Consulting

Margaret has all the help and advice you need

However much we already know the field, we may find that there are obstacles in our way that we need inspiration and insightful strategy ideas.

Depending on the scope of your project, Margaret is available for everything from Long-term Consultancy and Brainstorming (see below) to on-going Mentoring (see below) and Product Development Consultancy (see below).

She consults for an essential oils distillery in Greece and has also consulted for many natural beauty brands in all sorts of capacities, from product development to basic branding. She is always happy to travel when necessary.

Mentoring

Mentoring is an ideal service for start-ups, especially personal, passion projects. It is available for those students and individuals who have already put in a lot of ground work and have a certain amount of direction – or a vision that needs more clarity – and who would benefit from guidance, structure and support.

Perhaps you worry that you still have a lot to learn, or you have resistance to working alone, or you feel a sense of overwhelm or fear about embarking on a new journey, despite your excitement.

With mentoring, Margaret offers true and practical support from conception to completion as an on-going arrangement.

Often our dreams and vision need underpinning. Margaret is fantastic at grounding your ambition helping you to connect the dots and covering everything from your supply chain to customer service.

P.O.A. Available on a monthly retainer basis, six month minimum.

Project Brainstorming

Consider this your launch pad. You have an idea and you need to get it out of your head and share it with someone who is able to help you understand the journey you are about to embark on.

Perhaps you are new to the field and want to check you are on the right track before investing any more of your time or money, or you would like a fuller understanding of what your project might involve. There is nothing like a good brainstorming session!

This service can also be conducted by Zoom and is charged by an hourly rate £50/hr. (one hour minimum)

Artisan Organic/Natural Skincare Product Development Support

If you are in the business of organic natural skincare – whether you be a baby brand or a long established classic – Margaret’s Product Development Consultancy might be just what you are looking for.

Spanning the entire process from ingredients selection to initial samples and aromas, this service is an invaluable professional head start.

By the time you have finished the appropriate level of consultancy for your needs you will be ready for production – whether this will be from your (very clean!) kitchen table or a bigger manufacturing company.

Product development is an area that many people can misunderstand unless they already have some experience in the area. It is a highly complex, detailed and structured process which can sometimes surprise clients because it involves such a generous investment of time, thought and expertise.

Whilst the initial brief may belong on a piece of paper, ideas swiftly move into actual formula development and experimentation in a lab. There are many requirements, both legal and conceptual, which need to be considered. Products made and sold in the UK are required to meet certain standards, different to those in the USA and many other countries around the world.

As well as meeting certain requirements (often centred on the essential oils used and their dosage) it is also necessary to consider the stability of the formula and the efficacy of the preservation system. On top of which fragrance is another element which requires delicate handling and is obviously paramount.

As Margaret says ‘aroma is not an afterthought, it is developed in parallel with the base’. Bearing all this in mind, it should come as no surprise that product development is a lengthy process where the eye of an expert, alongside good planning, is invaluable.