as a natural as they felt.

“The coverage and colors in the Inika line are amazing and feel good on your skin,” she says. 

Inika also delivered something that Gibson had been trying to find for years: a mascara that didn’t burn her eyes, but gave her volume and length.

“I found several different brands that were clean or hypoallergenic, but they still didn’t deliver in the way they looked,” she says. “Sure, the mascara didn’t burn—but then it also looked like I’d never put it on at all. Let’s face it: Cosmetics can be expensive. If you’re investing in the product, you want it to work too. This was the first time I got no burn, but also volume and length. I was so impressed I started trying everything else and kept falling in love more and more.”

Gibson loves the company ethos too. Inika’s products are not just 100 percent organic or naturally derived, but also vegan and cruelty free.

Still, she wasn’t ready to commit until she’d given them time to prove themselves. She used them for a year before selling it in her salon.

“It was important that I tried the makeup and used it personally before investing in it,” she says. 

Ultimately, it’s not just a monetary investment. It’s an investment in others’ health and safety too. 

Location: 609 W. Chase St., Pensacola, FL. For appointments or more information, contact Gibson at 850-582-0177 or [email protected].