This month Holistic Bliss talks with the innovative Narelle Cheney who is based on the Gold Coast and the creator of the world’s first certified organic skin care range- Miessence.

HB: How did Miessence begin and how has the business evolved?
Narelle: My search for truly natural skincare started in 1994. At the time, I was selling what I had been told (and believed) was a “natural” product. Interestingly, I had always wondered about the polysyllabic names on the labels that claimed to be sourced from things like silica, coconut and palm. After conducting my own research, I was shocked and disgusted to find that many of these so-called natural ingredients were actually very toxic and dangerous. I was inspired to embark on a search for a truly natural skin care range. But no matter what the label promised, with pictures of herbs and flowers, I was invariably disappointed when I turned the product around and read the ingredients list. So when I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to make my own! Very quickly I found myself with a successful mail order business that developed as a result of articles I had submitted to leading health publications.

A year later I met Alf Orpen, also a cosmetic manufacturer, at a health expo and we immediately recognised our mutual desire to produce a range that was currently considered “impossible”. Alf had employed and worked with cosmetic chemists and biochemists to develop skin care ranges in the past and had become frustrated with their “blinkered thinking”. Wanting to create a range that was certified organic, he knew he had to look elsewhere for assistance. Alf later told me that it was very clear to him at our first meeting that I had the capacity not only to produce a great product, but the pioneering willingness to leap into uncharted territories and revolutionise! After 18 months of research and development, Miessence was born: an unrivalled product range with the world’s first (2001) organic seal of approval by one of the world’s leading certifying bodies.

HB: What are the keys to running a successful organic and eco-friendly business?
Narelle: Share your vision with your customers and staff. Communicate what’s unique about your products. Have the best products that customers LOVE to use. Make it easy for people to buy your products. Employ great staff. Educate, educate, educate.

HB: Can you think of a common myth associated with organics and/or personal care products and how would you like to dispel that myth and educate the public?
Narelle: It is a common misconception that there is truth in labelling in the cosmetic industry! Just because a product says ‘organic’ on the label doesn’t make it so. Only products that bear the seal of approval of a certification agency (logo) are truly organic. Everything else is fake!

HB: Where will the company be in say 5-10 years time and any new and exciting projects in the pipeline?
Narelle: Hopefully Miessence will be a household name in 10 years. We have lots of exciting projects in the pipeline... the ones I am most excited about are our nutritional products. I want to be active and healthy at 100, so I’m going to need the best nutrition... and that’s what I plan to create.