December 4, 2017

Five mins with Kadian, Bourn Beautiful Naturals

Bourn Beautiful Naturals is a handcrafted skincare brand set up by Kadian, after experiencing skin sensitivities on her face, hair and body. The ethos behind the brand is all about maintaining hair and skin’s optimal moisture balance in  formulas that are both effective and feel luxurious. They achieve this mainly through using vegan and vegetarian ingredients. We caught up with Kadian to find out more about her business and the woman behind it.

Tell us why you started Bourn Beautiful Naturals 

Our one-year anniversary passed a week ago, in November, and I’m so grateful we’re still here and getting better. The inspiration to go into business came from a friend, but the impetus to create products came from the needs I had that were not being fully met by products on the market. I started by trying to make a conditioner for myself. It took me two years and 7 versions to get to the Avocado Smoothie Conditioner.

The inspiration for the name, Bourn Beautiful Naturals, came from where I live, Bournville, which is named after the small brook that runs through it: the Bourn Brook. Water is life, and so important to the sense of balance of our hair and skin. I wanted my product line to be about balance and efficacy, not trends.

Why is it important for your products to be Vegan and Vegetarian Based? 

I have a lot of skin sensitivities (oily, acne prone, eczema, gluten-sensitive, chronic urticaria and angioedema on the face; and the skin on my body gets tight when it’s dry and can feel like it’s tearing if not properly moisturised). Some of those problems I collected as I got older. I’m a do-it-yourself kind of girl. So, I systematically began researching the ingredients that would help alleviate my problems, then I started experimenting with formulations. The ingredients I came across, in my research, that were the most effective were primarily vegetable and fruit-derived. Additionally, my products have no petroleum, mineral oil, sulfates, or parabens. There are only three ingredients I use that make certain items vegetarian and not vegan: goat’s milk, liquid silk, and beeswax.

Your products are handmade, how do you manage your time and make this work? 

I am a full-time PhD researcher (Sociology) and part-time Assistant Lecturer in addition to running Bourn Beautiful Naturals. It is certainly challenging, but I make it work because I have to, even if it means shaving off a few hours of sleep. All of those roles fulfill me in different ways, and make me feel like I’m contributing something beneficial to the world, even in small ways. I began my Phd journey the same year I began researching and formulating products. I found that the time in my studio making the products became therapeutic for me. It is purposeful that we are are a small business. By making the products myself, I feel very connected to my customers. There are ebbs and flows with all of my responsibilities, and I have an amazing partner who helps me in practical and emotional ways. The latter is really important to helping me achieve balance.

There has been an increase in the number of women who now have adult acne. What products do you have that are good to treat this condition? 

I have suffered with acne since I was a teenager, and I was on medication for it until my early 30s. I stopped taking medication only a few years ago, and only use my own products on my face. The biggest problem I have found is that women tend to be really rough on our problem skin, thinking we have to over-treat it and be aggressive. Acne-prone skin should be treated like sensitive skin. I have 4 facial products that were developed around acne, oily-combination, and sensitive skin, so they are all fragrance free, alcohol-free, gluten-free and use non-comedogenic ingredients. Those products are: the So Sensitive Face Wash, Lavender Refreshmint Toner, So Sensitive Rose Moisturiser, and the Bentonite Clay & Goats Milk Face Mask.

What are your top 3 best sellers?

It’s been so much fun to learn what people gravitate towards.

My Top 3 are:

Knot-Free Detangling Moisturiser (it’s even great for loc-wearers as a moisturiser)

Avocado Smoothie Conditioner

The Body Butter Supreme.

Do you have plans to create more products and if so can we get some information on what they are? 

Yes! I have three products that I use on myself, but have been tweaking for commercial release in 2018. One is a flaxseed hair gel (that doesn’t feel runny!). The second is a glycerine-free lip balm with nutrient-rich oils. This is available, for now, only in 3 of our holiday gift sets (‘Self Care Indulgence’, ‘About Face’ and ‘Bourn Body Beautiful’). The other product is an oil-based makeup remover and cleanser that rinses cleanly with water. It’s like giving yourself a facial massage while taking your makeup off. Our ‘About Face’ gift set features a sample of this product before it’s available for sale in a full size.

Do you have any special gift sets for the Christmas season? 

Yes we do and they are:

Self Care Indulgence Kit (£30): Coconut Cream Deep Conditioner, Cocoa Sugar Body Scrub, Bentonite Clay & Goat’s Milk Mask, Lips Too Balm, and a hair towel

About Face Kit (£32) : All 4 items in our skincare line, plus the Lips Too Balm, a sample of our makeup remover, and a hair towel

Bourn Body Beautiful Kit (£32): Bespoke Body Wash, Body Butter Supreme, Cocoa Sugar Body Scrub, Lips Too Balm, and a loofah. Choose from 3 fragrances: Japanese Sugar Plum, Candy Cane, or Plumscious Citrus

Wash Day Essentials Kit (£20): 4 trial size items–Moisture Silk Shampoo, Avocado Smoothie Conditioner, Leave Me Be Leave-In Conditioner and Hair Too Balm

Style and Protect Kit (£35): Knot-Free Detangling Moisture Spray, Leave Me Be Leave In Conditioner, Curl Please! Curling Custard, and Hair Too Balm

You can visit their website here: https://www.bournbeautifulnaturals.uk

Follow them on Instagram & Twitter on @bbnaturalsuk