06.15.15
London-based Lily Lolo Mineral Cosmetics has been branching out to new markets, including the US, fueled by growing customer demand for healthy cosmetics. Happi interviewed Lily Lolo’s public relations executive Cat Halliwell about the company, its line of eco, vegan, and natural beauty products and plans for the future.
HAPPI: Tell us how Lily Lolo got started, and where it stands today.
Cat Halliwell: Launched in 2005 by founder Vikki Khan and named after her two sisters Lisa (Lily) and Lorraine (Lolo), the company was created when Vikki could not find a healthy foundation in London and became determined to create the perfect foundation for her and her many friends who had admired her flawless skin. Lily Lolo has now built a passionate team and supplies salons and retail shops in the Americas, Canada and Europe as well as sells directly to a growing band of loyal and enthusiastic followers online.
HAPPI: The company is only recently in the US from what we understand—how is it growing its presence here? Where and in how many doors is it sold?
CH: Lily Lolo has not focused greatly on the US market until recently. We are extremely excited to be connecting with our very demanding American customers. US customers require perfection, high quality, healthy natural products—so they are in for a treat when they try LL. A number of healthy focused stores are picking it up including Credo Beauty, a brand created as a healthy alternative to Sephora. We do our best to keep LL in stores that match our philosophy of healthy, natural, simplicity.
HAPPI: There are many natural brands in the category now, what makes Lily Lolo different?
CH: Lily Lolo is locally crafted to high standards with 100% natural healthy ingredients. Our philosophy values simplicity, respect for living beings, and a minimal approach that demands perfect performance with only a few healthy ingredients. We pride ourselves on our cosmetics being created with only natural ingredients and do not contain any parabens, bismuth oxychloride, synthetic dyes and definitely no nanoparticles.
Lily Lolo’s mineral products do not take short-cuts and do not contain talc, corn starch or any other fillers which can dry out the skin and give a “powdery look” and can appear in other mineral cosmetics. Our products are also free of bismuth oxychloride that is commonly known as a skin irritant.
HAPPI: Where is the brand available?
CH: Starting in the UK, Lily Lolo is now available throughout the Americas, Canada, Europe and Australia.
HAPPI: The BB cream is new; was it difficult to formulate this kind of product within the brand’s values/commitment to ingredients?
CH: Minerals are very easy to incorporate into liquid formulations, keeping the formula as natural as possible is the challenge. For our BB cream, we used British Soil Association Organic-approved ingredients. The challenge was how to stay away from parabens but still keep the product safe for use. We have created a uniquely healthy BB Cream formula that works as well as the nasty formulas.
HAPPI: What other new products can we expect from the brand moving forward?
CH: As a mineral brand we hope to be able to offer everything that a standard makeup brand can. So for us the next big thing in mineral makeup will be the next big thing in makeup; only made with our usual gentle mineral and natural ingredients. We celebrate our 10th anniversary this year and we have some lovely surprises planned for this. In 2015 we are also launching a pressed bronzer, lipstick shade extensions and Christmas gift sets.
HAPPI: Tell us how Lily Lolo got started, and where it stands today.
Cat Halliwell: Launched in 2005 by founder Vikki Khan and named after her two sisters Lisa (Lily) and Lorraine (Lolo), the company was created when Vikki could not find a healthy foundation in London and became determined to create the perfect foundation for her and her many friends who had admired her flawless skin. Lily Lolo has now built a passionate team and supplies salons and retail shops in the Americas, Canada and Europe as well as sells directly to a growing band of loyal and enthusiastic followers online.
HAPPI: The company is only recently in the US from what we understand—how is it growing its presence here? Where and in how many doors is it sold?
CH: Lily Lolo has not focused greatly on the US market until recently. We are extremely excited to be connecting with our very demanding American customers. US customers require perfection, high quality, healthy natural products—so they are in for a treat when they try LL. A number of healthy focused stores are picking it up including Credo Beauty, a brand created as a healthy alternative to Sephora. We do our best to keep LL in stores that match our philosophy of healthy, natural, simplicity.
HAPPI: There are many natural brands in the category now, what makes Lily Lolo different?
CH: Lily Lolo is locally crafted to high standards with 100% natural healthy ingredients. Our philosophy values simplicity, respect for living beings, and a minimal approach that demands perfect performance with only a few healthy ingredients. We pride ourselves on our cosmetics being created with only natural ingredients and do not contain any parabens, bismuth oxychloride, synthetic dyes and definitely no nanoparticles.
Lily Lolo’s mineral products do not take short-cuts and do not contain talc, corn starch or any other fillers which can dry out the skin and give a “powdery look” and can appear in other mineral cosmetics. Our products are also free of bismuth oxychloride that is commonly known as a skin irritant.
HAPPI: Where is the brand available?
CH: Starting in the UK, Lily Lolo is now available throughout the Americas, Canada, Europe and Australia.
HAPPI: The BB cream is new; was it difficult to formulate this kind of product within the brand’s values/commitment to ingredients?
CH: Minerals are very easy to incorporate into liquid formulations, keeping the formula as natural as possible is the challenge. For our BB cream, we used British Soil Association Organic-approved ingredients. The challenge was how to stay away from parabens but still keep the product safe for use. We have created a uniquely healthy BB Cream formula that works as well as the nasty formulas.
HAPPI: What other new products can we expect from the brand moving forward?
CH: As a mineral brand we hope to be able to offer everything that a standard makeup brand can. So for us the next big thing in mineral makeup will be the next big thing in makeup; only made with our usual gentle mineral and natural ingredients. We celebrate our 10th anniversary this year and we have some lovely surprises planned for this. In 2015 we are also launching a pressed bronzer, lipstick shade extensions and Christmas gift sets.