The Southern Sustainability Partnership organises the Big Sustainability Awards, which honour businesses and public organisations that are making a difference in the world, reducing their impact on the environment, and setting an example for their industry. The best sustainable businesses from across the UK came together to celebrate success in the sector at this year's awards, which were held on Thursday at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton. Over 100 sustainable businesses attended the awards ceremony that was hosted by Chris Packham CBE (Really Wild Show, Spring-Watch, AutumnWatch & WinterWatch). Obvs Skincare was delighted to have won “Start-Up Business of the Year”.
Sian Louise (founder and formulator of Obvs Skincare) said “This is one of my biggest achievements to date. To be recognised as one of the top sustainable businesses in the UK and to have only been trading for just over a year is beyond anything I could have imagined a couple of years ago! I am so grateful for Southern Sustainability and Barclays Eagle Labs for choosing Obvs Skincare as the winner of such a prestigious award, it has pride of place in my lab”
Hampshire-based Obvs Skincare (Organic, Biodegradable, Vegan, Sustainable… Obvs!), has seen a rapid growth in their handmade, organic and vegan range since launching it last year.
But the determined entrepreneur faced huge personal hurdles, with the shock diagnosis of cervical cancer coming right in the middle of setting up her brand.
And prior to that, Sian had experienced the trauma of suffering two miscarriages following failed IVF rounds.
But despite all of this, the skincare pioneer successfully managed to secure a packaging deal – becoming the first Soil Association COSMOS Organic certified brand in the world to use a new, 100 per cent biodegradable packaging. You wouldn’t believe it’s not plastic!
Sian created the Obvs brand when she needed some treatment for her own skin conditions but was not able to find anything on the high street that worked.
‘After my second miscarriage and multiple rounds of IVF treatment my hormones were all over the place and my skin was constantly breaking out in terrible acne,’ she said.
Unable to find anything on the high street that could help, she began to formulate her own cream. Speaking on her early attempts Sian said: "After a lot of failures, and a lot of mess in the kitchen, my first creation was the Intensive Skin Recovery Cream which cleared up my acne within one week and I have since helped hundreds of people suffering with lots of different skin conditions ranging from nappy rash to adult acne and eczema."
Sian’s husband saw the potential in her formulations and built her a bespoke lab in their garden. Sian says “I love my lab! It has everything I need to let my creativity go wild! I am so grateful to Ali (Sian’s husband) for building it – although I think he was just getting annoyed with all the mess I was making in the house!”
In November 2021 Sian was diagnosed with cervical cancer after an admin error meant she attended a cervical smear test six months early.
According to Sian, the error was life-saving and life-changing as it "meant I could get early treatment and six months later I received the all-clear. Receiving the diagnosis at just 34-years-old was shocking, I was scared.
"But it also fuelled my passion and drive to make Obvs Skincare the success it has been so far. It made me put life into perspective and pushed me to follow my dream”.
Whilst studying for her master’s degree at Winchester University, Sian was diagnosed with dyslexia, but this hasn’t stopped her from taking the plunge and setting up her own business. Sian says “I now see my neurodiversity as a superpower. Us dyslexics can think out of the box, I think that is why I was able to come up with such a powerful formulation that uses only natural and organic ingredients to clear up acne and eczema – I didn’t follow the conventional recipes… although it was tricky trying to decipher my own notes at the time!”
"I gave it my all and now I want to make a difference to people who feel trapped by their skin conditions or insecurities. I want my creams to inspire people and help them live a happy and confident life.
"If my story and business can help encourage just one person to chase their dreams, I’ll be happy. Life is for living and no skin condition or insecurity should stop someone from doing that."
On the back of her success Sian is planning a major expansion across the UK and into Europe and the United States. From her humble beginnings looking for a solution to her own needs, Sian is looking to the future with positivity.
She commented: "I’m absolutely delighted to have won these awards which will help to raise the profile and reputation of the Obvs brand. Over the past year I have faced many physical and emotional challenges and I’m so proud of the success of Obvs after just one year.
"I love helping people and giving them their confidence back by using totally organic and natural creams."
Obvs Skincare has received hundreds of five-star reviews since launching in 2021, proving that you can be kind to your skin and the planet without forking out a fortune.
You can find out more about Obvs Skincare and Sian Louise at obvs-skincare,co,uk.
