The Year That Changed Everything.
I built my life in the beauty industry early, behind the chair, in the treatment room, and in the classroom at Academy Canada and CNA. I loved it. I felt aligned, successful, in flow. And then, quietly at first, my health shifted. What I thought would be a short illness turned into 13 months of bronchitis that simply wouldn’t let go.
That year changed everything, I was 36 years old, it was 2002.
I began to question not just how I was living, but what I was working with every day. The products. The ingredients. The environment we were all breathing in and absorbing. My passion for beauty didn’t fade, it deepened. It became more intentional.
I started creating in a different way, beginning with simple bath salt formulas and botanical waters., I taught myself aromatherapy and chemistry. That was the beginning of something much bigger.
In 2009, I launched Indigena Skin Care, now known as ISC Beauty, with a clear purpose: to create products that support the skin, the body, and overall wellness without compromise.
Celebrating Earth Day 2009 in Topsail CBS, Lisa Walsh, Ryan Walsh and Carmel Walsh
Over the years, we partnered with scientists at Memorial University and National Research Council. The Botanical Garden researched and collected the plants all over Newfoundland and Lisa collected many herself from Labrador. We identified over 100 food-grade botanicals, eventually focusing on 37 with the most powerful antioxidant properties. Those plants became the foundation of our formulations, designed to calm, strengthen, and restore the skin while supporting a healthy microbiome, especially for those dealing with sensitivity, redness, or acne.
2012 at The Botanical Garden celebrating our extract research with Tim Walsh, Amit Negandhi, Lisa Walsh, Lacey Thornhill and Rod White.
Sustainability was never an after thought for me. It’s part of how we do everything because that was how we did things in outports, nothing was wasted. Today, 95% of our formulations are waterless. We only collect enough botanicals to sustain production for 2-3 years.Our packaging is designed to be reusable or biodegradable, you can bring your bottles back to our Self Care Lounge and have them refilled. When we can’t forage or grow ingredients ourselves, we source them responsibly across the Avalon Peninsula, the Atlantic region, then the mainland and North America. We also work with local partners to upcycle ingredients, like bakeapple seeds that would otherwise be discarded, transforming them into nutrient-rich extracts for the skin.
The women who come to ISC Beauty care deeply about how they feel. They want products that are effective, aligned and with their values and sensorial And while sustainability can cost more, I believe it’s worth it, because it reflects our commitment to quality, local economic growth and environmental protection.
ISC was built to support wellness from the inside out. When you choose our products, you’re not just caring for your skin. You’re making a conscious choice for your health, and for the natural world that surrounds us.
Aurora Sleep Masque 50ml, $29.99
2023 ISC Beauty Office in Topsail CBS
Today we cater primarily to 40+ women though all ages and genders are welcome in our community.
To learn more about Island Skincare you can visit us at our Self Care Lounge.
Drop us an email to iscbeauty@icloud.com or call 709 351 3520 to book an appointment.
xoxo,
Lisa
