THE founder of an organic and vegan skincare range is expanding her business globally after battling back from cancer and IVF failure to bag two prestigious awards.
Sian Louise Colson runs Warsash-based Obvs Skincare (Organic, Biodegradable, Vegan, Sustainable).
She has seen a rapid growth in her handmade, organic and vegan range since launching it last year.
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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.
Despite all of this, the skincare pioneer successfully managed to secure a deal to become the first Soil Association COSMOS Organic certified brand in the world to use a new 100 per cent biodegradable packaging.
Now, after winning the Vegan Skincare of the Year in the South East Prestige Awards and the bronze award for ‘Leave on Skincare’ at the Organic Naked Moisturiser Free From Skincare Awards, Sian is stepping up her ambitions to go global, expanding across the UK and into Europe and America.
Sian said: "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."
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 explained.
"The IVF has since failed, however, I decided to take the negative energy from this experience and turn it into a positive. This is when Obvs Skincare was born!
But in November 2021, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer – discovered by chance when an admin error meant she turned up six months early for a smear test. She’s since been given the all-clear after treatment.
All Sian's products are handmade by her from her bespoke home lab, purpose-built for her by her husband.
Since launching in May 2021, Obvs Skincare has already helped hundreds of adults and children with their skin concerns including eczema, psoriasis and acne.
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