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For years Lisa Lennon suffered from very dry skin. She had looked everywhere for a really good moisturiser, whose ingredients would get as close to nature as possible and that would be free of any chemical and toxic ingredients. Unable to find anything suitable, Lisa started experimenting in the kitchen and doing some research.
By that time, her and her husband Hector Bolanos had been following a diet high in raw foods for about five years. The principle behind a raw food diet is that uncooked vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains provide your body with the best nutrition. In their natural state, these foods contain much more life energy, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs, etc., than when they are cooked.
So it made sense for Lisa to try and develop a cream following the same principle. And since the couple would buy only organic food and are passionate vegans, she evidently wanted to make a product that reflected these choices too.
After months of trial and error, research and perseverance, Lisa came up with the first ever “living” skin care product, what is now called For Her Daughters Living Moisturiser. It was (and still is) hand-made through a special low temperature process, using only organic, cold-pressed butters and oils, infused with some essential oils.
Lisa was amazed with the results since her skin condition had improved remarkably within days! The reason for this was simple: all the life energy, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and natural goodness in the natural ingredients were truly nourishing and healing her skin.
Lisa gave the moisturiser to a few people to try. The feedback and response was so wonderful that the couple soon realised they had a brilliant product on their hands and that without intending to, Lisa had created a completely new concept in skin care. The couple started selling this moisturiser and soon developed a whole range of living skin care products.
Raw Gaia started trading in May 2006 and its growth has been remarkable. The company now sells over 40 different skin care products to customers all over the world. So far, sales have being coming mostly from online retail but now an increasing number of health food shops are stocking Raw Gaia, including Infinity Foods in Brighton.
In June this year, Raw Gaia took a very bold step for a skin care company. With the re-launch of its brand, the company took the opportunity to adopt an "ethical marketing" approach to beauty and ageing. Any references to anti-ageing, wrinkles, rejuvenation, etc. were removed from the labelling and all marketing literature.
Lisa and Hector decided to do this because they were are aware that the vast majority of women are becoming increasingly unhappy and unsure about themselves as a result of the constant bombardment of ads that we see all around us, which use air-brushed, computer-enhanced, and therefore unreal, images of the “perfect” face and body. Moreover, skin care companies make the problem worse by conveying the idea that ageing skin is not beautiful or lovable.
Raw Gaia’s approach was widely praised. The company received hundreds of enthusiastic and positive comments from women of all ages, ranging from their 20s to their 70s, and from different countries too. It also caused quite a stir in the media. The announcement was featured in a number of national and regional magazines and newspapers as well as industry news sites and blogs.
In this regard, Hector comments, “We are fully aware that the market for anti-ageing products is the fastest growing segment in the skin care industry. Yet, what we are seeing is that women are increasingly tired of having to live up to this ridiculous idea of “eternally youthful-looking skin”. So our purpose is to offer the purest skin care products that truly promote healthy and beautiful skin, but not at the expense of making women feel insecure or unhappy.”
Lisa concludes, “We are absolutely passionate about what we do and uncompromising in what we stand for. Our customers love us for our unique range of living skin care products and even more so now that we’ve taken what we feel is an honest and kinder stance to beauty and ageing.”
Notes for editors:
For additional details, to arrange an interview or to obtain high resolution product images, please contact Hector Bolanos, via the details below:
Tel: +44 (0)1273 311 476
Email: press@rawgaia.com
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