Meet Y Natural Co-Founder
Barbara Gare
Barbara has collected a lot of hats over the years. One she wears proudly, is that of Co-Founder and Managing Director of Y Natural skincare. At first glance it seems a kind of unlikely hat for a former geophysicist who loves ultramarathons and goes months at a time without wearing even a scrap of makeup. Look deeper though, and it makes a lot of sense.
A scientist, entrepreneur and passionate environmentalist, Barbara’s studies are as diverse as her interests. Barbara’s first studies were for her Bachelor of Science (Geology, Zoology and Botany) from the University of Adelaide and Honours in the area of paleo-climatology, later studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in languages, Philosophy and International Studies. She also has an MBA from the then-Adelaide Graduate School of Business—which she undertook as the winner of the prestigious Guy Lloyd Scholarship.
Barbara’s hat collection is coming along nicely, including one from teaching communications at university, for managing a national innovation program in new media, for seismology and another for commercialisation. She even has one for being editor of Porsche’s South Australian magazine for seven years and a dabbler’s hat for stand-up comedy.
Barbara brings something from all of these hats and studies to Y Natural. A positive force for change, Barbara is resilient, insatiably curious and utterly fixated upon making a difference in our world. That fixation is reflected in Y natural in too many ways to count.
Barbara's Top Picks
“Anyone who knows me will be completely unsurprised that I don’t have a favourite product. I have three.”
First, I love 200 BUFF Marine Skin Polish as my treat once or twice a week. I think of it as a giant energy boost that helps give my skin a real glow from withing (thank you seaweed extracts) while also giving my skin a gentle exfoliation. This is super important on those days when I’ve been out in the sun getting hot and sweaty and wearing sunscreen – this used to be the recipe for unavoidable blemishes, but not since 200 BUFF entered my world.
Second, I absolutely adore 601 NOURISH Luxury Treatment. The ingredients are decadent, featuring Frankincense and Myrrh (sound familiar?) and Bulgarian Rose which costs more per gram than Gold, along with other precious ingredients. I have naturally dry skin and this is just the most gorgeous way to have a no-fuss overnight restorative treatment. This might sound strange, but I swear it helps me sleep better, too.
My third favourite, is our 602 RESTORE Hydrating Gel. My favourite way to use it is a bit decadent and you don’t need to use it this way, but just so you know… On a quiet night when I’m home working on the computer, or doing the ironing, or watching a movie, I first cleanse and tone, then apply a thin layer of 602 RESTORE. Then iron another shirt, or wait for another ad, or finish another job on the computer… Then apply another thin layer, and iron another shirt, or – you get the picture. I do about five or six layers. For me, the benefits are perfect: lots of hydration for my naturally dry skin, a big kick of Vitamin C which is essential for collagen formation, and a side serve of the ‘firming ingredient, Hibiscus seed extract. Then I lock in all that goodness with my 601 NOURISH.