For Rosie Graystone, self-care isn't a luxury, it's a business.
The Cromwell-based mum is the brains behind MyTreat, the subscription box service that's probably been popping up on your Instagram feed.
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Subscription boxes are du jour at the moment for those who want all the anticipation of Christmas Eve with none of the stress of buying gifts for others (so, all of us). Through a monthly payment, you can receive a box of goodies on your doorstep, often including beauty products or healthy snacks and treats.
I Am Co, Little and Luxe and MyTreat are just a few on the market for those needing a little spoiling.
Graystone says she was inspired to launch the business after seeing how much a little pampering can make women feel better.
"My mum left an unhappy marriage and began to change her life for the better, by starting university when I was ten years old. She showed me how hard you must work when you really want something," Graystone told Newshub.
"Mum has always reminded me of my own worth, and I've grown up with some incredible female role models in my life which has definitely helped me to grow up as a fierce supporter of women."
Graystone put together some advice for other ladies starting their own business:
What's your inspiration?
When I had my now three-year-old daughter, the dynamic in our house changed overnight and the concept of putting myself first went out the window. I wanted to encourage women to make time for a skincare routine, to indulge themselves and to make them feel special and pampered every month.
I live in Cromwell, so growing up, shopping trips to a big 'city' were not that frequent. While on maternity leave I would source beautiful vintage coats and boots on Trade Me and every time the packages arrived it was so exciting and it would always brighten up my day. I wanted to replicate that excitement while encouraging new mums and women everywhere to understand the effect of putting themselves first and reminding them to take time out for themselves more often.
When my daughter was born I started to see myself ageing before my own eyes. I had never used anything more than a generic moisturiser and supermarket cosmetics, so I wanted to know more about what causes our skin to change, how to maintain it and how to improve my complexion. Also important was making sure everything on my face and body was natural and healthy. The last three years have been an eye-opener, making me very fussy with what makes it into our boxes. Being genuinely natural, sustainable and organic wherever possible is a big focus for us.
What are the biggest challenges running a business out of a small town like Cromwell?
The biggest challenge for me is finding the right people with experience within the beauty industry who are based in Cromwell. I would love to expand my team and bring on the right person and to have them in the office daily to bounce ideas off, but realistically, I am probably going to need to look outside of Cromwell. So if anyone from the beauty industry is considering relocating to Cromwell and would like to work with us, please get in touch!
And what are the benefits?
Local suppliers are really accommodating and genuinely go out of their way to support my business and make sure our business is the best it can be.
Working in a local community is great, I have just over 50 customers here in town and I love seeing them at the supermarket to hear what they thought of their latest boxes. We also have people who request to pop in and pick them up. I'm pretty sure it's just so we can have a coffee and a chat!
I would absolutely love to meet all of our customers. Maybe we need to have a big party in Cromwell one day.
What are your hopes for the future of your company?
I hope women are able to make more informed choices around natural products for their skin, as opposed to parabens, chemicals and companies who engage in animal testing. I also hope we can educate our customers on their skin and how, as our largest organ, it absorbs everything we put on it. There are so many amazing New Zealand brands who work with really beautiful ingredients to create products here in New Zealand, including emerging and boutique brands, which does make you question the need to import so much when a lot of it ends up in our landfills. We want to introduce our customers to these companies so they can help support what is Kiwi-owned and enjoy skincare made from natural extracts for higher effectiveness, using ingredients and processes that are kind to our bodies and the planet.
Newshub.
