Former beauty editor and make up artist, Arabella Preston shares with me her passion and inspiration behind Votary, the brand she co-found with her good friend and ex-colleague, Charlotte Semler.
It was was an absolute pleasure reading Arabella’s answers to my questions and to have the opportunity to discover more about the Votary philosophy and their views on sustainability, as well as how Arabella achieves her healthy glowing complexion.
For someone who has not yet heard or used the beautifully crafted Votary products, how would you summarise your unique points of difference in relation to other skincare brands?
My personal passion is for using pure, natural plant oils in skincare. I think customers see us as the natural oils expert, but also as a brand that is interested in the overall health of the skin. We approach skincare holistically and not with a one-size-fits-all approach.
Our products are packed full of pure plant oils, cold pressed in the UK in small fresh batches. We are cruelty free and naturally vegan. I still formulate our oil products by hand-blending at my kitchen table before we go into production.
With an inner dream of one day formulating my own products what advice would you give in starting out and where and how were your oil blending skills acquired?
I am entirely self-taught. When I very first started blending oils my knowledge was entirely down to the fact that I was ingredient obsessed and studied the INCI list of every product I picked up! I was working as a make-up artist at the time so had hands-on experience of skin day in and day out. You learn pretty quickly what skin responds well to and how to get transformative results quickly.
In terms of advice about starting out I think having a very clear idea of the sort of product you want to create is the starting point. I would then spend time researching the market and getting to know the products in that category well. You need to make sure you are creating something that is missing and that has a point of difference in order to have any impact on a crowded market place.
Where did the passion and inspiration come from to pursue this wonderful adventure of creating your very own skincare line?
As a former make-up artist and beauty editor, I was in the enviable position of being sent every product I could wish for but started to go through a personal journey with my own skin. Complicated routines simply didn’t suit me and my skin felt overloaded and dull. I discovered oil cleansing which turned out to be truly transformational on my own skin. I realised I hadn’t been getting my skin properly clean before! I would also always use facial oils to prep the skin of my make-up clients as it was the most reliable way to create a flawless base.
I had not planned to make this into a business but after a lunch with my good friend and ex-colleague, Charlotte Semler, we realised there was nothing else like it available. Votary launched 10 months later!
The Votary Cleansing Routine is at the very heart of the brand, what key technical tips do you think make an effective cleansing step (eg any specific massage movements and removal techniques you would advise on completing)
A proper facial massage works wonders on skin to really help boost circulation delivering more oxygen to your skin cells. It helps you achieve a beautiful, natural glow and really invigorates the skin. No matter if you have one minute or five minutes always start with a grounding breath before spreading a few drops of cleansing oil over your face and neck.
Start at your neck and gently brush the oil in with your fingertips in small circular motions all the way up to the top of your face.
Our cleansers even remove waterproof mascara and will not sting your eyes. Each cleansing oil comes with one of our 100% organic cotton face cloths. If I have time, I love to layer a cleansing oil on while I sit in the bath to allow the steam to penetrate my pores for a really deep cleanse.
Are there sourcing stories behind the botanical actives and plant oil ingredients your products contain? Could you give an example of where you source your Rose Geranium oil that features in your cult cleansing oil?
Nearly all the oils in our products are cold-pressed in the UK by a small family-run business. Not only that but they also blend the oils under the same roof. That’s quite unusual in the beauty industry and does help to cut down our environmental impact by not shipping raw ingredients on an additional journey.
I can see that sustainability is a really important factor that contributes to the Votary Philosophy. With the beauty industry slowly shifting towards this change, do you think it’s important that other skin and body care brands should embrace this transition to ensure sustainability of packaging and ingredients?
Definitely, I think we all need to take responsibility for our impact on the Earth’s resources. We are proudly vegan and cruelty-free. Votary aim to be transparent and deliver high quality products that are truly transforming. We are always looking to improve where we can and we never rest on our laurels.
What are your top three skincare and wellness tips to enhance or achieve a healthy glowing skin?
Staying hydrated is always my top tip. Dehydrated skin is unhappy skin and will easily flare up or breakout and can look parched or dull. I always, always wear an spf - even on a cloudy day and I try to take time out for myself; for me, time out for a yoga class keeps my skin, joints and mind happy and healthy!
You can purchase the Votary Rose Geranium & Apricot Cleansing Oil online
They are found in store at Liberty London or Space NK so you can experience the range before you buy.
For a list of other stockists please click here
