We originally interviewed Kadian as part of our spotlight on Birmingham-based makers in the May-July edition of our Little Black Book.
A remedy for dry skin and hair was what Kadian was looking for when she began Bourn Beautiful Naturals. Named after a brook near her home in the West Midlands, the brand has become her creative outlet to cater to the needs of women like her.
Bourn Beautiful Naturals creator Kadian Pow
What was the first product you made?
Our very first product was Avocado Smoothie Nourishing Conditioner. It was the first because my quest for a conditioner that would cut my detangling time in half was the most important to me. I started working on that conditioner for myself back in 2014. It’s because of Avocado Smoothie that I became obsessed with understanding cosmetic science and learned the science (and art!) of product formulation. Had I started this brand in a more traditional sense, there would be fewer products in our range!
How did your range evolve?
Because it began as a hobby for me, I made things based on my own haircare and skincare problems. When I gave these little homemade gifts to friends and family, they began to ask me to create things for their own personal care challenges. They were all Black women! So, the ethos of the company was organic: putting the hair and skincare needs of Black women at the centre.
You say that making products is like nourishment for your soul. What does that mean for you?
When I started formulating products it was my escape away from a stressful world that demanded so much from me. I was working three jobs at the time (inlcluding the till at Aldi). Retreating to my makeshift studio to work on something creative and useful makes me feel better about myself. When I began to put that same effort in for other women, and the things I made helped them, it felt like I could have no greater purpose in this world than to reduce someone else’s suffering. Making things that help other people nourishes my soul because you don’t get that with a lot of jobs.
What have you had to learn about chemical formulations to really make your products effective?
I had to find the best ways to combine what I wanted as a customer and what worked best from a scientific formulation perspective. For example, customers often think that the more of an ingredient there is in a product, the better. However, there is such a thing as having too much of a good thing, which can affect how the formula works, looks, and spreads. There are also legal usage limits for potent additives and even things like preservatives. From the customer perspective side, I really had to internalise how much the smell and aesthetic of a product matter. It took me about a year to really hone those skills. But now we’re known for fantastic-smelling products.
What’s a customer review you’re really proud of?
Customers have, at times, brought me to tears with their reviews via email or on the site. Here’s an official one that I’m really proud of because as a person who developed eczema on my face when I moved to England, I understand the sense of relief:
“Wonderful customer service every time. I have been ordering the Oat Rich Aloe Vera Lotion for about a year now. It’s extremely useful in the management of eczema and preventing flare ups. I was using a more mainstream brand oat lotion prior to this one, however it wasn’t as effective and contained far more chemical ingredients. Very happy as a continued customer.”
Bourn Beautiful Naturals Hair Too Balm
What’s one thing you’ve learnt throughout your business journey?
The most valuable thing I have learned (and sometimes need reminding of) is that there is no one-size-fits-all path to growth.
What does a normal day look like for you?
Long. A normal day is long! It consists of me waking at 7am so that I don’t start my day in a rush. I feed my dogs, then have my coffee and a cuddle with them whilst I read, write fiction, Wordle, or anything that’s not about work. I start work at 8:30am or 9am, and my day could be anything from meetings, product making in our home studio, admin, order fulfilment, ordering raw ingredients, paying bills… so much!
Because I also work as a lecturer in Sociology & Black Studies, I divide my day between that and BBN [Bourn Beautiful Naturals]. This means I often am working up until 7-8pm.
What are your plans for the rest of 2022?
Besides continuing to enjoy the heck out of our five year anniversary, we’re moving things to a third-party fulfilment centre to allow more time for strategic planning. I’m working on getting come capital infusion for growth and hiring a full-time marketing person. We’re also looking to get our products into more online and physical stores. Lastly, we’re developing two new products we want to introduce for 2023 (yes, the process takes so long).