Pure and Gentle is an online skincare retailer focusing on products for people with sensitive skin, eczema and other skin conditions. Since it was launched in May 2007, the business has taken off, and taken over the lives of its founders, Deborah and Lisa. "Some days I'm running around like a headless chicken!" says Lisa.

Knowledge

The secret of their success has been combining Deborah's extensive knowledge of skin problems and treatment (when her daughter, Alice, developed severe eczema as a baby Deborah founded TalkEczema, a website offering support and information on the topic, and she's now a self-taught expert on all things dermatological) with graphic designer, Lisa's skill in branding and marketing, and their combined passion for helping people and sourcing new products.

Research

Lisa and Deborah spent eighteen months researching and testing products before launching Pure and Gentle and, they say, the reaction has been phenomenal. "I just love the feedback that we get," says Lisa, "One guy who had a baby with severe eczema phoned up, and he was tearing his hair out. We recommended a product, and within 24 hours the itching had stopped. It's great, because I can say to myself 'I have actually helped somebody'."

The mums are keen to stress that they are not doctors, and that customers should always do a patch test before using a product. However, they do have a lot of knowledge and they are happy to give advice. They also have a team of product testers, and work with a dermatologist to make sure they are recommending the right products.

Products

Although many Pure and Gentle products contain a high percentage of natural ingredients, they are not hung up on being organic. "We've found that just because the product is labelled 'organic' it may not be telling the whole truth. Unlike food, skincare products can include only a tiny percentage of organic ingredients and be labelled as 'organic'. In fact organic products often contain citrus, which is natural, but is also acidic and can cause skin reactions."

What Pure and Gentle do is avoid major known skin irritants such as petrochemicals and lanolin, whilst including products that contain active ingredients which may not always be natural, but do help people with skin conditions.

The future

As well as continuing to seek out new products, Deborah and Lisa are enjoying their well-deserved success.
They've both worked on businesses on their own before, and they appreciate someone else to bounce ideas off, "It's great, because we come at things from different angles." Neither have close family nearby, so having daughters who are at the same school and get on with each other well, makes all the hard work a little easier to fit in. "We can help each other out. Our husbands are brilliant, and we get alot of support from our friends."
www.pureandgentleskincare.com

Baby Hampshire & Baby Surrey Magazine Autumn 2008