Kilmarnock-based White Rabbit Skincare is celebrating being selected by Harrods as one of the key local brands that make up its ‘Born and Bred’ offering at the new H beauty store in Edinburgh.
Each “H beauty” is developed with the local beauty community in mind and is designed to bring the most important and vibrant products, brands, and experiences to customers. The latest H beauty store opened on 30th November at the new St James Quarter, in the heart of Edinburgh’s shopping district, and aims to support local talent and Scottish brands, like White Rabbit Skincare, whose values directly connect with Harrods own.
White Rabbit Skincare produces highly effective cruelty-free, eco-friendly and fully vegan skincare products. Its CEO, Melanie Blane, lives and produces all her products in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The approach from Harrods came completely out the blue. They made initial contact through the “Get in Touch” facility on our website, which I was over the moon about.
Harrods were researching specifically Scottish, sustainable beauty products for the new store and I couldn’t be happier that they have chosen to stock over a dozen of our products, including favourites like Lime and Coconut Cleansing Water and Olive and Avocado Serum.
Melanie is a graduate of the University and has been supported through Strathclyde Inspire since setting up the company in 2016. This included start-up finance and business mentoring, after redundancy encouraged her to take her initially kitchen-table business up several, significant notches.
She first came up with the idea while at University, as during her History degree course, she developed the painful skin condition psoriasis. Existing therapies, including harsh steroids, did not appeal so Melanie set about creating her own skin and beauty products, using only natural alternatives.
Even the packaging tape she uses to deliver wholesale orders is now made from recycled paper and printed with plant-based ink, with 94% of White Rabbit Skincare products entirely plastic-free.
The brand is currently sold online and in a number of independent retailers across the UK. Melanie is delighted to add H beauty to that line-up. Future plans include expanding the range with innovative, sustainable and vegan hair and body care products.
Alan Feighery of Strathclyde Inspire, has helped arrange support for Melanie in the seven years since she set up the company.
While the opportunity at Harrods sounds like good luck, it is the result of hard work plus extensive research and development to ensure products are perfectly tailored for a planet-first, all-natural market place.
Entrepreneurship is not a single skill. It’s a way of approaching and overcoming barriers to achieve societal and sustainability benefits, as well as financial. Melanie’s academic background demonstrates that subject matter is less important than developing a genuinely entrepreneurial mindset.
Melanie says even the company name is recycled, as it originally came from her favourite film, “Alice in Wonderland” but that it also conveys the innocence and natural purity she seeks to provide.
She added, “I’m committed to manufacturing locally in Ayrshire, Scotland. All of our products are hand-made in small batches and we number every item individually.
The approach from Harrods acknowledges innovation and first-class product quality. Working with only natural resources can pay off in the most unexpectedly lovely ways.”