SHOWER CONSCIOUS

Sublime: What inspired you to launch Vitaclean and what were your initial goals?

Sara Douglas: Kristina Velkova and I were working together, and we had a great synergy.  We were both experiencing dry skin and hair which we believed to be caused by hard water. After some initial research, we set out to make people think about their shower water. We knew the drastic difference showering in filtered water could make so we founded Vitaclean as a solution. 

From left, Sara Douglas & Kristina Velkova

S: Being a female founded business, do you feel you are able to empower other women?

Kristina Velkova: Absolutely, we aim to empower women. But also, anyone that uses our products. We understand the power of feeling beautiful, having healthy glowing skin, and strong hair. Achieving this should be a pleasant experience. It’s a confidence boost you can enjoy every day! 

S: What are the positives to using non-chlorinated shower water?

SD: I struggled with eczema and a dry scalp. These conditions progressed when I moved from the US to the UK (due to the high amount of limescale in the hard water.) It took Kristina and me some time to realise that the unfiltered water was the main irritant. As renters we didn’t have the option to filter our apartments, so we set out to create Vitaclean, an easy-to-install water filtration solutions with numerous benefits for skin and hair. Only when I started using Vitaclean did these conditions disappear, almost from my first shower. We then knew we had to get this out to market.

S: How does Vitaclean help to conserve water?

KV: Our shower heads conserve 25% more water than a standard shower head due to the pressurized spray plate.

S: What is the process of making a Vitaclean product and has being a sustainable brand impacted this?

SD: We try to be as sustainable as possible in everything we do at Vitaclean. Our water conservation properties are at the core of our sustainable efforts. The rest of the process is quite difficult to make fully sustainable as there are so many components to our product and innovation for these parts is still advancing.  There are 3 filters, a shell and a box with a user guide. We are moving away from plastic packaging, but when we use it, we always aim for it to be recycled and/or biodegradable. 

S: How do vitamin C and essential oils aid healthier hair and glowing skin?

KV: Do you ever get out of the shower and instantly feel like your skin is tight and you need to moisturize pronto? Hard water and hot showers can strip our skin of moisture and natural oils. 

We tested how a Vitaclean showerhead helps your skin to retain moisture. The results showed that after 30 minutes, skin moisture retention with filtered water goes from 30% to 37%, meaning you won’t have to run for moisturizer straight after your shower!

Just like cutting an apple causes it to turn brown, oxidation affects your skin in a similar manner. As we age, the skin’s antioxidant defence system weakens, losing its capacity to fight the oxidative stress caused by free radicals which are responsible for breaking down our skin's collagen, resulting in blemishes and fine lines. Vitaclean is effective in preventing oxidation (meaning your skin is more protected with Vitaclean Vitamin C filtered water!) 

S: What is the difference between antibacterial ceramic balls and healing shungite filters and who is suited to which best? 

SD: Both filters effectively remove water impurities and toxins. The choice of this filter is up to your personal preference. The Antibacterial Ceramic Balls use small ceramic beads to capture bacteria build-up in your shower head.

The Elite Shungite Filter is 98% carbon which helps remove water impurities using a unique and natural mineral. Shungite is also known to have unique healing benefits, you can read more about it in our blog post.

S: Could you please explain the work you do with Drop4Drop?

KV: Vitaclean donates to the Drop4Drop charity water organization, which helps provide clean water in areas of the world that do not have access to it. You can read more about our well in Maninga, Tanzania on our website.