13 Oct 10 good reason to cherish Pure Beginnings

The brands we choose to list are so much more than the products you receive in your order. Their stories, motivations for being, and inspirational journeys are actually one of the important reasons why we choose to bring them into our fold. Pure Beginnings Organic Skincare has been in the sustainability business just about as long as we’ve been around. And since we’re also celebrating our 11th birthday this month, we wanted to share a few insights on their journey as they celebrate 10 years in organic skincare, so you too can see why we cherish this brand and their faithful journey.

1. Innovation through curiosity

Pure Beginnings were founded in 2006 by Kate Moore-Gordon. But like many of us in this industry, Kate wasn’t always in the green game. Kate was actually a chartered accountant in a well-established company. But she longed for something more meaningful to fill her time with, to find something bigger to cast her energy and passions into. It began with buying a natural diabetic supplement business but the real penny dropped for Kate while developing a foot cream for diabetics. She discovered, like so many of us, that once you peer through the door to natural ingredients, an unimaginably large world of intrigue, better alternatives and superbly natural options just bursts open for you. The dream materialised – a whole skincare range that was natural and organic, but also inspiring, fun and energetic.

2. Personal journeys inspire action

How often does it happen that something far closer to home is what fills us with the drive because we’re that much more invested in the outcome? Once Kate had boarded the natural ingredients train, it was the arrival of her first baby that made Kate realise how big a gap there was in the market for natural and organic baby products. Their first three products, the baby lotion, wash and bum cream are still three of their top sellers to date.

3. When the going gets tough, you get tougher

Due to the rather high cost of natural ingredients and this still very young company’s low manufacturing volumes, competitive pricing was a real initial issue and thus many big retailers were hesitant to stock them. Despite returning from tradeshow after tradeshow with a van full of products that didn’t sell, Kate was determined. The successful entrepreneurs all believe that everything is “figuroutable” and in Kate’s case, she realised that the SA market wasn’t ready for organic skincare. The solution, of course, for them was not to find a market that was ready but rather to educate the market they believed they could make a difference in.

4. Dreaming bigger

Despite the challenging, slow start and abundant financial woes, Kate and her husband Bruce who had by now joined the business, opted to instead dream even bigger and expand the range. To many, this is utterly risky. But they believed in what they had created and so with the support of Kate’s father, they expanded the Pure Beginnings range into a full baby and adult range. Faithful to Nature and other sustainability retailers listed the brand during this period in 2008, proof that the universe does reward the brave. This move brought them considerable growth. With their now competitive pricing, Baby City also brought on the range, which introduced their brand to a whole new market. But all this only materialised after 6 years of dedication, hard work and big dreaming.

5. Botanical Bliss

As with so many things in life, what you put in is what you get out. In Pure Beginnings case, that means working with exceptional ingredients. The botanicals they focus on are specifically chosen for their mildness and sensitivity to skin. A partnership with Phytotrade Africa allows them to use fairtrade ingredients wherever possible and not one ingredient banned by Ecocert is used in their range.

6. Adapting to the big leagues

In 2011 the range was listed by high-end UK retailer John Lewis. It was at this juncture that Kate and Bruce realised in order to hold a proud international footing, an organic brand HAD to have eco-certification. You’re always going to come up against bigger rules and regulations on any endeavour. But instead of discouragement, they saw it as a necessary stepping stone. By choosing to become EcoCert compliant, it meant that not only were all their ingredients vetted for organic standards down to even the raw materials being ecologically compliant but that even their packaging standards were certified. They are also proudly vegan and committed to Beauty Without Cruelty.

7. Sensitive to new science

Their product development sensitivity goes so far as to ensure every single ingredient included is ph-regulated to within the skin’s normal range and that only the mildest surfactants are used so as not to strip it of any natural oils. As the range develops and continues to grow, they are mindful to remain sensitive to new research on skin health and align their product development with this whenever possible. Take the Human MicroBiome Research for example. Because of this pioneering research, Pure Beginnings have created a probiotic range for babies with sensitive skin.

8. Learning from early lessons

Education was what was needed to launch them into the SA market and the team behind this brand value that continued education is essential to continue expanding their business. They now work with a team of professional nurses who provide ongoing awareness to childbirth educators on the benefits of organic skincare.

9. It’s not just what’s inside that counts

The Pure Beginnings brand has emerged throughout the years several times over with an ever-improving design and packaging. In order to differentiate the brand and uphold the original dream Kate had for a fun and energetic range, the characters on their bottles, the functionality of the packaging as well as its recycling standards are always being modified until they align with where the visionaries behind their products believe they best represent the goodness inside.

10. Call it a mantra or a mission statement

Reminding ourselves of why we do what we do is integral for staying true to the course. Kate and Bruce have always upheld the statement that ‘Pure Beginnings believe in keeping your skin as pure as the day you were born’ and ensuring that all aspects are considered in order to offer the consumer “piece of mind from the very beginning“.

We at Faithful to Nature couldn’t be prouder to stock this brand and wish them all the very best for their years to come.