About

Who I Am

I’m Kristina Marković — ecologist, certified aromatherapist, and organic skincare formulator. By profession, I’m an Environmental Protection Senior Expert at a Croatian oil company.

By day, I work with hazardous waste management, wastewater analyses, soil contamination, accident response, dangerous chemicals, CO2 emissions tracking, and ISO 14001 audits and inspections across multiple locations. I know what petroleum derivatives look like in a sample — and how they migrate through ecosystems. I also know how to manage it: how to work with authorised firms, how to navigate regulation, and how to actually remediate the contamination. I understand sustainable development not as a marketing concept, but as a regulatory framework and a daily operational reality.

By night — and on weekends — I formulate skincare. Creating my own home DIY lab was a way to return to my roots. As an ecologist who has always loved plants, formulating skincare felt like a natural extension of who I am — where industrial experience meets botanical chemistry, and where the practical logic of an auditor ensures every ingredient is as safe for the water as it is for your skin.

About - Kristina Marković, DIY sustainable skincare formulator, holding a mixing beaker in a natural ingredients shop

Why This Combination Changes Everything

Most people in the natural beauty space ask: is this ingredient natural?

I ask three questions: What does this ingredient do on your skin? What happens to it when you rinse it off — and where does it go from there? And what about the packaging it came in? My day job has taught me to think in lifecycles.

Every substance has a fate in the environment — some break down quickly, some persist for decades. Working with petroleum derivatives daily gives me a very specific literacy: I know which molecules nature can handle, and which ones become a burden on watersheds, groundwater, and eventually the sea. That lens came with me into formulation.

It means I read an INCI list the way I read an environmental impact assessment — looking for what the label doesn’t say. Biodegradability isn’t a trend for me; it’s a professional standard. It means when the EU introduces new wastewater directives or green claims regulations, I understand the technical and regulatory reality behind them — not just the marketing implications.

That’s what makes this platform different.

How It Started

It started, as many things do, with something small and sensory.

Back in medical high school, I mixed my first face mask from yogurt and cucumber. Messy, simple, and completely unforgettable — the spark that never quite went out.

Years into a career spent thinking about environmental consequence, I found myself wanting to create something with my hands. Something that smelled of plants, not reports.

That’s when I found aromatherapy. I enrolled in my first course at Galbanum in Zagreb — and I still remember the exact moment when oils finally met water with the help of an emulsifier. It felt like watching two worlds that shouldn’t mix, suddenly decide to. Pure alchemy.

One of my earliest creations was a rose macerate. I had picked fresh roses from my friend’s garden — their scent was so beautiful, I couldn’t bear to let it fade. So I dried the petals by hand and gently infused them in jojoba oil. That jar became my very first macerate — sun-warmed, fragrant, and unforgettable.

From there, I completed a full natural cosmetics education at Udruga Eterico, followed by practical formulation workshops at Kemig. Then, during the Corona lockdown — when the world slowed down and I finally had uninterrupted hours at home — I discovered Formula Botanica. And suddenly, the chemistry I’d spent years tracking in environmental reports had a name in a formulation notebook. Two careers. One language.

Credentials & Continuing Education

To guide you with confidence, I’ve combined knowledge, tradition, and structured learning — but also countless hours of joyful experimenting:

I’m constantly learning and evolving. Right now, I’m deepening my knowledge through an advanced diploma with Formula Botanica and the Club of School of Natural Cosmetics.
These programs allow me to blend science, sustainability, and creativity in new ways — helping me share up-to-date, innovative techniques so you can confidently create your own skincare products.

What You’ll Find Here

Whether you’re blending your very first balm or experimenting with advanced textures like oleogels, this is a space made for curious, conscious creators. Here’s where to start:

  • DIY Skincare Ingredients – how ingredients function, where they come from, and what they mean for your formulation and the environment. From carrier oils and botanical butters to emulsifiers, preservatives, and actives.
  • DIY Skincare Recipes – structured formulations with clear logic, not just ingredient lists. From beginner anhydrous blends to intermediate emulsions.
  • Sustainable Beauty Practices – the environmental dimension of skincare, from packaging and sourcing to EU regulatory frameworks and waterway impact.
  • Botanical Library — plant profiles through a scientist’s lens. Not “lavender relaxes” — but why lavender’s volatile compounds behave differently in wastewater than synthetic musks.
  • DIY Recipe Library — a structured archive of tested formulations, organised by format, skill level, and skin type.

Why DIY Skincare Matters to Me

For me, skincare is about trust, simplicity — and a little bit of joy. When I make my own creams, balms, and oils, I know exactly what I’m putting on my skin. I choose each ingredient for a reason — not just because it’s natural, but because it suits my skin, respects the environment, and feels good to use.

I get to create textures I enjoy, blend scents I love, and skip anything my skin doesn’t need. It’s not about control — it’s about connection. With my skin, with the plants I use, and with the seasons. DIY lets me adapt.

On cold days, I reach for rich butters and warming macerates. In summer, something lighter with herbs that cool and soothe. I can make space for ritual, for experimentation, and for little sensory moments that make everyday routines feel more meaningful. But it goes beyond personal pleasure.

Every batch I make is a small decision about what I support — which ingredients, which sourcing practices, which environmental footprint. That’s not a burden. That’s the part I find most meaningful. That’s why I keep coming back to it — because it works, because it feels good, and because making something beautiful for yourself and others is, quietly, a radical act of care.

Behind This Platform

Building this platform taught me a different kind of formulation — not of skincare, but of content, structure, and digital presence.

I built everything from scratch. WordPress, Kadence, SEO strategy, content architecture — all self-taught, all solo. It wasn’t always elegant, but it was always intentional.

That included making choices about infrastructure that aligned with the values I write about. This site runs on GreenGeeks — eco-friendly hosting powered by 300% renewable energy. If I’m writing about biodegradability and environmental consequence, the server my content lives on matters too.

  • a group of lip balms and tubes
  • a group of bottles of liquid
  • a hand holding a group of lip gloss
  • a group of jars of cream and other beauty products
  • a group of containers of creams and a bottle of liquid
  • a group of colorful liquid in a row

A Note on How I Work

Everything published here is written, formulated, and tested by me. I work alone — progress is sometimes slow, but nothing is outsourced or ghostwritten.

I use affiliate links only for products I genuinely use or would include in my own formulations.

Join the Community

This platform isn’t just about me — it’s about us. A growing community of eco-conscious creators who believe beauty can be simple, sustainable, and deeply personal.

Subscribe to get formulation insights, seasonal herbal guides, and regulatory updates — straight to your inbox.

Thank you for being here. Whether you’re blending your first balm or thinking seriously about what’s in your skincare and where it ends up — you’re in the right place.

Warmly,

Kristina

Safe note: All tips and recipes are for educational purposes only. Always patch-test before use. DIY sunscreen recipes are not recommended.