Learn about Jacine Greenwood’s beauty brand Roccoco Botanicals, which is on a mission to effectively treat acne prone skin.
What do you do when you’ve sat in countless dermatologists’ offices, tried and failed with dozens of anti-acne products and can’t find an anti-aging regime that doesn’t inflame and irritate your sensitive acne-prone skin?
If you’re Jacine Greenwood – you create your own products and beauty brand.
Jacine launched Roccoco Botanicals in 2013 from her kitchen bench after struggling with acne for years and sheer frustration at being unable to source the right products for her skin.
“I had cystic acne as a teenager I end up ended up having it all over my back and all over my face”, explains the founder and CEO of Roccoco Botanicals.
“After getting told a different story from every skin specialist that I went to, I decided to start studying the skin myself. I’m a bit of a nerd. My belief is that if you want to fix something you must fully understand it. All I did for 17 years was read journal studies. I didn’t watch TV; I didn’t read books. I questioned, researched and studied because skin is my passion!”
Roccoco Botanicals is born from Jacine’s driving mission to treat and maintain acne-prone and sensitive skins through sustainable products with active and botanical ingredients.
The Queensland-based company’s 7 in 1 cleanser called Ruby Crystal which reduces inflammation, is anti-inflammatory and collagen producing, is a finalist to win a prestigious international Allē award run by Cosmetics and Toiletries with judges including scientists from Chanel and Estee Lauder.
“It’s incredible news. I’m pinching myself especially because of the calibre of the judges who, among other things, are looking for innovation and sustainability,” says Jacine.
“A lot of the products on the market aren’t geared for women who are acne prone and yet 50% of adult woman women get acne. On top of that, dermatological treatments can leave skin super sensitised because they have really strong retinoids. There’s an epidemic of women who are experiencing skin sensitivities,” says Jacine.
Jacine reached her tipping point when she was in her mid 30s.
“My children developed eczema which left me with another skin problem to fix. I quite distinctly remember looking in the mirror at 34 and saying to myself ‘great not only do I have pimples, now I have wrinkles too.’
Jacine set about building on her knowledge from a bachelor’s degree in nursing and decades working as a beauty therapist. She enrolled in numerous cosmetic chemistry courses and now has six diplomas under her belt which she shares with students and clients in her role as an international educator.
“I’ve spent a lot of time understanding skin and researching it. That’s what makes Roccoco Botanicals different and why our products have proven results. It’s thanks to my level of skin knowledge and my ability to pick the right active to target what really needs to be targeted in the skin,” says Jacine.
Despite gaining attention from an international panel of heavyweight judges, Roccoco Botanicals is still relatively unknown in Australia with about 80% of its business coming from the U.S.
Jacine Greenwood-Drummond is hoping that’s about to change.
“I believe we are so much more capable than we even know is possible. I became an entrepreneur when I was 12 years old, ironing shirts so I could afford to take ballet classes. I am a life learner. And I have built Roccoco despite 8 years of chronic pain as well as numerous surgeries on my neck and back.”
“I want to help all the women in Australia who encounter acne and other skins problems which are often exacerbated by the products they are using. Whilst our original target market is acne, we now find that clients with pigmentation, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, mollusum contagiosum and atopic dermatitis are contacting us,” says Jacine.
