Hello and a warm welcome to the blog!
Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to one half of the talented mother-daughter team behind the renowned brand Plouf. Their innovative creations have been inspired by the stunning Swiss Alps and other breathtaking outdoor locations, resulting in body washes that will whisk you away to these beautiful places from the comfort of your own bathroom.
Stick around as we unravel the secrets behind the unique formulations that make Plouf products extraordinary, the joy of working alongside family members, and a whole lot more!...
Firstly, it's so wonderful to see that you are a mother-daughter duo! We are really interested in getting to know more about you and how you started your journey with Plouf. Could you please share a bit about your background and what inspired you to create this amazing brand?
My mother and I embarked on the Plouf journey together in 2021. Having previously worked in the Art World, I made the decision to dedicate myself fully to this project. The idea had been brewing for some time; we often talked about creating our own body wash. Finally, the opportunity arose!
Our motivation for starting Plouf stemmed from a clear gap we identified in the market. We wanted to create a body wash that not only deeply moisturized the skin and respected its barrier but also had a delightful, luxurious scent inspired by nature. We personally experienced the discomfort of dryness and itchiness post-shower, making moisturising a necessity! Traditional body washes often exacerbate this issue with the use of harsh cleansing agents.
Our vision for Plouf was to streamline this process. We aimed to develop a gentle body wash that hydrates the skin effectively in the shower, reducing the need for post-shower moisturising if you’re a busy person! With Plouf, you can step out of the shower and into your clothes feeling hydrated and happy. Our customers have told us they are moisturising a lot less than usual so we are so pleased our formula works!
We can absolutely vouch for this and we're thrilled that you joined forces to create such an incredible range.
Working together as a team must be such a unique experience, we would love to hear more about what it's like. How do you manage to balance your personal and professional lives? What are some of the advantages and challenges that come with being a mother-daughter team?
Collaborating as a mother and daughter duo has been a unique journey for us! Right from the start, we've been completely aligned with our vision for our brand, which has greatly facilitated our unity in working together happily! Our shared vision proved particularly crucial during the initial stages of formulating the product and fragrances. Every aspect of Plouf that you see today is a direct outcome of our joint perspective, with all decisions made collaboratively. Undoubtedly, navigating the dynamics of a family business has had its highs and lows. However, one significant advantage is that we get on very, very well and this made the decision-making processes much easier!
We’ve encountered some challenges that stem from the generational gap between us. As my mother adapts to the evolving landscape of marketing, particularly in the realm of social media, there's been a learning curve. While her era relied heavily on traditional advertising like magazine inserts and PR, today's marketing landscape predominantly thrives online. As a result, I've taken the lead in navigating social media marketing!
Yes, it does! And we actually discovered your incredible brand through social media.
On the subject of formulating the fragrances and making collaborative decisions, we are curious to know what factors influenced your choices when it came to selecting your scents. Also, which fragrances are your personal favourites, and why do they hold a special place in your hearts?
Our fragrances are all about nature. Living in the city can be tough when you're a nature lover like we are! We often find ourselves craving the fresh air and open spaces. My mother grew up in Switzerland, and she passed down her love for nature to my sister and I. We have spent a lot of time in the Swiss Alps during summers and winters, and those experiences really connected us to the natural world.
Our fragrances, Alpine Forest and Narcissi, were inspired by our times spent in Switzerland. There is truly nothing better than the scent of a lush pine forest in the alps, the air is so crisp and the greenery is so fragrant. This was the birth of our Alpine Forest scent and Narcissi, the flowers grow in abundance when the snow has melted and spring has arrived and it’s just wonderful! We wanted to take our experiences and bottle all those scented memories.
As well as being nature lovers of forests and fields we are also sea lovers, so we knew we had to create our Beach
House scent, which is a sophisticated citrus fragrance designed to remind our customers of happy summer holidays.
It would be impossible to choose a personal favourite, we love them all. We find ourselves rotating the scents as the seasons change, which is also what our customers seem to be doing too, and that makes sense!
It definitely makes sense and we love them all too! The way you have brought the essence of those places to life through fragrance is simply magical!
We also agree that your body washes truly stand out not only for their scents but for their incredible formulation that leaves the skin feeling so hydrated. We would love to learn more about the secret behind this amazing formulation. What key ingredients do you use? How do you ensure that your products provide such nourishing and moisturising benefits to the skin?
We believe we should get the same results from our body care as we do from our skincare! That’s why we wanted to make sure the formulation was as hydrating as possible, and with continued use of our body washes the need from post-shower moisturising decreases. Our hydrating ingredients are Vitamin B5, Pentavitin® and Glycerin and we also included lactic acid and citric acid for gentle exfoliation to make you feel smooth when you come out of the shower! One thing I will say is, it was extremely difficult to find the right formulator to want to create the product for us, we were told it wasn’t possible to avoid all the harsh stripping ingredients and that our expectations weren’t realistic, so we are so glad to have found the right people to work with that truly cared about our vision.
We’re really glad as well! Your formulation is so hydrating and works wonders for the skin.
We also greatly admire your commitment to sustainability and it's fantastic to see that it's an important aspect of your brand. We would love to hear more about the eco-friendly bottles you use for your products and how you ensure your business aligns with your sustainability goals?
Sustainability is a core value for us, guiding both our personal choices and our business decisions! We're proud to have introduced a sugarcane bottle for our products, inspired by our desire to reduce plastic waste. While we acknowledge it's not the perfect solution, given the limited options for sustainable packaging in the business world, it aligns closely with our values. Sugarcane is a remarkable plant; it requires minimal water and generates its own fertilizer. Moreover, it's carbon neutral and actively contributes to reducing CO2 in the atmosphere.
We made a significant effort to ensure that our products were manufactured in the UK, and we sourced all our packaging and necessary materials locally as well. This deliberate choice was driven by our commitment to support our local communities and minimize our carbon footprint.
Wow, that's an amazing effort! And only deepens our love for Plouf!
Before we go, we are eager to know what lies ahead for your brand. We personally can't wait to see what amazing things you have in store for us!
As Plouf continues to expand and our customer base grows, we've been paying close attention to their feedback. It turns out, they adore our scents and want them to linger longer on their skin for longer. That is all we still share for now and we can’t wait to start making more Plouf products!
And we certainly can’t wait to try them!
Eager to know how you can get your hands on Plouf body washes? Firstly, we don’t blame you. Secondly, don't worry, we've got you covered! You can find their website and all of their social media links below.
Thanks for reading and see you soon!