Sophyto

"Our US market expanded dramatically at the end of 2010 when we launched into 150 Sam’s Clubs - a division of Wal-Mart Stores."

Karen Sinclair Drake tells us more...

Company profile

Karen’s personal quest searching for an effective natural anti aging line has indeed taken many years. Working with expert chemists and doctors, she found inspiration from complementary and alternative medicine which emphasizes the body's innate ability to heal and maintain itself. Taking this concept and applying it to skincare supported her theory that skin has the ability to defend, heal and maintain itself.

This holistic has attracted more customers who are dermatologists and naturopathic doctors who appreciate the science behind the ingredients.

How has the last year been for your business?

Our US market expanded dramatically at the end of 2010 when we launched into 150 Sam’s Clubs - a division of Wal-Mart Stores. The first Sam's Club opened its doors in Midwest City, Oklahoma, in 1983. Today, Sam's Club serves more than 47 million members with locations nationwide, as well in Brazil, China and Mexico. We’ll be expanding into more clubs and are excited about this great partnership.

What do you think are the key challenges of today’s organic market?

If a health and beauty product is organic or natural there is a common misconception that the consumer may be compromising on results. That was a hurdle we had to overcome very quickly in order to be taken seriously as a professional skincare brand.

Standards are very challenging issue for us in the states. The United States Department of Agriculture holds the main organic standard for organic health and beauty – but as this is food standards, every ingredient has to be edible.

If you need to use a small amount of non-organic raw materials we need to look to a new standard from the National Standards Foundation which has been accepted as the American National Standard for labelling and marketing requirements for organic personal care products.

However their approved list of non-organic ingredients is not screened with the same criteria as that of the Soil Association organic standards. To be a main contender in the global green beauty arena you need to carry more than one organic standard and let’s face it, just working to one is a full time commitment, to work to more than that becomes a full time job.

What needs to change in the organic industry to address these challenges?

The launch of The Cosmetics Organic Standard, a harmonised standard founded with the Soil Association, has helped dilute the confusion that existed between the various European organic/natural standards.

Back in 2007 Bronner's Magic Soaps filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court against numerous personal care brands to force them to stop making misleading organic labelling claims. This challenge to misleading brands has managed to weed out some of the standards that were not third party audited but it’s still a confusing market in the states today.

What does the future look like for your business?

This summer we launch a full range of makeup under our Color Actives brand, a skin supplement line and more skincare products. We are adding more certifications to our ingredients, utilisation, social principles and manufacturing processes and have innovated some very unique delivery and preservative systems which we shall we incorporating into product launches the third quarter of this year.

From the success of our expansion in the US this past year with Sam's Club, we look forward to expanding with Walmart Internationally as part of our contract arrangement. Our new training school in London which is approved by the Beauty Industry Bodies BABTAC and HABIA, will be affiliated with our Los Angeles school. It will offers student exchange courses in the competitive world of skincare, hair and make up as well as exposure to a variety of international styles from around the world.

Find out more about Sophyto at www.sophyto.co.uk.