ABOUT
Meet the Maker
I’m Sandra Moetara (Ngāti Korokoro, Te Roroa), founder and maker at Wild Alchemy Botanicals.
Wild Alchemy grew from years spent working in clinical skin therapy — assessing skin, refining treatment approaches, and observing how skin responds to products, treatments, lifestyle and environmental influences over time.
With nearly two decades of experience, I formulate with a focus on function, tolerance and consistency. Every product is produced in small batches in Aotearoa New Zealand, with ingredients selected for how they perform individually and together, and how skin responds to them with continued use.
This is skincare informed by clinical experience, shaped through practice, and designed to work with skin as it actually is.
Nature, Environment and Early Context
My earliest understanding of skin health didn't come from textbooks or treatment rooms.
Growing up with persistent skin conditions meant learning early how skin responds to environment, stress and inflammation. With limited conventional options available at the time, my family often turned to what was accessible to us — the ocean, the land and plant-based preparations that supported the skin gradually and consistently.
Those experiences fostered a lasting respect for the relationship between people, place and wellbeing, and continue to influence the way I approach formulation today.
From Clinic to Creation
Clinical practice taught me that skin concerns rarely exist in isolation. Breakouts, inflammation, dehydration, pigmentation and premature ageing often overlap, requiring a more considered approach than treating a single symptom in isolation.
Over years of working directly with clients, I began noticing that many botanicals possess a remarkable breadth of function. A single ingredient can often support seemingly opposite concerns at the same time — clarifying while brightening, calming inflammation while supporting skin resilience and healthy ageing. Orange blossom, for example, can help clarify and revitalise the complexion, while Rosa damascena is valued for both its soothing and regenerative properties.
These observations reinforced my belief that effective skincare does not need to be overly complicated. Thoughtfully selected ingredients can support multiple aspects of skin health simultaneously, working with the skin rather than against it.
Wild Alchemy Botanicals was created as an extension of that understanding — an opportunity to translate years of skin assessment, clinical observation and treatment experience into formulations designed to support skin consistently, every day.
Formulation Philosophy
My approach to formulation is ingredient-led and deliberately considered. The botanicals I work with are selected for their breadth of function rather than novelty, often offering antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, barrier-supportive and regenerative properties within a single botanical profile.
I believe restraint matters. Fewer, well-chosen ingredients — combined thoughtfully and without unnecessary fillers, allow each formulation to remain purposeful, balanced and effective.
Clinical Expertise & Certifications
My formulation work is informed by advanced training across a range of professional skin therapies. This experience grounds Wild Alchemy in practical skin correction, barrier support and long-term skin health shaped through hands-on clinical application.
My clinical background includes advanced training in:
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Laser Hair Removal (LHR)
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IPL Photo Rejuvenation
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Microneedling
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LED & Light-Based Skin Therapies
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Dermamelan & Cosmelan Medical Depigmentation
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Customised Skin Correction Programs
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Barrier-Supportive & Holistic Skin Health (topical and internal)
Legal Notice
All content and formulations are original to Wild Alchemy Botanicals.
For full details, please see our Legal Notice.