Nourish Skincare

Nourish skincare is designed and formulated as a skin rejuvenating, natural range that is perfect for daily skin care needs but also helps you optimise your skin's health. No small feat: exceptional performance using organic ingredients that deliver healthy, gorgeous products for the consumer. Here we catch up with co-founder Dr Pauline Hili, who was Technical Director at Neal's Yard for over 20 years.

So tell us a little bit about your own history and experience, and what sparked your interest in natural beauty?

I came into the beauty industry from the food and brewing industry. I had qualified as a biochemist and a chemist in Australia and then was working and travelling around Europe when an opportunity to join Neal’s Yard Remedies came available. It was a very fortunate opportunity for me that really supported my natural interests and research. I found sensory science really exciting and had a real passion for plants and natural ingredients. I spent over 20 years developing products as the Research Director for Neal’s Yard and did my PhD on the antimicrobial properties of essential oils. The research was so good and finding out what these plant ingredients were capable of and then applying it into formulations that provide benefits on the skin was just a dream situation and really has been the formula for my career to date.  My favorite thing is when plant and plant ingredients prove my fixed ideas wrong and demonstrate much more capability than I had given them credit for. Nature and plants have been my mentor and teacher from a very young age in my career and they continue to guide my interest and energy in the natural beauty sector.  Seeing the results of a formulation being demonstrated in clinical trials, which we have across the Nourish range is the ultimate professional prize.  Working with passionate, articulate and intelligent consumers such as those in the beauty industry makes in a real pleasure to be working in this sector and keeps my interest high.  Innovation and a desire to have products that raise the benchmark in terms of performance is my absolute driver. 

And how did the idea for Nourish come about?

The idea for Nourish came about through wanting to provide a really effective product of value using organic ingredients, conducting a very rigorous research program and clinical trials that lead exceptional performance for the consumer. We have heard a lot of discussions over the past years about Inside Out - beauty from in and the use of supplements. I would like to now move to Outside In, which is the idea of creating topical products that are so good that they support improvement of any underlying issues causing skin issues. The Nourish range is based on the effective use of vitamins and minerals known to be crucial to normal cell metabolism and specifically the skin. The range has been thought out with very specific scientific objectives and many years of experience of knowing how ingredients behave on the skin.

 

What have you found to be the most challenging part of setting up and launching Nourish?

The most challenging thing about launching Nourish has been not finding enough hours in the day to do all the things one wants to do. Also, as a start up, demonstrating that you do not have to have a huge budget to create pioneering products that push the boundaries of innovation. Spreading the word that quality is about how you think and not the size of your budget has been a challenge also.

There are lots of natural brands on the market. What do you think sets Nourish apart from the others?

Nourish has a pioneering spirit that is based on many years research and experience and is founded out of an absolute desire to place the consumer at the heart of our thinking. We see ourselves as part of an evolving community and need to be providing an effective service to our consumers on an ongoing basis. Part of that is really pushing the boundaries of shared knowledge to create effective products.  Everything from the ingredients we choose, the formulations we create, the social media we share and the way we deliver to customers needs to be at the forefront of excellent.  Great companies are built from attention to every detail of the customer experience. 

If you had to choose, what’s your favourite Nourish product?

I am constantly asked this question and my answer is always 'the one I am working on next!' Seriously, of the current range I think the Argan Skin Renew has exceptional performance as demonstrated by the clinical results of increasing skin hydration by over 25% for 24 hours.

Are there any plans to further expand the existing range?

Oh yes!  I am biologically programmed to create products. For me it is like breathing. I cannot exist if I am not envisioning and making research and products. It is instinctive for me - whatever I see in the world, from a fallen leaf to waste product from a process, I am always trying to work out how it can be turned into something valuable and of use. The Nourish range will expand to fulfill our customers’ needs, with products that are pioneering and that provide something, even a small innovation, to push expectations higher.

What is your career mantra?

Christopher Reeve said “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable”. It can be done! Innovation and shared knowledge help it happen. Anything is possible. This would be my career mantra - having been told so often what could not be done and then being fortunate enough to watch it happen. Naturals are now mainstream and I feel privileged to have been part of the journey

Who do you admire, and why?

I admire people who have a singular career passion and who dedicate themselves and their skills to making it happen – in particular all the scientists and innovators who work alongside commercial facilitators. We are incredibly lucky at Nourish to have a young dynamic team who challenge me constantly, which is extremely rewarding.

If you could treat yourself to one thing this month, it would be....

A day in the sun reading the latest publications on skin and ingredient research.

Shop here for: Nourish Skincare

RMS Beauty

RMS Beauty is about natural ingredients, makeup trends and overcoming the challenges of natural makeup that performs. Founded by makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, RMS Beauty can compete readily with conventional cosmetics, boasting flattering shades, lush textures but also natural, non-toxic ingredients. 

RMS Beauty: The Story

Rose-Marie Swift, a 20-year makeup veteran, found toxic levels of heavy metals in her blood, and was told that her job could have contributed to her health problem. That news inspired Swift to help other women embrace healthier beauty, an idea embodied in her makeup line, RMS Beauty.

After years in the fashion and makeup industry, Swift was very aware of the impact of daily exposure to chemicals in beauty care products. She has seen what works and what doesn’t live up to its promises, the results of taking a quick-fix approach to looking good. She also knows first-hand the price our health can pay in the pursuit of beauty. She realized that women need a cosmetics line that is as pure as possible; one that creates a solid foundation for anti-aging and long-term beauty.

