Pure Beauty Interview with Kim Jacobs

Open To Question

There’s a growing market for premium, natural mother and baby skin care, says Kim Jacob, make up artist and founder of Angelique

How did you come to create Angelique?

I created Angelique after many years of being a make-up artist and product developer for major cosmetic companies. I then had children and found that there were no fantastic products for mums and babies that had natural ingredients and the cosmetic desirability we’ve come to expect. After four years of product research and development, I created Angelique.

Explain the products and where they fit into the market.

The products are all naturally derived using the finest ingredients and 100% aromatic essential oils. I developed the range with mother and baby in mind: all ingredients are mild and gentle so both can use them. The scent was very important as babies have an acute sense of smell, and all our products have calming properties due to the essential oils. Massage Balm, Moisturisng Cream, Spritzer, Cleanser and Room Scents make up the range. They are all packaged beautifully in Muslin bags, boxed and tamper sealed.

Please comment on the female consumer who is a growing market force in this area.

She’s in her 30’s educated, has children late and is happy to pay a premium, for quality, natural skin care. Women are having children later in life and are also still working. They have more income and have had years spending money on well selected skincare products. They are also more aware of what is in skincare products. Affluent women wanting natural products is a huge trend.

Explain how becoming a mother can change your beauty regimes.

It can be a hook into a different mindset. Most women have fantastic skincare routines and spend time researching it. They are also realising the importance of doing the same for their children. We are surrounded by pollutants and harmful chemicals in the atmosphere and our skin suffers: parents realise that their children are also affected. We are being educated about what we feed our children; what we put on their skin also has an effect. I believe that mineral oil based products are no better for children than processed food.

What are your star products and why?

Our star product is the Massage Balm which contains olive oil jelly and shea butter, The jelly sits on top of the olive oil when the olive has been pressed, making it very rich in nutrients. The Balm is excellent for massage but also has a great effect on children with dry skin and eczema, and it also helps prevent stretchmarks. The aromatic oils in our products also have a calming effect: they are high in lavender and ylang-ylang oils.

Where is Angelique currently stocked, and what does it offer the retailer?

It is stocked in Fortnum and Mason and very niche mother and baby shops in London, the home counties and also sold online. I would love it to be stocked in more shops around Britain and also to grow the company to export. Most department and larger stores don’t yet understand that this area is a growing trend - they are not quite sure if there is a sufficient market for them to stock such brands.

Are retailers missing a trick with this product sector?

Larger retailers are missing this market: they perceive it as too niche and are not sure how and who to market it at. They still think that mothers don’t feel the need to spend money on their children in this way. We only have to look at how the children’s clothing market has changed over the past five years to appreciate that this must follow.

How has your expertise as a make-up artist been translated into the range?

It has helped tremendously as I understand skin and skin problems. I also know that if you start looking after your skin from a young age it makes a huge difference. I work with models as young as 16 who have not been taught to look after their skin and bodies by their mothers and it is a big shock when they have to adopt good, healthy routines. I see many Black and Asian girls who have amazing skins and this are because their mothers have put cream on their skin since the day they were born. This is a big cultural difference.

How will you develop the brand and what are the major challenges?

I want to make more people aware of what we can do to help our children before we become a society obsessed with plastic surgery and medical intervention to make us look younger. We can all look younger if we eat the right food and use good skin products. Jamie Oliver has done a lot to change the mindset regarding children’s food. What we put on our skin is equally important: it has exactly the same effect as what we eat.

Any market predictions for premium natural beauty and toiletries?

I see a growing trend in premium ranges for mothers and children But using fantastic natural ingredients comes at a price, rather like free range and organic food: you get what you pay for and more people realise this.