It was a bit of a rapturous reunion when Sarah caught up recently with Jo-Anne, founder of Beauty Kitchen natural and sustainable beauty products.

Jo-Anne reminded Sarah that she had written about them on her page in YOU magazine way back in 2014 when the brand first launched in a small store in Glasgow's Saltmarket.

‘I started it for one simple reason: I couldn’t find the products I wanted to use,’ explains Jo-Anne. ‘As a scientist, it's always been in my nature to be curious, and by doing so, I discovered that loads of ‘natural’ brands weren't actually natural. I wanted to use products that contained sustainable, natural and organic ingredients with no parabens, and absolutely no animal testing. The products on the market at the time didn't really excite me and so I decided that if I couldn't find it, I'd make it, and that's how it all began.’

Today, Beauty Kitchen is in 1000 stores in the UK, including Holland & Barrett.  It launched in the Netherlands last summer and was quickly awarded Best New Brand at the Beauty Astirs, the Dutch beauty Oscars. Below, Jo-Anne talks about underpinning beauty with ethics, something we’re passionate about too – and not being afraid of making mistakes.  To be human is to be imperfect, thank goodness... 

1. Discover what you love to do. I'm lucky to have found a career doing something I love. Inspiring people to make and create their own beauty products and think about the ingredients they're putting on their skin is a huge part of why I do what I do. I started it for one simple reason: I couldn’t find the products I wanted to use. As a scientist, it's always been in my nature to be curious, and by doing so, I discovered that loads of ‘natural’ brands weren't actually natural. I wanted to use products that contained sustainable, natural and organic ingredients with no parabens, and absolutely no animal testing. The products on the market at the time didn't really excite me and so I decided that if I couldn't find it, I'd make it, and that's how it all began. DIY beauty is the foundation of Beauty Kitchen and we’ve taught thousands of people how to make their own products and seeing this emerge as a recognised category is a dream come true for me.

2. Learn from mistakes. Running your own business isn't easy! In the early days, we learned the hard way that it's not always plain sailing. We still make mistakes sometimes but learning to go with them and work your way back to something that suits everyone is the only way to deal with things. Mistakes are something to embrace because they mean you're challenging yourself and always learning.  Now I don’t focus on perfection. Start small and get a cult following and with the power of social media, you really can start to build your brand and story, even with just with a small range. 

3. Have that glass of wine! There's so much buzz around clean eating and healthy living, and I'm absolutely on board with all of that. I start my day, like so many, with a hot water and lemon to cleanse my system, but I'm not a purist - sometimes, after a busy day in the office, you just need a large glass of wine! Friends and family are the best antidote to a busy day or a stressful situation so I'm always okay with having that extra glass of wine while I catch up with them. 

4. B-Transparent. With so much information online about ingredients, the consumer is more educated and engaged than ever before. They know what they want but sometimes don’t know how to get it so I want to make it easier. B-corporation, which is a movement of people using business as a force for good, has given me a clear focus about honesty, transparency and a real passion for making a difference in everything I do. Be real, invest your time and energy into something you love and watch as your customers appreciate what you are doing. 

5. Be brave. Push the boundaries and don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Being different and making a difference is never easy.  Everyone always tells you what you can’t do but never be swayed from your vision and what you want to achieve. In 20 years’ time, you don't want to look back at the things you missed doing because you didn't make the brave decisions. 

6. Give back. It’s important to me that we behave well at Beauty Kitchen. Last year, we launched our Seahorse Plankton skincare and as part of the sales from this range we make a donation to the Seahorse Trust, which works tirelessly to save this endangered species. We also launched our Rainbow Duo in the run up to Christmas with 100 per cent of sales (minus tax) going to the Rainbow Trust, a local charity working with children who have life-limiting illnesses to provide support and respite care.

7. Look after yourself. Striking a balance between work and life is a daily battle for me, but taking a little time out every day to look after me is what keeps me going. Walking the dogs and feeding our alpacas with my three-year-old daughter are essential to being well.  Quite differently, I find getting to the office a little earlier in the morning and clearing my inbox means I’m ready for the day.

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