Welcome to Herman Martin
About Us
Herman Martin is the result of our shared passions, life experiences, acquired knowledge, and one big life-changing decision.
Hello, my name is Jeff Martin, and my husband is Herman Borbolla. The name Herman Martin is a fusion of our identities, representing our mission to share the skincare rituals and healthy living practices that enrich our daily lives.
Our Story
Herman and I met by chance at a mutual friend’s house party in London, England, over ten years ago. We quickly bonded over our mutual love for clean and natural living. At the time, I was the Managing Director of a chain of stylish Natural & Organic Supermarkets across London, while Herman was revolutionizing the dry-cleaning industry with eco-friendly alternatives and natural home essentials in his beautiful shop in Chelsea.
A Shared Dream
As we got to know each other, we discovered our mutual desire to live by the beach in sunnier climates. Originally from Sydney, Australia, I had been in London for over 15 years, and Herman, from Chiapas, Mexico, for seven years. Although we were happy and successful in London, we dreamed of returning to a warmer climate similar to what we had experienced as children. Over the next six years, our relationship and partnership grew stronger as we explored life and the world together. We visited each other’s home countries and met each other’s families. I was blown away by Mexico's open and welcoming people, rich and diverse culture, and amazing cuisine. The natural beauty of Mexico captivated me, and I began to understand why Herman missed it so much.
The Move to Mexico
In late 2019, we decided it was time to follow our dream and start the next chapter of our lives, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Although COVID delayed our move until mid-2021, this time allowed me to develop my formulating skills and start producing my own skincare products—something I had always wanted to do. With over 25 years of experience working closely with natural skincare products, I knew what ingredients made a difference to people’s skin. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed developing this range, ensuring our products contain all the key ingredients I believe should be in skincare. Herman, some selected individuals, and I have been testing and using our products for the last three years, and we are now very excited to offer them to you.
Our Standards
My high standards for selecting products, whether for personal use or for sale in my London stores, have naturally carried over to Herman Martin. These standards have been crucial in developing our products:
Ease of Use: Our products are designed to be easy to use and understand.
Natural Ingredients: Our products are as natural as possible. Currently, all of our products are over 99% natural, with some being 100% natural. We avoid parabens, SLS, triclosan, and other questionable ingredients commonly found in conventional skincare.
Local Sourcing: We use ingredients that grow abundantly in Mexico and source them from local suppliers whenever possible.
Unadulterated Ingredients: Our natural ingredients are minimally processed to retain an abundance of phytonutrients, and we use few and small quantities of ingredients that are “extracted from a natural source.”
Therapeutic Levels: All of our nutritionally potent or active ingredients are added at generous or therapeutic levels.
Essential Oil Fragrances: All fragrances in our products are made from essential oils only. We believe in the health-enhancing properties of essential oils, and many of the oils in our fragrances have been chosen for their remedial properties as well as their fragrance.
Soy Wax Candles: We do not use paraffin wax in our candles, opting for soy wax as an alternative.
Eco-Friendly Packaging: We use glass bottles instead of plastic (except for our hand washes, for safety reasons). Glass is more environmentally friendly, and the violet glass we use is patented MIRON glass, which preserves our formulations better than other packaging options. We encourage our customers to reuse or recycle our packaging and are looking to offer refill options in the future. From a design perspective, we love the look, quality, and feel of these glass bottles and hope you do too.
Minimal Packaging: We do not put our product bottles into boxes to minimize packaging. Instead, each label features a QR code that links to more information about the product.
Commitment to Sustainability: As we grow, we are committed to continually increasing the purity and sustainability of our products and operations. Future plans include working directly with local growers and farmers to produce key ingredients for our products. We already work, personally, with Refugio Infantantil Santa Esperanza and MOVii. Herman Martin donates 5% of our profits made to these causes, with more to come in the future. Subscribe to our mailing list, social media accounts, and follow our blog for updates.
Join Us
As you explore Herman Martin, envision a skincare experience that goes beyond the surface. It’s a journey into the heart of natural beauty, a celebration of simplicity, style, and excellence. Join us in this venture, and let Herman Martin become your gateway to radiant skin solutions, inspired by the beauty of Mexico.
Meet Our Founder
Jeff Martin
I am very proud to be offering you products that have drawn upon a lifelong journey, personally and professionally, steeped in the realms of holistic health and wellness. All of my accumulated knowledge and experience resulting in Herman Martin products, made with the best natural skincare ingredients.
Growing up in Australia, my passion for natural living was partly being raised surrounded by immense natural beauty, but also ignited by my mother's commitment to raising her family with a healthy diet and lifestyle. My fascination with eating well and holistic living naturally led me to pursue a Naturopathic degree in Sydney after my final year of school. This was a transformative 5-year experience that reshaped my understanding of myself and provided me the knowledge and skill of many modalities (including nutrition and botanical medicine to bodywork and counseling) to help others by supporting their health and healing naturally and holistically.
With a solid foundation in naturopathy, I moved to London, UK, started my naturopathic practice, while delving into the health food industry working at health food super markets, Fresh & Wild and Whole Foods Market. In my roles, including head buyer for health & beauty, I partnered directly with product producers, helping and fostered many startup skincare brands on their way to success. I shaped store staff education programs, and contributed heavily to the evolution of cleaner skincare ingredient standards in both companies. Subsequently, my journey led me to As Nature Intended. As Managing Director over 11 fruitful years, I reshaped and expanding the business to be one of the leading and most respected health food supermarket chains in the UK. In 2019 we were won the prestigious Natural Beauty Retail & Product Award for Best Chain Store. Now, having relocated to my new home in the tropical haven of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I am thrilled to bring my passion and knowledge to life through Herman Martin, a culmination of more than three years of meticulous product development.
I invite you enjoy and benefit from the luxurious formulations born from my dedication to a holistic lifestyle, a journey that encompasses my personal love for nature and adventurous pursuits that has taken me to many beautiful places across the globe. Join me on this exciting venture as I share the essence of paradise through Herman Martin —your gateway to radiant, healthy skin inspired by the beauty of Mexico’s Coastal Paradises and a commitment to holistic well-being.
