On an idea
The idea for Wild Skin Cuticle Oils came to Cinnamon Laubscher when she was talking to her nail technician.
“The nail tech was talking about cuticle products that were in the form of a pen, but she had to import them from the UK, and it was so expensive and took forever. I asked her if I came up with a similar organic product, would she purchase from me. And she’s like, ‘Yeah, sure’.”
So armed with an idea, Cinnamon began researching certified organic products and how to make cuticle oil. She secured a supplier for oils and cartridges and, along with her husband, invested some money into the business to get it started.
While the business had been running successfully for two years, she came across Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, which offers funding streams for tangata whenua living in Te Waipounamu (South Island), Rakiura (Stewart Island), and Rekohu/Wharekauri (Chatham Island). She saw this as an opportunity to expand her range and reach new customers.
After applying, Cinnamon was accepted for funding and was humbled by the support she received, with support for everything from IRD sessions to packaging and promotion and well-being checks.
“I feel very privileged to be Māori and supported in growing my business. Serving, being humble and hospitable are predominant qualities in Māori culture. So being able to translate that into my business is incredibly important. If you can establish a pakihi (business) that offers support and well-being to your customers, it makes it a lot more satisfying.”
And that is what the product is all about, well-being. On top of nourishing and ‘taming’ cuticles, she says it helps us take a moment.
“We all have, in some way, wild lives; we have responsibilities, stress, anxiety, and things that we just need to do. All of these things take from us. Wild Skin Cuticle Oils allow us to take a moment for ourselves in the middle of our day.”
Wild Skin is vegan, cruelty-free, and New Zealand-made. It is stocked in 10 retailers, including Ōtautahi’s Hapa, and 90 nail technicians and beauticians nationwide, and is available through the website.