Intervju

I lördags var jag i Linköping och träffade vackra och begåvade bloggerskan Linda Hallberg, jag passade då på att ställa några frågor till henne som jag tänkte presentera här :).

FRÅGOR:

1. Vilken mascara kan du inte vara utan i höst?
2. Bästa budget-tipset?
3. Bästa doften?
4. Vilken av våra produkter har förvånat dig mest/vilken tycker du är den roligaste eller mest annorlunda produkt du har testat?
5. Absoluta favoritprodukten från Eleven.se?

SVAR:

1. Mirenesse Secret Weapon 24Hr Mascara. Den är fantastisk!
2. Hmm, den var skitsvår! Finns ju så himla många bra budgetgrejer! Uniq One All in One Hair Treatment skulle jag rekommendera till ALLA!
3. hmm.. Jessica Simpsons Fancy Love har jag kört på nu ett par veckor =)
4. Eftersom utbudet är så himla brett så är det jättesvårt att välja ut bara NÅGRA produkter. Det är väl lite just det jag gillar, att ni har så många annorlunda och kul grejer!
5. Det beror heeeelt på vilket humör jag är på, vad jag ska ha det till osv. Men paletterna tycker jag mycket om! De är smarta och man slipper alla småskuggor!

/ Kram Linda!

How did Betty Hula Start?

Betty Hula came about when 4 friends sat down to make a ointment for another friends chronic eczema. Bored of all of the medical type products out there, Betty Hula was born. With a focus on Honest, natural beauty packaged in unique retro designs and with unique scents that will make our customers smell as good as their skin feels.

Betty Hula - the brand

Betty Hula aims to bring all of the benefits of Boutique skincare and packaging in convenient shopping locations and without designer prices. Our range is all handmade to ensure the highest quality as is all of our packing to ensure your bathroom looks as good as your skin after using Betty Hula. Over the rest of this year Betty Hula will be releasing a wonder hand cream, lip butters and many more lovely lotions and potions to leave your body and mind feeling soothed, relaxed and rejuvenated.

What is Betty Hula good for?

Betty Hula has been carefully formulated for all skin types but specifically very sensitive skin. Our initial range - Bettys Big Tub of good & The Secret Oil are very specific in their benefits. Bettys big tub of good is a good all round body moisturiser which natural ingredients are combined in such a way as to rejuvenate and rehydrate tired and damaged skin cells even on the most sensitive of skin types leading to repair and protection for the day ahead. The Secret Oil on the other hand is perfect of specific spots of damaged skin or the face. Perfect for reducing stretch marks, wrinkles and overall soothing of skin irritations such as eczema.

by: Alistair Cullen from Betty Hula.

From a popstar to founder of a new cosmetic brand. How and why did that happen?

• It all came about through frustration! I had been doing some interviews for a music project but it seemed that everyone just wanted to ask me about how I looked and what my secrets were. Of course, I wanted the journalists to concentrate on my album. This led to a eureka moment... I thought, why not share the secrets of my skin care regimen? And so Time Bomb was born!

And author to cosmetic books. What inspired you to that?

• I have worked for decades with some of the best skin care specialists, therapists, chemists, healers, dermatologists, stylists and hairdressers in the business and I listened and I learned - so putting all that knowledge and my own tips into a book seemed like a natural thing to do.

Who is the typical Lulu customer?

• Overall it is probably the 35+ woman who wants to get serious about her skin care and wants a range she can trust. However we find that with our haircare line, Operation Glam, we are attracting a whole new younger customer too so it's very exciting!

Which products is the best sellers?

• The best-selling Time Bomb products are the Glory Days Day Cream, Flashback Night Cream and the Smart Balm Eye Cream. The key to fighting the signs of ageing is to stick to a regimen and use your products regularly. These three products are critical for any skin care regimen.

Why should they buy your products?

• Simply because they work! I have used these formulations for many, many years and I swear by them. I am fortunate to work with a chemist who I consider to be a genius. He helped translate my blends and ideas into my Time Bomb products.

Will there be new Lulu projects in the future?

• At the moment I am busier than ever with TV projects, (including a 90 minute documentary which is about to be screened), my music, concerts and touring and my product lines which are doing so well - so watch this space!

If you were stranded on an island, and just had one of your products with you, which product should that be?

• Oh that's a cruel question! I cannot live without my Take-Off Time Cleanser as I am great believer in getting those dead skin cells off... But I also love my Smart Balm Eye Cream and apply it often throughout the day... And then there's Operation Glam - I don't want to imagine my hair without my Glammunition which gives my hair thickness and that extra 'oomph'. I really can't pick just one!

What do you think about eleven.se?

• I am so excited that my products are now available in Sweden thru eleven.se. This is the first time my products have been sold outside of the U.K. so I'm obviously very happy for more people to learn about Time Bomb, Bombshell Body and Operation Glam, and have the opportunity to try them!

And last question we must ask; how was it to be around and be a popstar during swinging 60'ies?

• It was an incredible experience to be part of this amazing decade - I met and worked with some true musical geniuses. We were all young, doing what we loved, traveling and having fun. But it was also a lot of hard work and so busy you realise how unique a decade it was mostly in retrospect! To me, at the time, having a Beatle to tea didn't seem that unusual!

How started the idea to build up Mama Mio?

Founded in London by 4 beauty experts, Mama Mio is a very personal creation. After many years working in branding and beauty, we developed key products such as Tummy Rub and Boob Tube that just did not exist. We always say we are the most selfish skincare brand in the world because we create solutions for US, for exactly what we need at all our different stages in this wonderful journey of being a woman. Our skincare expertise gives us the know-how, but first and foremost we are 4 women who want to feel good in our skin. So Mama Mio really reflects our own needs and is therefore the very very best that we could possibly make.

