This will be a diary of my journey in building the Beatitude brand, creating awareness about the benefits about aromatherapy and hopefully this will be an interesting read for anyone thinking about setting up and starting their own business.
I launched Beatitude at the Country Living Fair Glasgow in November 2011. I think I had possibly the smallest size stand you could possibly get - a bit bigger than a phone box (if you remember these), but the best thing for me was actually meeting customers and getting their feedback on the products. It was wonderful to get such positive feedback from folk (and my first sales) and from here on in I felt I was on the right track.
The First Beatitude Stand at the Country Living Fair Glasgow 2011
The first Beatitude products were the bath oils. Having been in the beauty industry for more than 20 years I felt there was a gap in the market for high strength therapeutic bath oils that would disperse in the water and that were also blended with some of the more beneficial plant oils rather than just using the cheaper grapeseed or almond oils. The Beatitude bath oils are in a base of Oat Oil, Camellia Oil and Peach Kernel Oil - the feel and texture of these oils is really quite different and they also ensure that your skin is left feeling silky smooth afterwards, not to mention the fact that you are not left with the awful greasy rim around your bath!
I have developed 3 quite different blends (in 2 sizes) and these really reflect (very generally) the main reasons why my clients were having aromatherapy:
Peace Bath Oil is for relaxation - This has a delicate floral aroma which comes from Ylang Ylang and is balanced with the woody notes of petitgrain and cedarwood and this blend also contains lavender. This is a brilliant blend if you are feeling stressed, are having problems switching off or generally want to improve well-being and feel soothed.
Patience Bath Oil is for general aches and strains. This has a spicy aroma with Ginger (fantastic warming properties), Rosemary, Lavender and Juniperberry. This blend has a much more herbal, tonic feel to it and is highly recommended after exercise or as a general tonic. All essential oils are antiseptic but this blend really packs a powerful punch if you are feeling run down. I had pneumonia 2 years ago and for weeks I could not get rid of the shivers. The Beatitude bath oils were still in development at this stage but this blend stood out for me at this time and this was the first formula to be confirmed as I was really pleased at how effective these essential oils worked together.
Joy Bath Oil is for cheering and uplifting. Bergamot is one of my favourite essential oils. I have used this many times over the years with brilliant effects. I have found it one of the most effective anti-depressant oils. This blend combines the very best citrus essential oils - sweet orange, grapefruit and mandarin and we have had some wonderful feedback about this blend. The purpose of this formula is to give you a 'lift' - and this has been nicknamed our Sunshine in bottle. It is worth noting though that this oil will not over stimulate and therefore you can use before bedtime - It is more mentally uplifting than physically stimulating.
