The Face Behind SEEH Skincare
Its finally time to open up so you can get to know me, the founder of SEEH Skincare, a little better and learn what is in store for the future!!
Q) Tell us a bit about your personal life – where you grew up, what you studied and what your family life is like
I live in Adelaide, South Australia, with my husband (and SEEH Skincare CFO) Nick, our freshie newborn son Lachlan and a little rascal of a cat called Oscar!
But I grew up and lived in Tasmania, surrounded by nature, until I was about 20. Reflecting on it now, growing up in Tassie has really influenced the SEEH Skincare brand and products. From a young age I would wander the Salamanca markets with my parents and see what the local creators were producing with local ingredients and secret home remedies.
My background is in engineering, but I have had a really diverse and interesting corporate career. From technical engineering work, FIFO travel, commercial ‘wheeling and dealing’ and being externally facing for an ASX listed company for many years – I think all the skills I have learnt along the journey have really helped with the launch and running of SEEH Skincare.
Q) How long have you been interested in Skincare?
I have been interested in beauty for as long as I can remember. When I was in primary school, my best friends and I would make our own facemasks using mashed up fruit, avocado, clay and honey. I fondly recall my mum buying me my first ever 3-step skincare routine when I was in year 6 and I felt so grown up and cool. I am fairly sure it was Neutrogena and contained plastic microbeads (shudder)….
This was all a long time before the days of beauty bloggers and YouTube, so I was mostly introduced to skincare from my mumma. We both had really similar skin types – both really dry and really sensitive. So she taught me the importance of hydration, SPF and looking after my skin from a very early age.
I still go home to Tassie and raid my mum’s skincare cabinet for inspiration for the next product launch.
Q) What inspired you to start your boutique label?
I started SEEH Skincare by accident really.
When I was about 25 I started getting really annoying bumps all over my chin and jawline. After trying everything from different pimple creams, exfoliators and even antibiotics, I eventually worked out it wasn’t adult acne at all. It was actually an allergic to the sodium lauryl sulfate in my toothpaste. From there I went on a natural beauty crusade but I really struggled to find a range of skincare that was natural and gentle enough for my dry and sensitive skin, didn’t contain any nasties like SLS and parabens, but was also active enough to actually do something.
With a degree in Chemical Engineering I had an affinity for the science behind beauty, and in particular the ingredients and how they work together! My mum introduced me to oil cleansing balms as I was searching for a gentle cleanser without any foaming agents like SLS. It literally changed my skin in one single use. I was hooked, but it was 2015 or so (way before the recent interest in oil cleansing) and cleansing balms were really hard to find and were expensive.
So I researched formulation techniques and sourced the ingredients I wanted to use to make my own cleansing balm! Firstly just me and my mum to use, and then friends and extended family and now you can get the SEEH Skincare’s CLEANSE Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm Australia wide. And with that, SEEH Skincare was born.
Q) Is SEEH a side hustle or your full-time job?
I still juggle another day job and the SEEH Skincare side hustle! But while I am on maternity leave I am able to shift some more attention to the business which is so great. Little Lachie and I love our walks to the post office to drop off the days deliveries.
Being an engineer I am very risk adverse so starting up a hustle on the side was, and still is, the best option for me. While the business is small this is manageable for me, but as I grow so will my systems and outsourcing I dare say!
How do I manage it? It is pretty full on to be honest. My day job is incredibly demanding as is the business so there is a lot of time management and teamwork involved! But the business uses a different part of my brain than my day job and I get a lot of personal satisfaction out of every 5-star review and helping people grow their confidence. So it’s all worth it!
Q) What has been the most exciting time you’ve had with your business?
When I first launched, I didn’t have a pre-existing audience that knew about our brand. So by far the most exciting times we have are when people we don’t know place an order, and then re-order, and leave great product reviews. The quality of our products is central to our business and its so exciting when other people, people I am not related to, think so too!
Q) What’s been the hardest part of running your business?
There are a lot of hard parts in running your own business. From the imposter syndrome, comparison, self-doubt, to balancing my own inherent risk aversion vs. business growth. I would need a whole other blog on this subject! But its worth it!
Q) What's instore for the future of the brand?
Well if you follow us on social media you will know we always have some new products in the works!
As a Chemical engineer the formulating side of the business is my favourite thing, I really can’t help myself! We have at least 6 products currently in varying stages of development. I think at least 3 will be ready this year and we are also bringing out a trial/travel kit shortly to!
Aside from that we would love to grow our wholesale arm so that more of you can see our products in real life before you buy!
Want to know more? Follow my stories on Instagram and Facebook for more behind the scenes activities! Or leave us a comment or email us if you have any questions
xx Soph
SEEH Skincare Founder
