Meet Mary & Helen- Founders of Neuoil

Tell us about how Neuoil was born and what you were doing before

Before starting Neu Oil in 2018 we were both working as teachers, Mary taught art and design in London and Helen taught primary age children in Cornwall. Outside of our working lives we were both loved natural, plant-based skincare and with two young children each, we were passionate about the untapped wellbeing and health benefits of essential oils for young and old.  We both found that our working lives weren’t compatible with having young families and so we decided to follow our passions to develop a natural wellness product that could help nurture the relationship between parent and child. 

As a mum, what are the products/brands you can’t live without

Coconut oil has always been a go to for everything! Nappy rash, dry skin and cradle cap. Neal's yard and Burts Bees are brands we always go back to...we always look to use products that use natural ingredients.

What has becoming a business owner taught you

When you become a mother you realise how precious your time is and it becomes even more so when running a business. Being organised and productive with the time that we have has been a skill which we have had to perfect. We have learnt how to prioritise when there seems like an overwhelming amount of work to do and to work to our strengths within our partnership.

What has becoming a mum taught you

Never to eat food in front of children unless you are willing to share it! Never judge another parent. And to not to give yourself a hard time if you’re having a bad day...parenting is hard, I always remind myself it’s all just a phase and to try to appreciate the time that we have when our children are little.

What inspires or drives you

Hearing such lovely feedback from people who see or are using our products is key and really gives us a boost. There have been lots of times when it would have been easy to give up but a few small words of encouragement from a customer, retailer or friend have kept us going. Running your own business requires lots of hard work but knowing that we are able to work on our own schedule and fit it in around family life was always the goal.

What's your favourite thing to do as a family

We are both very lucky to live in the beautiful south west of England, so much of our time is spent outdoors either on the beach or exploring the moors. Even in the depths of winter we find getting outside even for short amounts of time does wonders for the soul and the children love it.

Where is Neu Oil headed this year

We have just returned from a very busy and successful visit to Top Drawer trade show in London where we had an overwhelmingly positive response from many wholesale buyers - both for independent shops and national chains so we are excited to see where that takes us! We will be launching our new range of diffuser blends and bath oils very soon so we are looking forward to getting those out there for our wonderful customers to try.