Tried & Tested: My Honest Thoughts on Livewell Natural Skincare

How did your background influence the values or direction of the brand?
My late mother significantly influenced the beauty products I used as a young woman, which ultimately inspired me to create Live Well. She had beautiful skin and loved natural, high-quality English soap, which led to my passion for soap bars. I have always maintained a simple skincare routine, learning from my mother that no cream can completely prevent wrinkles—she preferred holistic and healthy skincare methods. This personal connection to our values ensures that we are not just a brand; we are a reflection of my mother’s influence.
 
Your products are vegan and natural—why are these values important to you?
 
I believe we can all live well and better by either creating or buying vegan, natural body care products. I’m also an animal lover and run a pet boarding business – the thought of any animal by-product being added to anything we put on our face or body is totally abhorrent to me. A couple of years ago, I explored the possibility of becoming a certified vegan brand. This was a lengthy and expensive process, but as we are committed to sourcing only vegan and cruelty-free ingredients, it was a worthwhile exercise to undertake.
 
What does sustainability mean to Live Well, and how do you incorporate it into your process?
 
At Live Well, sustainability is at the core of our business. Despite being a small team of two, we are committed to making a positive impact. We source all our packaging from small UK suppliers who use recycled paper and cardboard for their beauty product boxes. Our commitment to sustainability led us to purchase an electric vehicle, which we use for local deliveries and trips to the local post office. We also ensure that all our products are sourced from other small UK businesses that share our business ethics and have sustainability at the core of their businesses.
 
How do you ensure your ingredients are ethically sourced and eco-friendly?
We thoroughly research other businesses before purchasing from them, ensuring they are committed to manufacturing or selling eco-friendly products. Our commitment to being transparent and honest in sourcing the right products is a process we do to provide the highest quality for our customers.
 
 What is your product creation process like—from idea to finished jar?
 
All our skincare products are carefully crafted for us in the UK using natural and some organic ingredients. We only produce small batches of vegan and organic skincare products, and these are all GMP-certified, pass stringent lab tests, and are registered with the UK government’s cosmetics product portal before being made available for sale.
 
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification is a globally recognised standard that ensures skincare and cosmetic products are manufactured consistently, meeting stringent requirements for safety, quality, and hygiene. It safeguards consumers from contaminated, incorrect labelling, or substandard products.
 
Are there any hero ingredients you love working with, and why?
 
Our Marula oil and Shea butter products are sourced from the Marula nut and Shea nut. For many years, skin moisturisers made from these natural ingredients have been used to nourish and protect the skin. We take pride in the fact that these ingredients have not been altered or processed in a laboratory and are gentle enough for all skin types.
 
Which product do you think best represents the brand and why?
Our Shea Butter Body Butter features a clean and straightforward set of ingredients that nourish and deeply hydrate the skin. For centuries, Shea Butter has been a pure and natural moisturiser, proving effective without the need for trendy additives like hyaluronic acid. It truly delivers on its promises.
 
How do you engage with your customers and take on feedback?
We are fortunate to have a captive audience of people who bring their pets in for boarding. Our initial customers came to us through our pet boarding business, and we have been grateful for their feedback. This encouragement inspired us to establish a website and e-commerce store.
 
Have any customer success stories, or testimonials stood out to you?
Some customers, like me, also share a love of gardening, and they have noted that our Hand Cream has made a significant difference to their hands. Additionally, our Rose Geranium soap bar has proved to be very popular.
 
Which product is your best seller, and what do you think makes it so popular?
We have two bestsellers, but the one that customers love the most is our conditioning lip balm. This excellent lip hydration product comes in a cute little jar, making it perfect for your makeup bag or pocket. It features an organic blend of cocoa and avocado butter that nourishes and protects your lips. This tiny pot of magic serves as a powerful lip treatment and works wonderfully as a primer under lipstick.
 
What has been the most challenging part of building your brand?
Without a doubt, it’s about making ourselves stand out in an industry crowded with thousands of small to medium-sized beauty brands. Neither of us is keen on social media, but we have slowly grown since our inception in late 2019.
  
What’s one milestone that made you feel “this is really happening”?
We received an inquiry from Poland requesting that we provide stock for their shop. We fulfilled their request, but since we are a retail store and not a wholesale distributor—and we don’t hold a large amount of stock—this order left our shelves empty! As we prefer small-batch manufacturing, we are content to remain a small retail brand.
 
How do you stay inspired and motivated in such a competitive space?
I learned early on that it was not healthy to compare us to other similar businesses and have instead focussed on our customer’s likes and dislikes rather than trying to sell hundreds of units. This is a very personal, one-to-one kind of business that would not exist without the backing and funding from our pet boarding venture, as well as my partner’s sound business acumen. It can take most small start-ups ten years to even turn a profit, so we are highly motivated to stay on track with our slow but steady growth.
 
In the early days, I made contact with another soap manufacturer and seller whose products are now on the shelves of well-known supermarkets. Talking to her was truly inspiring, and although we have no plans to launch in other shops, we are feeling good about how our little business is going. We still get excited when we make a sale, whether it’s online, at a craft fair, or in the shop.
 
By inviting two amazing industry experts to write articles for our blog, we have significantly enhanced our platform, attracting more readers and those signing up for our Blog Newsletter, which has definitely helped with sales – thank you, ladies!
  
Are there any exciting new launches or projects in the works?
We are looking to launch two new skincare products later this year.
 
Do you have plans to expand your product line or explore other wellness areas?
We are excited to expand our product line with a new collection of aromatherapy essential oil candles and soaps from France, along with additional French body care products coming soon!
 
What is your vision for Live Well Natural Skincare in the next five years?
To grow, we need to upscale, which would require additional space for our inventory and involve significant costs. However, since we are only five years into our journey, our vision for the next two years is to invest in advertising to boost our visibility. Slow growth is still growth, and we are pleased with the progress we are making.
 
If Live Well were a person, how would you describe their personality?
 
This person is slightly shy but incredibly friendly and honest. They are empathetic and caring for both others and the environment. Resourceful by nature, they prefer to observe from the sidelines, appreciating what motivates those around them. However, when throwing a party, they excel as the perfect hostess.
 
What’s one skincare rule you always follow personally?
Never ever go to bed without cleansing and moisturising, and apply sun protection cream every day.
 
What’s your favourite self-care ritual involving your products?
I’m a fan of body brushing, so I make it a self-care ritual at least once a week. Afterwards, I apply our Lemongrass Nourishing Body Oil. The fragrance is slightly spicy and always makes me feel like I’ve enjoyed a spa treatment. I also love playing my favourite music during the process!