Who is the typical Mama Mio customer?

Our Mama Mio fans are very varied - many ages, many skin types, many nationalities -but a few things unite them all. They love that we are such a positive brand, that we have a genuine heritage, that we understand what they need and when they need it. They are realists but love using products that are packed with actives. Fundamentally they are women who want to feel more confident in their skin. My favourite quote from a French woman was... 'when I found Mama Mio, I found a sister'. That is the relationship we strive for - open, honest, supportive, caring, positive. Once women try Mama Mio, they become the very best ambassadors you could ever wish for.

What products is the best sellers?

• Mighty Moisture - our new morning, evening moisturiser, serum and primer in ONE that also includes the 60 seconds of Mama Mio Face Fitness to give you a real double whammy effect.
• Boob Tube - because you see a change in the quality of the skin of your decolletage so quickly and it smells so beautiful
• Get Waisted - our body shaper that is right now selling online at a rate of one every 45 seconds as a result of an amazing independent review in the UK Daily Mail. In an whole article titled 'Can you get a better body from a bottle?', Get Waisted was awarded 5/5.

What is your personal favourite and why?

Love Your Life Lines - our deep line reducer. I love it for many reasons - it is dual purpose, acting as a repair product plus a reflective minimiser; it has 10 powerful actives to repair and protect so I know it is the very best wrinkle remedy I can possibly use and almost as importantly.. I love the name. It is so positive; not Hate Your Life Lines or Erase Your Life Lines but LOVE Your Life Lines; because they are proof of a live well lived!

Why should woman buy your products?

Every single Mama Mio product is the absolute highest quality, using powerful ingredients at their maximum recommended level to ensure they really really work. For example, our cellulite cream, Shrink To Fit, is crammed with 9 actives compared to the closest comparable big same priced brand that has only 3.

We also adhere to our own very strict NO NASTIES policy for every product - zero parabens, petrolatum, sulphates, xenoestrogen, pthalates, articifical colourants or synthetic fragrances. If it is a nasty, it is a no, no for Mama Mio so you can rest assured that our skincare is effective but incredibly safe.

Daily Mail tested your products on 1st of august. What was the result?

An incredible response! It was a totally independent trial on four skincare products and ours came out way above any other with 5/5 and an expert with fat calipers stating that she could measure inch loss on both hips and waist of the tester after 30 days. We have women worldwide calling us, desparate to get a bottle of Get Waisted! We are selling at the tremendous rate of one every 45 seconds on our website. It really really shows the power of the press.

Why do you recommend swedish woman to shop Mama Mio at eleven.se?

I think the selection is unparalleled. Everything a girl could want from all corners of the globe in one website that gives super-fast delivery and great customer service. Why would you ever visit a high street when you can just cruise round eleven.se and see it all!?

Will there be new products

As the Fit Skin brand you can be sure that you will see more products that have our unique combo of excellent skincare plus simple exercises - so you can lift, tighten and tone your skin PLUS lift, tighten and energise the muscles beneath. I love that 2+2=5 approach that gives women the knowhow to help with aging - and an alternative to invasive surgery!

What are your visions for Mama Mio

Now this is going to sound strange but I would love Mama Mio to become an amazing example of how to build a business where you dont just focus on the bottom line. We measure the success of our business not by the number of products we have sold or profit made. We measure our success by how many women we have helped to feel more confident; happier with their mirror reflection, at ease with themselves. This makes our whole Mama Mio gang feel so great about what we do. We are also very involved in supporting Look Good, Feel Better, the wonderful Cancer support charity. We want to work even closer with them because their goal of helping women with low confidence at such a traumatic time of their lives is truly inspirational and we love working with them.

The million kroner question ... what makes Mama Mio so different?

We are the skin fitness experts. We believe that whatever your shape, your age or your skin type, if your skin looks FIT, toned, nourished, strong, touchable and glowing, you will feel gorgeous... and if you feel gorgeous, you will look gorgeous! Our goal is to become the most recommended skincare brand in the world; women telling other women that Mama Mio has helped them feel more CONFIDENT in their skin, giving them Fit Skin For Life.

Sîan Sutherland
Founding Partner - Chief, Mama Mio Skincare

- Who is the typical butter LONDON woman?

"High fashion, cheeky, and sophisticated - like us! She has a clear sense of style, a naughty sense of humour, and likes to stand out in a crowd."

- Where do you find your inspiration for new collections?

"The inspiration for the butter LONDON colour range comes from my own interpretation of what I see happening in fashion. I hang my hat on delivering high fashion nail colours, regardless of how unusual, offbeat, or even downright scary they may appear at first. I've spent 29 seasons at Fashion Week - afterwards, I contemplate what I've seen and designed for specific shows, how it resonates with current street trends, and how to encompass all of that information into a tiny bottle!"

- How often do you come up with new collections?

"Fashion itself is a real muse, and I'm extremely fortunate to work with the world's top designers each season at Fashion Week to create bespoke colours. I listen to the designers talk about their collection, and they often send swatches of fabric or inspiring pictures to set the mood. Then I mix several shades as a starting point. Next, we work together, 'tweaking' the shade until it feels perfect."

- Which are your best sellers?

"All Hail the Queen, Yummy Mummy, Teddy Girl, and Rosie Lee."

- Why choose butter LONDON?

"Our brand is all about Fashion; bringing high fashion colours to our customers in gorgeous, "dressing table worthy" packaging and safe formulations. Our formulation sets the standard in nails - always 3 free (no formaldehyde, toluene, or DBP). We use an extremely high pigment load to produce rich, intense colour. Add to that the backstage design piece I mentioned, and you are looking at one unique company!"

• Nonie Creme
  Founding Creative Director