The Range

When creating RMS Beauty, Swift wanted the textures to be moisturizing and allow the skin to breathe and not look dry. The products need to feel like a second skin and blend beautifully. She wants them to feel real, not feel like synthetic slippery silicones. Swift hates textures that dry and matte the skin. Dry, over-powdered skin and dry-looking mineral foundations (mostly on mature skin) suck the life out of skin and age it terribly.

The Ingredients

Swift wanted to create a cosmetics line as pure and healthy as possible; one that creates a solid foundation for long-term beauty. She is a major raw coconut oil advocate. In its purest state, it contains lauric acid (also found in human breast milk) which is antifungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial. It helps heal the skin and is one of the healthiest oils on the planet. Also a huge oil fan when products contain the right oils. Cheap, inferior oils that go rancid quickly are a big no-no. Plus she avoids chemicals. Some of them are actually toxic to the system and can raise havoc on one’s hormones. 

The Look

Dewy, glowing skin is ruling, paired with big-impact, brightly coloured lips. Use a little RMS Un Cover-up for beautiful, natural, glowing skin, and a hint of RMS Living Luminizer over the lid and cheek bones for that light-reflective glow. Then a light wash of the new RMS Lip Shine in Sacred. It’s the most perfect, innocent red and can be used on both lip and cheeks. You can't go wrong. For a night out, do the above but add the RMS CreamEyeshadow in Karma for a sultry and smoky dark eye.

Shop here for: RMS Beauty

Lucy Annabella Organics

Colleen Harte was inspired to create Lucy Annabella Organics when she realised that 'being organic' is as much about what we put on our bodies as what we put into them. She has been an organic health enthusiast for a long time and her aim is to provide a completely healthy indulgent experience that invigorates the mind, soothes the body and nourishes the soul by blending only the most beautifully organic, aromatic essential oils presented in beautiful high-end glass. Here we catch up with founder, Colleen.

So, tell us a little about the story behind Lucy Annabella, and how you chose the name?

The story behind Lucy Annabella is very simple!  I decided to create the brand when I realised that ‘being organic’ is as much about what we put on our body as what we put into it. I am a Complementary Therapist and a Clinical Aromatherapist and I have been an organic health enthusiast for years.  Through my work I lived by the ethos that ‘Our health is paramount to our happiness’. 

So in 2011 after travelling all over the world in search of knowledge and the finest ingredients from organically dedicated farmers I felt the time had come to actively combine all aspects of my life’s loves and pursue my passion to formulate and blend beautifully organic ingredients and share them with the world.

The beautiful name Lucy Annabella was my sweet grandfather’s fond pet name for me. ‘Lucy Annabella’ has great sentimental attachment for me and it sits close to my heart therefore I knew it was the perfect name for my cosmetics.

What do you think sparked your passion for natural and organic ingredients?

I think my organic beginning sparked my passion for organic and natural ingredients.  Between my childhood in the country and growing up with a grandmother and mother who made all our food from scratch with no preservatives or harmful chemicals I was surrounded by a pure way of living and eating and this simply followed through into my career and clinic.  Working with clients for years reinforced to me the need for ‘chemically clean’ cosmetics and I knew I could achieve this by using the best organic ingredients sourced from authentic organic farmers.

Where do you see the brand 5 years from now?

In five years I hope to be shipping Lucy boxes to passionate organic girls all over the world. I want our ‘Lucy lovers’ to have a vast array of choice ranging from treatment oils to lip balms, bath treats, aromatic candles to organic sleep aids.

Are there any plans to expand the existing range?

Yes, I am currently working on two new treatment oils and two antioxidant body moisturisers as well as body scrubs to complement our organic bath milks and 100% organic lip balms which we will start launching this summer.  We have lots of ideas for our ‘Mum and Baby’ and ‘Home’ range which we hope to launch in 2014.  I am happiest when formulating so the ideas are endless.

What do you wish you’d known when you started?

Everything!!! I have learned many lessons to date and I view every day as a learning day. Over the last two years I have built professional relationships with other women in the cosmetics industry. I am fortunate to have access to great mentors who openly part with their pearls of wisdom for the good of Lucy Annabella Organics and myself. 

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The boring stuff is the most challenging. Raising finance and managing cash flow is the most challenging but even the boring stuff is important and needs attention.

What are your every day beauty essentials?

I use our Argan and Bergamot Organic Treatment oil every morning to awaken my skin and senses and I use Papaw ointment throughout the day for. Once per week I use OGARIO London hair mask for conditioning and shine and lastly Trilogy Rosehip Oil for my facial oil, this really is an amazing product, so pure and unadulterated. 

If you could treat yourself to one thing this month it would be...

A body scrub and full body massage with beautiful organic essential oils.

Shop here for: Lucy Annabella Organics

Kentish Cobnut Scrub

The luxurious Kentish Cobnut Body Scrub, £36 from British brand, Mitchell &Peach is our latest body indulgence. It leaves the skin softened, cleansed and invigorated. Formulated with ground shell from the Mitchells’ cobnut ‘plats’, it gently exfoliates, and sugar which is crammed with glycolic acid, moisturises the skin and protects it from toxins.

The Mitchells have been farming the same land in Kent, England, for five generations. Continuing in the family’s tradition, Ian and Jod Mitchell planted fine lavender on the estate. The quality of the essences distilled from the plantation inspired them to create a bath and body range of uncompromising quality. Mitchell and Peach was born.

All Mitchell and Peach products are hand-blended in England using the finest natural ingredients, including matured essential oils from the family’s fields and honey collected from hives on the estate.

Shop here for: Mitchell and Peach