Sarah Gibbs and sister Catherine De Groot started their natural skincare business Trilogy in 2003 with a desire to not only work together on an exciting new project, but to revolutionise the skincare industry. Combine that with a drop of rosehip oil, and they found the formula for success.
Like many new ideas, Trilogy’s journey started with a single discovery. That discovery took the form of rosehip oil, natural oil extracted from rosehip seeds, designed to heal and rejuvenate skin. Gibbs explains:
“I used to run a manufacturing business, where we manufactured ingredients from plants for the natural supplement and cosmetic industries. We began in 1998 and were soon approached by a co-op in Africa to process the rosehip oil. We became experts at it, selling it in bulk all over the world. I was intrigued by it and discovered it was this amazing, exciting ingredient.”
Gibbs soon developed a new way to extract the purest elements from rosehip oil and immediately the sisters knew they had discovered a future cosmetic star. Trilogy’s Certified Rosehip Oil is clinically proven, fully sustainable and remains a key ingredient across the company’s expanding product range of face, body and hair care.
With a focus on natural skincare, Gibbs and De Groot have turned Trilogy from a boutique local operation into an international beauty brand in just six short years.
Recognised as one of the pioneers of the natural and organic skincare category, Trilogy’s products are sold in more than 3,500 stores and retail channels throughout Australasia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States and even at Scott Base in Antarctica.
With a philosophy of ‘maximum effect on your skin, minimum effect on the environment’, the girls are focused on using only natural ingredients to deliver affordable skincare products.
The natural skincare market has taken off in recent years, with more and more women turning to natural alternatives for their skin, looking to make better, healthier choices for themselves and their families. So how does Trilogy stand out in an already overcrowded market? “We offer an alternative to traditional skincare that works, and is affordable,” explains Gibbs.
“For the Trilogy users it’s more about attitude than age. We provide natural skincare options for women and men at every age, every stage.”
According to Gibbs, when starting out, the most important thing they did was to listen to their customers and find out what they wanted from their skincare.
“We began defining Trilogy by understanding exactly what women like us want from natural skincare,” she said. “We wanted to make natural products that were fuss-free and with clear information on the packs so people could decide which product worked best for their lifestyle and skin.”
Not big on advertising, the girls prefer to share their story with the public about their products. “The bottom line is communicating that your products work. We are first and foremost about delivering functional and responsible products,” says Gibbs.
As a carbon neutral business, Trilogy uses environmentally friendly packaging and all ingredients are sourced from ethically traded and, where possible, certified organic sources. The girls are strong advocates for animal rights and are strongly against animal testing. As part of their commitment to animal welfare, they have launched a campaign to support endangered orangutans in South East Asia, donating $1.00 from the sale of each box of Certified Organic Rosehip Oil to the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation.
According to Gibbs, they are passionate about getting back to basics and giving back to the community and the environment. “Whilst we volunteer to be responsible, the future is compulsory. It’s up to all of us to make a difference before we make a mess of the environment. This is the future of business and of living.”
Taking the attitude of “just get on with it and make the most of it”, Gibbs and De Groot are moving forward with the business, taking on an international business manager to focus on one of their key markets: Asia. At the same time, they will be looking to revitalise the range and will continue to innovate and get better.
For more information about Trilogy please visit www.trilogyproducts.com
People who read this, also liked:
Beauty College founder comes clean on success
