Premium Beauty News - On The Wild Side offers natural products, but with specific commitments?
Anne-Sophie Nardy - Our products are certified organic and made from 100% natural ingredients. We use no ingredients derived from petrochemicals. Unlike other natural brands, we do not use essential oils as they can be irritating. Finally, the brand’s DNA lies in the use of wild plants harvested in collaboration with a cooperative of gatherers. Birch sap and beech buds, for example, come from forests in the Gironde and the Massif Central regions.
Because they result from a long natural evolution, grow with no protection and interact with an often difficult environment, wild plants are richer in active ingredients. Tests have shown them to be very effective in regenerating the skin, improving hydration and reducing oxidative stress.
Premium Beauty News - Why a cooperative of gatherers?
Anne-Sophie Nardy - On The Wild Side wants to stand for committed cosmetics. We strive to be more than just another cosmetic brand, by taking part in local actions that change the world and raise awareness. It was, therefore, important to work with truly knowledgeable people who love plants and respect the natural environment.
Since January, I have been actively involved in the AFC, (Association française des professionnels de la cueillette de plantes sauvages, or French association of wild plant gatherers), whose mission is to promote the trade of wild plant gatherers and to develop responsible and sustainable gathering practices. Gathering is an ancestral practice but, like agriculture, it can have an impact on ecosystems. It is therefore important to define good practices: how to pick the plant, at what season, how much and with what tools...
Premium Beauty News - In concrete terms, how does this translate into your range?
Anne-Sophie Nardy - We offer six face care products, including a cleansing oil, a day cream and a care oil. We complemented our range with two hair care products in July. The range also includes a food supplement for nails and hair in capsule form, and a relaxing night concentrate, in the form of drops to be mixed in a glass of water. We launched five new products this year, and there are more to come next year.
Premium Beauty News – And in terms of packaging, how is this commitment reflected?
Anne-Sophie Nardy - All of our containers are recyclable: in glass or aluminium. For our secondary packaging, we use FSC managed cardboard. We are considering integrating refills next year for the glass containers.
Premium Beauty News - Where are the products available?
Anne-Sophie Nardy - Initially, products were only available online, via our e-commerce site. Questionnaires for our community via Instagram and on our website, helped us to better understand their expectations. Distribution was gradually extended to marketplaces and physical outlets. The brand is now present in 500 POS: department stores such as Le Printemps, Galeries Lafayette and La Samaritaine, but also at Sephora for a year and a half, online and in retail in twelve countries in Europe, and in concept stores such as Merci, for example.
Today we are looking to consolidate our presence in these POS, and to extend our presence internationally. We are going to open a new market in an Asian country, via e-commerce and physical outlets.
Premium Beauty News - What are the next steps for the brand?
Anne-Sophie Nardy - We raised 500,000 euros in 2020 from business angels. This allowed us to recruit, launch our new products and improve our notoriety, with a manifesto film and a poster campaign in the streets of Paris. We are going to continue our current strategy by completing our offer, with relevant products for our customers while sticking to our formulation charter. We want to consolidate our international foothold and further develop our community through social networks like Instagram. We are also aiming for the B Corp certification in 2022.
