By The Green Parent
05th September 2020
“We live in the village of Far Sawrey, home to Beatrix Potter and close to Windermere. We have three young children, Angus, Esme & Carina and they are now the fifth generation of my family to live here.
We were customers of Pure Lakes, living in London and having the products sent to us every couple of months. When we decided to move back to the Lakes - we wanted to raise our young family there - we wanted to run our own business. We loved Pure Lakes products and knew that the founders, Iain & Sandra Blackburn, were looking to step back and spend more time with their grandchildren, and in 2016 we bought the company from them.
Four years on and I have completed an apprenticeship with Sandra - she & Iain still work for us, albeit one day a week - and love formulating and making products that I am passionate about. I have long suffered from eczema and being able to make products that help and that are beneficial for the skin, is incredibly fulfilling.
SELF-CARE SECRETS
As a mother of three young children, I passionately believe that taking time for oneself is incredibly important; if we are not able to look after ourselves how can we properly look after anyone else. Our skincare products are all handmade from plant ingredients, meaning that their very smell, that of essential oils, is naturally revitalising and refreshing, and when I think about my own self-care this smell is incredibly important. It really does lift my spirits as I feel my body soothed and calmed by what is ultimately the smell of nature.
For my every-day routine I use one of our cleansers - the Soap-Free Rosehip Seed is my favourite - and in the warmer months our lighter moisturising Geranium, Lavender & Ylang Ylang Facial Hydration Cream. Last thing at night I also apply one of our facial oils. Like all our facial skincare products these use Rosehip Seed Oil, a natural copy of retinol and I can really see, as well as feel, the difference it makes to my skin.
I try to have a bath every night - it literally and metaphorically soaks away all of the day’s troubles, and it is very much me-time. We recently developed a new blend, Mimosa & Petitgrain, and not only do I love the smell of this bath foam as I soak, but we also make a body butter using this blend and I apply it after the bath and any dryness in my skin disappears.
BUSINESS PLANS
I have been working on a baby and children’s range for a while now and I would really like to see this completed. We have already sent some of the formulations to the cosmetic scientist for approval and are thinking through packaging designs and the brand messaging. It would be wonderful to see a dedicated Pure Lakes range especially for children, and my three have already been willing guinea pigs as I ask them to smell and try many different combinations.”
THREE WAYS TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE
LESS IS MORE The old cliche that less is more is so true. When we moved from London to Cumbria we were worried about what would be a very dramatic change in lifestyle, and how we would cope. However, being part of a small community and living a more simple life has been tremendous and we found that we need much less than we had thought we would.
START SMALL Small steps are all it takes. It can be a bit overwhelming to make changes if we think about them in their entirety. I think it is much better and probably more practical to start small and to make changes on a discrete basis. Looking back at where you started, even after just a few months, you will be amazed at how much your life has changed.
REUSE AND REFILL Reuse, as well as recycle. We introduced a refill service for all our products at the end of last year and have been delighted to see so many of our customers return their old bottle/jars/tins to be refilled. We used to tease my Mum for keeping so many of my old toys and clothes but now, as I wear one of my grandmother’s skirts or see my daughter in one of my Mum’s baby dresses, I am so grateful that she did. Our world is so precious and reusing, as well as recycling, has to be, I think, a crucial part of enjoying a sustainable lifestyle.
