Name: Claire Lewis/'Lula'
Occupation: Naturopath

What is your website LoveLula.com all about?

It is a one stop shop for organic beauty products including skincare, makeup and hair care. We stock over 700 products from over 40 organic beauty brands and all the products we stock are natural and are free from ingredients such as parabens and sodium lauryl sulphate and our online store is certified by the Soil Association. But more than that it is an online store that celebrates and has a passion for natural beauty. It has a fun, playful and feminine feel to it ....we certainly don’t believe that natural or green beauty should be boring!

Do you think the beauty industry is becoming more concerned with organic cosmetics?

Organic beauty is a hot topic at the moment and the fact that major cosmetic brands such as Estée Lauder (with Origins Organics) and L’Oreal (with Sanoflore) are getting in on the act shows that many believe this is not a passing trend. The industry is responding to customer demand, women want to know more about what’s in their product and what it will actually do for their skin.

What do you believe the benefits are of organic beauty products?

Most conventional products use relatively small amounts of natural extracts as their active elements. Organic beauty products contain not only near to 100% natural ingredients but it is widely believed that organically grown ingredients are more potent and with greater therapeutic properties. Organic skincare can therefore deliver more essential nutrients into the skin providing greater anti aging protection for example. For me, I love organic products because of the quality of them and I love natural fragrances from essential oils (which also provide additional therapeutic qualities).

What is your background - did you always want to work in the beauty industry?

I am a trained naturopath...so not a conventional beauty route. But training in naturopathy allowed me to understand and study the relationship between our bodies and nature and it’s been an invaluable grounding for my work.

What made you decide to set up your own business?

The desire for a new challenge, to do something that was more ‘me’, that brought more fulfilment and also to allow me the flexibility of a career and a family.

Do you have any advice for others trying to set up a beauty business?

I think a clear vision of what you want to create and an understanding of what will set you apart and make you different is important. You’ll need passion, dedication and persistence too.

Visit the website at www.lovelula.com, and check out the latest products and organic beauty news in Lula's blog.