The brainchild of Suffolk's mother and daughter Margaret and Abi Weeds, Odylique is the way-paving organic beauty brand that proves that products can be natural and high-performance. Join me as I talk to Abi about the brand’s journey - and what it’s like to work with her mum
Sourcing and curating natural ingredients for your products is an intricate art: how does Odylique navigate this process? Sourcing our products is a complex process! As with choosing any product or ingredient, there’s a host of criteria: therapeutic efficacy, skin compatibility, what certifications it has, where it comes from, and whether we [can] ensure it’s cruelty-free and fairly traded. We need to do this planet some favours, and for us that means sourcing as close to home as possible. Above all, for me, it’s important to be able to back up claims. Whether it's organic, cruelty-free, or otherwise, we don't say it without the proof, certification or accreditation.
Delving into Margaret's herbal expertise and connection with nature, what are the roots and inspirations that have shaped your shared belief in the healing power of botanicals? My mother was first introduced to pharmacognosy - plant medicine - in her late teens and became a lifelong devotee of both natural medicine and organic gardening. After training as a beauty and massage therapist in the 1970s, she began studying herbs in earnest in the early 1980s with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. She was also one of the first members of the International Federation of Aromatherapists in 1985. The basic formulation for Odylique’s Repair Lotion has its origin in those early days, [created] for the relief of our family’s eczema and allergy-prone skin.
What makes Odylique stand out in the competitive market of all-natural beauty products? When Margaret and I first set up Essential Care, which was the original name for Odylique, organic was a tiny, niche area of beauty. We were one of the first companies to create certified organic cosmetics and formulate the purest cosmetics possible. So, what I think sets us apart is our experience. Our 30-year focus on sensitive skin means that we understand skin problems and have a unique position on aspects like potential allergens. We aim to be as allergy-friendly as possible and go the extra step to avoid ingredients that are commonly found in natural skincare, but that our customers with allergies prefer us not to use. Every single one of Odylique’s products is also handmade at our eco-HQ in Suffolk. This means we’re able to promise the highest quality and freshness for everything we make.
In terms of popularity, which product from your range would you consider to be the standout favourite amongst your customers? We’re best known for our hero Gentle Herb Shampoo, the go-to product for sensitive scalps (£13 for 200ml at odylique.co.uk). Originally formulated for a friend of Margaret’s whose scalp was prone to psoriasis, it was the world’s first-ever certified organic shampoo made only from natural, non-polluting cleansers, organic herbs and botanicals, including coconut and horsetail.
How has the experience of working together strengthened your mother-daughter relationship, and have there been any unexpected benefits that have emerged along the way? There are aspects you admire about each other in everyday life, but by working together you get to experience a different, vocational skill-set. I’ve been truly in awe of my mother’s groundbreaking formulation achievements and the success they’ve had. If we hadn’t worked together, I wouldn’t have necessarily appreciated that.
What advice would you give to other mother-daughter duos who are considering working together? Just as with any partnership, make sure your values and vision are aligned. Next, clarify roles and responsibilities by assigning tasks and outlining who will do what. We’ve certainly had a lot of fun over the years, and for sure some moments where it’s been more of a rollercoaster! Looking back at what we’ve achieved - creating a legacy of helpful products, a business that tries to do good and a happy, growing team - makes me feel proud. I probably wouldn’t have that same level of pride if it had been experienced with someone else.
What aspects of being a woman in the beauty industry do you find most fulfilling? For me, the most fulfilling aspect is getting to meet some incredible and inspiring women along the way.
If you could share one piece of wisdom with your past self, when you first started in the beauty business, what would it be? I would tell myself just how much appearances matter. As a brand we’d always focus our efforts and value on what’s inside the product rather than what was on the outside. I have come to learn how important packaging is. It took us a few years to get our graphic design right! So, it would have been nice to know the importance of packing from the beginning.
How do you stay inspired and creative in your work? We are always asking our customers what they want; they’re an amazingly engaged crowd who are proactive about telling us when they’d like a new product introduced, so this is very insightful! It’s these wishes, combined with a healthy interest in all the wonderful new natural ingredients coming onto the market, that keeps us inspired.
See and shop the Odylique range, which spans skincare, haircare, body care and makeup, at odylique.co.uk
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