Founder@ Interview
Interview with Gemma Fromage-Crawford
“Keep going and don’t give up when you hit obstacles. Workaround them, ask for advice from others. Always continue to learn and never assume you know everything, there is always something you don’t know that will help you achieve more..” – Gemma Fromage-Crawford
Today we feature Gemma Fromage-Crawford, the founder at Skin Science. We hear their story in their own words, their successes, their challenges and their insights.
Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about you and what you do?
My name is Gemma and I qualified as a pharmacist in 2007. I worked as a pharmacist in community pharmacies until 2010 when I started work in an aesthetic pharmacy next to Harley Street which was a leading supplier of aesthetic products (such as toxins and fillers) as well as cosmeceutical skincare.
I immediately became fascinated with the skin, how it works, how it ages, and how skincare and aesthetic treatments can work to both slow and reverse the signs of aging. These signs include lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation as well as skin quality and tone. Whilst working here, I completed numerous courses in different cosmeceutical skincare brands and aesthetic treatments.
In 2017 I decided to retrain as an aesthetic pharmacist. I now have my own clinic called Your Skin Health in which I carry out aesthetic treatments such as toxins, fillers, peels, micro-needling etc. In 2019 I returned to university to become an independent prescriber, with my scope of practice being aesthetics.
This qualification ensured complete safety within my work, meaning should any complication arise, I would not need the help of a third-party prescriber to prescribe medicines such as steroids, antibiotics or hyaline.
A major part of aesthetics is the skin and good quality skincare is vital in achieving the best possible results in your facial and skin goals. I treat my patients holistically and so looking at their face as a whole, which includes the quality of their skin.
Following a skincare consultation, I recommend the ingredients my patients need to help improve their skin, and which products these can be found in. As well as all of this, I also write articles for peer-reviewed aesthetic journals, such as The Journal of Aesthetic Nursing and Aesthetics.
I started my own skincare range, Skin Science because I wanted a brand that only had in it products I truly believed to be effective and good in targeting the intended skin condition.
Skin Science currently just has four products and these can be purchased individually or all together as an Essential Daily Routine. when used together they contain all key components required for a quality skincare routine.
A great introduction and start to this interview. Can you please tell us, how did you start, from what age, and what made you decide to change direction and start?
I have been interested in dermatology and skincare since 2010 when I became aware of cosmeceutical skincare brands and the active ingredients included within them.
When I opened my own aesthetics business it was always a distant dream that I would be able to one day have my own range of quality skincare products that I would be able to recommend to my patients.
I had many times looked into different companies and manufacturers to help me with this, however, I never felt I had the time to dedicate to it. In January 2020 I gave birth to my second son (the eldest is 4) and in March 2020 the UK went into its first lockdown.
Even though I was on maternity leave, lockdown had meant that the aesthetics world was no longer able to practice as usual as it is a face-to-face industry. I knew then it was time to push forward with my plan.
It was a long process of looking at manufacturers, packaging, websites, etc and most of it had to be done during nap times, between homeschooling, and in evenings, but slowly my dream became a reality.
Thank you for that insight. So can you tell us…What does your business do and where is your company based?
I launched my own cosmeceutical skincare brand Skin Science in November 2020. I keep all products and packaging etc in my spare room and deal with all orders, packaging, and postage personally.
Skin Science is a range of four cosmeceutical skincare products.
Each one contains scientifically proven active ingredients which are at concentrations to really have an effect on the skin. All products are made in the UK and are vegan and paraben-free.
I promote and recommend the products to my own clients and now have an online Shopify shop on my website.
What’s the story behind your success? What led to your aha moment? how did you get to where you are now?
The business is definitely heading in the right direction and sales have been consistent. I think the key behind being able to really promote a business and your products is knowledge.
Skincare is not something you can learn about overnight and I have been working with skin and skincare for over 10 years now. It’s not simply learning what is in each product and how it works, the knowledge should go far deeper.
Knowledge of the skin, how it works, how it ages, how it is affected by both external and internal factors is key. Its also vital to know all about the ingredients and how they work inside the body and in particular the skin- this is where my master’s degree in Pharmacy comes in very handy.
A desire to continue learning and to always want to know more has been very beneficial. I don’t find learning or explaining to people about the skin a chore, in fact, I enjoy it. I think this is always a good sign that you are in the right career field.
I wouldn’t be able have gotten to this point without support. For me, that support came from my husband Blake.
I spent many hours listening to ideas, looking at artwork and logos, helping me create spreadsheets, editing websites, picking personalised tissue paper and another packaging, and generally putting up with my rollercoaster of emotions- especially given I had recently given birth and was trying to look after two small children during national lockdown!
Any great support for me was my brother Daniel. He is great with design and has a keen eye for detail. He noticed things in my designs which definitely gave a more professional look to the brand.
Thank you for sharing that. What’s been your life’s biggest lesson so far?
I think I mistakenly thought that once I had my products and a website that the rest would fall into place. In reality its a lot of consistent hard work. A lot of marketing, promoting and contacting people, social media, and ongoing learning.
I have struggled with marketing and from the beginning have achieved a lot through word of mouth and promoting to existing customers.
For me, I still need to continue my learning when it comes to social media and marketing. I am a lot better than I used to be, but as with everything, I think there is always room for improvement.
On a side note, I would definitely rethink the tissue paper packaging. It looks fabulous but is next to impossible to wrap up skincare in tissue paper neatly!
That having your own business is 24/7. You don’t switch off. You’re always thinking of things you can do and ways you can try to improve.
If you were to go back in time, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
People very much doubted my decision when I left a well-paid pharmacist job to become self-employed. Many felt I was risking my job and financial security.
However, I have always believed you should be happy with what you do day in and day out and look forward to going to work every day.
I wanted to look forward to work every day and now I do. I would tell my younger self to always strive to do what makes you happy, but make sure you have the funds to support yourself whilst you build up your new business.
I made sure I had savings before I left my job, which I think is the best way to do it. To those who doubted me, I don’t say anything. To myself, I say keep working harder.
We’re nearly halfway through our interview so it’s a great time to ask how does your business run. What three tools make your business run better?
My business is run solely by me. I receive orders from my website and then I pick them, package them and send them. My website and social media is therefore vital for me, especially during lockdown when I have no face to face patients or consultations.
What do you know now that you wished you had known before?
That having your own business is 24/7. You don’t switch off. You’re always thinking of things you can do and ways you can try to improve.
What has been your greatest or proudest achievement or moment?
A very proud moment was when I received my first order from my website from a person I didn’t know. That made me incredibly proud that someone had found my product and bought it.
What future life goals do you want to achieve and why?
I want to continue to promote my skincare business and try to reach a much wider audience to achieve more sales. I would love to grow the range to include a wider range of active ingredients.
To finish our inspire questions…”We believe that sharing inspiring words can inspire others.” If there was one positive thing you would say to someone to inspire and empower them what would it be and why?
Keep going and don’t give up when you hit obstacles. Work around them, ask for advice from others. Always continue to learn and never assume you know everything, there is always something you don’t know that will help you achieve more.
“Thank you it has been great learning more about your founder story and Skin Science”
To learn more about Skin Science Visit www.skinscience.uk
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