How did the idea for PURE MAMA come about? Was it one of those brilliant lightbulb moments?
I guess it was a series of light bulb moments for sure. Lara was pregnant with her first baby in 2018 and started asking around about skincare options to help with her growing belly. The options were dire, and she was left both surprised and frustrated by the lack of pregnancy-specific body products. After searching high and low for the right products, we were not only overwhelmed with conflicting information on the safety of ingredients but also shocked by the outdated market landscape that failed to acknowledge the complexity of motherhood, especially regarding the physical and emotional changes women go through. It became clear that design-led, effective, natural products targeting modern mothers did not exist.
After speaking to hundreds of pregnant women and new mothers, it was clear us that we were not alone. In June of 2021, after two and a half years of extensive research and product development, we launched the brand to the market, selling out in just a few months. PURE MAMA really is our third baby, besides our two actual children (we have 2 children each, similar in age). It encompasses a part of our lives that was so important to us and that allows us to connect with our customers and community in a very real way. We get to show up as we are, live and breathe a brand we love, and work on creating beautiful, effective products.
What sets Pure Mama apart?
We understand our customer both physically and mentally. We know first-hand what she is looking for during pregnancy and where the friction points are, alongside how she might feel. Our team’s experiences very much play into our decisions, alongside our very honest and engaged social community @puremama_skincare. Pregnancy is such an incredible time in one’s life, but it’s also unique in the sense that you really need to live it to truly understand, not just physically but emotionally, too.
From a product point of view, we are very much guided by the highest calibre naturally performing ingredients for skincare. Our body care range harnesses the powerful, natural ingredients often used in facial skincare, such as Pomegranate and Raspberry Seed Oil, and concentrated levels of Vitamin E, which are miracle workers for skin hydration, elasticity and restoring skin. We’ve then married these with tried and trusted base blends of Coconut and Almond oils which have been used for centuries all over the world, to create a new, more nourishing range of skincare for pregnant woman and new mothers.
From a brand we are not afraid to embrace the real and raw journey of pregnancy. We know the pregnancy journey isn’t always (if ever) smooth sailing. Conception and pregnancy can be a bumpy road, both physically and mentally. There’s this huge stigma around pregnancy being a beautiful journey, which is essence it is, but the reality of the day to day can be far from that for women going through it. We are very much focused on lifting the lid on some of the conversation’s women are having behind the beautiful bump utopia shots. We are not afraid to be honest, raw, and bold. We are with women on their journey, all the way, through thick and thin and they should be able to talk about anything they want, and not feel judged or alone for it.
What are some best-selling products?
Our Belly Oil is our #1 best-seller. Pregnant women cannot get enough of it and so many women continue to use it as an all-over body oil post pregnancy. Second to that is our Pregnancy Care set which includes our 3 best-sellers for pregnancy – The Belly Oil, our luxurious Bump Scrub, and the incredible Magnesium Body Rub to help with sleep and discomfort in the later stages of pregnancy. We have so many new incredible products coming, too, that are really going to support women through birth and postpartum.
How do you believe your experiences as a woman and mother have shaped your approach to leadership and decision-making within your business?
How can it not, in this industry, right? You must have lived it (pregnancy and postpartum) to really understand your audience and your brand purpose. Our previous experience, both personal and professional, feeds into everything that we do. Our team is also very much in the same boat. We constantly draw on our previous professional experience and then work very collaboratively to make decisions. We also believe being a mother makes you inherently more empathetic towards mothers and parents, in general. So many things change when you have children; it can be really challenging when it comes to time management, especially when dealing with sick children, broken sleep, appointments, etc. We deeply respect that everyone who works for us needs to feel fulfilled both personally and professionally, so the way in which we work needs to be flexible and understanding. In saying that, we have never met such a group of hardworking, committed, intelligent women, and we feel so fortunate that they are deeply committed to our company vision.
What is your favourite thing about your business?
It is the fact that PURE MAMA encompasses a part of our lives that were so important to us and that allows us to connect with our customers in community in a really real way. We get to show up as we are, live and breathe a brand we love, and work on creating beautiful, effective products. Plus, we LOVE our team. We have a lot in common and always make sure we are having fun along the way.
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