Woohoo. Get ready to meet Susan Brown! She qualified in Aromatherapy in 2004 and started making products for herself, friends and family. Her journey began with a desire for better skincare for herself. Susan wanted cosmetics that didn't include chemicals and unethical ingredients. Her creations became so popular that she created Blissful Brown in 2014!

Susan tries her best to minimise any form of harm, and for this reason, she makes sure the packaging of her products are ethically produced!

I would love for you to scroll down and tell me if you agree, that her intentions and goals are selfless, inspiring, and worth supporting.

What does Blissful Brown specialise in selling?

Organic, cruelty free, vegan friendly skin products, made from high quality, ethically sourced organic ingredients. Suitable for all skin types, and especially beneficial for sensitive or dry skin conditions. All our products are completely free from all chemical nasties, and only nourishingly rich, and skin kind ingredients are used.

All products comply with EU Regulations and have passed rigorous cosmetic testing (not on animals). In addition to this, all the ingredients and packaging are sourced from companies who share the same ethics and values regarding animal cruelty.

I also offer a range of Holistic Treatments, and I use Blissful Brown Organic Oils too.

Where is Blissful Brown based?

Based in Fife, a small seaside village, by the beach. It's a beautiful place to live and work on my products.

Do you exclusively serve those who are local to you or can others who are further away access your products too? If so, how?

My products are not yet available to buy in shops. They are currently only available from Blissful Brown (myself). However, I regularly post orders to various people from all parts of Britain, as well as The Netherlands and all of my products are also endorsed by a very “high end” retreat, near Bordeaux in the south of France (Praana Wellness, Chez Vallee Retreats). I am co hosting a Blissfully Nurturing Yoga Retreat over there in July this year.

What inspired you to create a business that solely focuses on vegan skincare?

Basically there are very few products in the shops that I want to buy or put on my skin (either due to the cruelty or chemical aspect). So I decided to make my own. I like to know exactly what's in my product and what I'm putting on my skin. So many people don't actually realise that what they put on their skin, is absorbed by the body. I run my car on petroleum, I certainly don't want to put it on my skin. I feel the same way about nasty parabens, carcinogens, SLS, the list is endless. And some pots of shop bought creams can have up to 50 chemicals hiding in there! Gulp!!

Also, I feel very strongly that GPs are still prescribing products such as Aqueous Cream for Psoriasis and Eczema, and people with these dry skin conditions are often completely unaware that Aqueous Cream contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate, which is one of the biggest CAUSES of major dry skin conditions. I feel very passionate about this. I worked for the NHS at one point many years ago, and saw people with extremely “raw” skin, and this is what was being prescribed/applied. I think there needs to be much more awareness
of the ingredients and products being prescribed to people.

How easy is it for you to source cruelty free ingredients for your products?

It can be very time consuming but it's not difficult. I do my research on each company I use, right down to the packaging, so I am confident that my entire product range is cruelty free from start to finish.

Do these ingredients effect the outcome in comparison with non-plant-based skin-care?

Most definitely. I just wouldn't use chemical based products.

For someone who hasn't used your products before and is indecisive about what to buy; is there a particularly popular one you can name?

I'm pleased to say all of my products are proving very popular, but probably most popular is Steps 1-3 for Velvet Skin.
Step 1. Organic Cleansing Facial Oil. Extremely nourishing using highest quality organic sweet almond oil, using a blend of either Geranium and Rosewood essential oils (smells like Turkish delight!) or Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils.
Step 2. Organic Rose Water Toner. Made from the highest quality organic rose petals, this smells divine and is fantastic for all skin types. It's the only one to make me finally stop skipping that vital step in my skincare routine!
Step 3. Organic and Rejuvanating Face and Body Butter. This is extremely popular. I use ingredients such as Coconut Oil and Shea Butter, which we all know are extremely nourishing to even the driest the skin. Because it's whipped, it's consistency is very unusual, and initially it feels solid (unless it's in a warm room). It goes on like an oil, then after 10 minutes, it is completely absorbed into the skin and make up can be applied over it. I use all of my products as part of my own daily skin care regime, and I always wear make up over this.

All products can be purchased separately, but when all three products are purchased together, it is more cost effective, and they also come in a cute little jute gift bag, with ribbon and a muslin cloth to gently remove the facial oil.

Is Blissful Brown owned by, or in partnership with, another company that tests on animals or sells non-vegan products?

Never, no way, absolutely not!! Can't stress this enough!! This will always be the case. I won't ever compromise my principles on this.

Tell me a bit about yourself before you launched Blissful Brown?

I qualified as an Aromatherapist in 2004, and have been making lotions and potions for myself, family and friends ever since I qualified. They all encouraged me to take this a step further, as they could see that's where my passion lies, and essential oils are so fantastically therapeutic for many skin conditions. So, in December 2014, I took part in a tiny local craft event, and couldn't believe how popular my products were. I realised it wasn't just me who felt that way, there is a big need for genuinely natural and nourishing products, and I now have lots of regular clients, who won't buy anything else. I started to raise my game, had several months of sleepless/very late nights over the EU Legislation, Labelling and Cosmetic Testing, and finally, Blissful Brown was born.

What is your vision for the future of Blissful Brown?

In a nutshell, I want to conquer the world! Haha (not ambitious at all!) I'd like everyone to be using my products as part of their daily routine. I want Blissful Brown to be a household name. And most importantly, I really want to make a big difference to people who have all kinds of skin issues, from eczema and psoriasis to rosacea, spots etc. I also feel strongly that by reducing the amount of chemicals in our lives, we can help to stamp out cancer and other nasty diseases eventually. I hope we can do it together!

I love feedback from people and welcome constructive criticism too. I'm a happy little hippy who genuinely just wants the very best for all creatures, fellow humans and the planet (I also encourage recycling, so when people return a jar to me, they get £1 off their next purchase)