I co-founded a beauty brand that rakes in £137m – it’s one of Britain’s biggest names and makes you look 9 years younger
DITCHING your vape for just ONE day can spark huge improvements in your skin.
That’s the belief of Elemis co-founder Noella Gabriel who, alongside colleague Oriele Frank, has revolutionised the skincare industry.
The duo appeared on Abbey Clancy’s podcast, Exhibit A, to reveal the secret to Elemis’ success and share how you can use the products to shave nearly a decade off your face.
But they warned that skincare can only get you so far.
In fact, you have to make little changes to your lifestyle to reap the full benefits of your lotions and potions.
Noella, 67, pleaded with her customers to ditch the cigarettes and vapes as these are arguably the biggest culprits of ageing.
“I actually think smoking and stress – they’re the two key things that impact daily on your skin,” she shared.
“Just break the pattern for one day because the skin renews on a 21 day cycle.
“If you can break the cycle by small little changes – honestly, the reward is huge.
“It’s absolutely huge because it’s alive – your skin is alive!”
Oriele, 59, added that people should always wear SPF – and even a hat – to protect from UV damage.
The duo assured that it’s “never too late” to start ageing your skin backwards through products and lifestyle tweaks.
“I get asked everyday, all over the world… it’s never too late,” Noella said.
“You could stand up 10 women and I could still pick out the woman who takes care of her skin.
“It does make a difference, you know. It does take that five to eight years off you.
“You will look that eight, nine years younger without a shadow of a doubt, because it’s going to have that cared for look so you know today is.
Elemis Best-Sellers
“Today is the day to start.”
Banana, fig and papaya may seem like unlikely skincare ingredients, but they’re the secret to Elemis’ success.
The global skincare brand, which started right here on British soil 30 years ago, prides itself on making products “as close to nature as possible”.
Elemis was started in London by entrepreneur and investor Linda Steiner, who enlisted the help of Noella, Oriele and a third founder, Sean Harrington.
The brand’s flagship Pro-Collagen Marine Cream launched in 2003, with its innovative gel-cream texture clinically proven “significantly reduce” fine lines and wrinkles in just 14 days.
The anti-ageing potion is on the pricier side though, with a 100ml tub costing a whopping £165.
Fortunately, Noella shared how you can try Elemis products on the cheap.
“We are very generous as a brand,” she assured.
We’re very generous as a brand. If you’re listening out there and think Elemis is expensive, we do a load of ‘gift with purchases’ everywhere.
Noella Gabriel
“If you’re listening out there and think Pro-Collagen is expensive, we do a load of ‘gift with purchases’ everywhere.
“So, start with a little kit and start small.
“Over that, you’ll fall in love with two products that really suit your skin and then you build from that.”
Elemis prides itself on having a “little goes a long way” philosophy with products to ensure customers get the most of our their buys.
Forgot your hyaluronic acids, forget your retinols and just be really grateful that you don’t need them until you get into your twenties
Noella Gabriel
Thanks to social media and its power to make products global, the brand has rocketed to new heights.
It has been able to tap into a younger generation who will likely become lifetime customers.
But Noella warned that this is not without its issues.
The co-founder shared that she’s staunchly against children using Elemis products and urged teens to only cleanse their skin gently and use a “simple little moisturiser.”
Her message to the younger generation is simple: “Forgot your hyaluronic acids, forget your retinols and just be really grateful that you don’t need them until you get into your twenties.”
In the last financial year, Elemis had a turnover of £137 MILLION and gross profit of £74.6 million.
After tax and other expenses, the brand took home £15.9 million – and total equity was £91.4 million.
It is sold in 110 countries across the globe after starting over 30 years ago as a spa-only brand.