MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT

Beauty innovator Kate Shapland

a Beauty writer for 25 years, kate Shapland, 53, launched her leg care brand, Legology in 2013. She lives in London with her husband Ben. WHEN I left my job as a beauty editor after 14 years, I went into free-fall. Apart from losing the structure of weekly deadlines, part of my identity had gone. I felt like a stranger in the world I’d worked my entire adult life.

I’d already launched Legology, but all I wanted to do was run away and hide as I was full of self-doubt. In hindsight the end of that job was the catalyst that pushed me to make something of my business.

My lightbulb moment came at the end of a long-haul flight when I noticed most people, all ages, all sexes (but especially women), had puffy feet and ankles.

Even those with flight socks had taken off their shoes and hobbled off the plane with lumpen feet.

I got hooked researching lymph and triggers for fluid retention and cellulite. I realised there was a link between the two and that there was a glaring gap in the market. If I could develop a powerful cream that promoted lymph and blood flow it could help reduce the heavy leg issue and discourage cellulite.

I took the brief to an independent French chemist and asked her to develop it from scratch, which took four years. We did a limited initial run of 500 units of the first Legology product Air-Lite sold out within a month.

Leaving the safety of a job I could do standing on my head was terrifying. But despite my unease, the career change made me see that I had the passion, talent and work ethic to make my business work.

I’m glad I embraced the risk. n legology.co.uk