Question Thyme: Antonia Knox, Head of Brand, Aurelia London
Antonia Knox started her career at Aurelia Probiotic Skincare alongside founder Claire Vero in 2013. A vital part of building the Aurelia brand, Antonia has been on Aurelia’s journey from the very beginning. Having started working from Claire's kitchen on formulas and innovation, Antonia has since headed up training employees and retailers, before being appointed Brand Expert in 2020. Antonia's passion and knowledge for Aurelia is truly invaluable, making her the go-to spokesperson for all things Aurelia, be it skincare benefits, the power of probiotics or a deeper look into the complex science and ingredients within the range.
Having joined Aurelia’s team in the brand’s earliest stages, Antonia’s journey has been a successful one and she has grown with the brand as Claire’s protegee and confidante. Since Claire’s decision to step back from the day-to-day, Antonia has taken up the position of brand expert and spokesperson and continues to communicate the benefits of the brand she fell in love with in 2013. Antonia had a passion for beauty from a very young age and was mesmerised by watching her mother get ready at her dressing table. It was makeup and colour that first captivated Antonia, and even at the age of 12 she would encourage her older sisters to sit for makeovers. This passion continued after school and university, where Antonia began work at Space NK in Islington, honing her skills as a makeup artist but also discovering the fascinating and varied world of skincare. It was while working on the shop floor that Antonia realised the power that good skincare can have on an individual, and the training she received with such a variety of brands fuelled her interest in cosmetics.
How did Aurelia first skincare begin?
Our founder Claire Vero initially worked for one of the world’s largest global pharmaceutical companies, who were using probiotics to treat the symptoms of chronic psoriasis. Once she saw the difference probiotics could make to severe skin concerns, she looked to apply this to all skin concerns. Claire was one of the first to innovate utilising these natural ingredients in skincare to combat inflammation, one of the root causes of all major skin issues, including skin ageing.
Claire wanted her skincare brand to have a natural, cruelty free ethos, with a strict policy on the ingredients she wanted to avoid. Back in 2013, Claire was really a pioneer in her field, creating a skincare line the likes of which no one had seen before. I was lucky enough to join the team three months into launch, so have been on this journey for nearly 10 years now and couldn’t be more proud!
Aurelia was one of the first skincare ranges to use the power of probiotics, can you tell us about how they work?
Rather than targeting the skin’s microbiome, PROTIDA™ works at a deeper level to target inflammation, the root cause of all major skin concerns including fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, sensitivity, blemishes and hyperpigmentation. Aurelia London’s PROTIDA™ technology continuously protects, restores and balances the skin by calming the natural inflammatory response which can be overstimulated by factors such as pollution, sunlight and stress. PROTIDA™ in turn reduces the damage that inflammation can cause to collagen, elastin and healthy cells, and helps to maintain the skin’s natural equilibrium.
Some of your most recent products use CBD, what are the benefits of CBD for skincare?
Primarily used for its anti-inflammatory benefits, CBD soothes, softens and helps to reduce redness. CBD is a powerful natural antioxidant and fights against free radical damage, one of the main causes of premature skin ageing. We love CBD for its calming, soothing benefits especially for those with sensitive or inflamed skin.
What are the key steps in a skincare routine?
The main steps a skin care routine should begin with a double cleanse with our Miracle Cleanser and bamboo muslin to remove sunscreen (which should be worn daily), daily impurities and of course and makeup. After cleansing apply your chosen Aurelia serum to target any skin concerns. Serums are lighter in texture and can physically absorb deeper into the skin, so it is important to choose a good quality serum to target your specific needs. Follow up your serum with a moisturiser – I love the Cell Revitalise Day Moisturiser - to hydrate and moisturise skin and optimise barrier function. Finally, apply an effective sunscreen (I always recommend factor 50) every day, no matter your skin tone or the season!
As the weather gets colder, do you have any transitional skincare tips to get us through the winter?
In wintry months, the low humidity levels cause your skin to experience more trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) which is why your skin can feel extra dry, tight and flaky; to combat the effects of this, you can switch out your lighter weight moisturisers for a richer and more occlusive moisturiser. Our Cell Revitalise Night Moisturiser is incredible for deeper hydration in the colder months too. For those who feel their skin needs a little more moisture, you can layer an oil over your moisturiser to lock in moisture and further reduce effects of trans epidermal water loss. I love the Cell Repair Night Oil for this, its rich yet non-greasy texture helps to offer soothing hydration and a beautiful glow with every use.
How do you ensure sustainability in the production of your products?
Being sustainable is at the heart of our brand and is something we strongly hold to. Our wonderful partner PhytoTrade Africa, with whom we have worked since 2012, help to ensure the preservation of biodiversity, sustainable growth and clean-energy farming of our botanical ingredients is always adhered to.
We've also been leading the way with our recyclable glass bottles and jars, non shrink-wrapped boxes and no unnecessary plastic shives on jars since we launched in 2013. All our tubes are made from 30% post-consumer recycled plastic and are fully recyclable once used up.
If you could choose one product from your range what would it be?
The Probiotic Concentrate is truly a hero product. It is a perfect, cruelty free addition to any skincare routine to improve signs of ageing. This multi-purpose product can be used as a serum underneath your moisturiser, mixed in with your moisturiser to give it a probiotic boost, or applied generously as a concentrated treatment akin to a mask, to reduce cellular damage. I use it morning and night as a mainstay in my routine, but what’s lovely is that you can use it as a booster, without having to majorly alter your current skincare regimen.
The Probiotic Concentrate contains the highest levels of our unique probiotic formula, PROTIDA, which is proven to deliver the below results, another reason why I love this product so much!
PROTIDATM boosts natural collagen synthesis by up to 140% for a firm, smooth and youthful complexion.
PROTIDATM increases natural hyaluronic acid synthesis by almost 1900% for plump and hydrated skin.
PROTIDATM stimulated a 40% increase in cellular DNA repair, reversing the damage caused by pollution, stress and sun damage, and reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation and scarring.
PROTIDATM delivers a 30% increase in cell-to-cell communication to help continuously moderate inflammation, ensuring balance within the skin.
