I PUT MY LIFE SAVINGS INTO MY IDEA
HAZEL GILCHRIST, 27, FROM GLASGOW, WAS INSPIRED TO CREATE A CRUELTY FREE, REUSABLE ALTERNATIVE TO MINK EYELASHES.
Working as a make-up artist three years ago, I’d spend Sundays throwing away plastic packaging and discarded false eyelashes, so I felt there had to be something I could do to make lashes more sustainable.
Mink eyelashes were popular as they gave a thick, full look, but I refused to use them. I was told mink were brushed to get the hair without harming them, but when I researched the industry, it was brutal and not something I wanted any part of. However, I could not find a reusable, cruelty-free brand which recreated the mink effect… so I created one!
I knew make-up brushes could be made without using animal hair, so I approached a manufacturer who told me about PBT fibre, used to create soft, synthetic brushes. I asked if they could experiment to see if PBT fibre could curl the way eyelashes do. The experiment was a success so I designed ten styles, from light and natural to showstoppers.
I had money set aside for a house deposit but invested it in Wispease. Through trade shows, social media and word of mouth, my reputation grew. In the last year, sales rocketed on eBay, probably because there’s now demand for eyelashes as our eyes are the one part of our face we don’t have to cover in a mask. Now, I have 40 lash styles that can be used up to 25 times thanks to a durable, latex free, hypoallergenic lash band. I send free lashes to anyone who returns their packaging to me ten times. Every small decision makes a big impact on the world.
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