When Jesse Tyler became pregnant with her first child, Roman, she found herself looking more closely at the products she was using every day. Unable to find skincare that felt both safe and luxurious, she began creating her own blends at home. Out of those early experiments – mixed in the corner of a tiny granny flat beside the kettle – Mesay was born. Today, Mesay is more than skincare; it’s a brand shaped by motherhood, loss, resilience and a desire to offer moments of calm and care to parents navigating the chaos of everyday life. Here Jesse talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind her business, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
What inspired you to set up your business?
Mesay was born out of a deeply personal season of life: pregnancy with my firstborn, Roman. During that time, I became incredibly mindful of every ingredient I was putting on my skin. I couldn’t find products that felt both truly safe and genuinely luxurious, so I began formulating my own.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Mesay began in a tiny granny flat with barely enough room to turn around, let alone start a skincare line. The “lab” was really just a corner of the bench (next to the kettle). I was pregnant at the time, navigating a world of heightened sensitivity – to scent, ingredients and life in general, while my partner battled eczema and endless allergies. So, every oil I chose had to earn its place: it needed to be gentle, nourishing and safe for both of us.
We launched slowly, quietly. No fanfare. Just honest, thoughtful skincare made in moments between naps, snacks, and now, chasing our toddler around the house. Not much has changed really, except now there’s a little more joy (and a lot more mess) in the process.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
It wasn’t a sudden lightbulb moment, but the real breakthrough came when I realised I didn’t want to just make skincare; I wanted to create space. A pause. A feeling. Especially for mothers who are so often stretched thin and rarely offered softness.
I stopped worrying about the perfect sales pitch (I’ve never been a natural salesperson) and focused instead on building a world people could step into – one that felt calm, thoughtful and quietly luxurious. Once I embraced the idea that Mesay could be a kind of modern ritual, a return to self in the midst of the everyday, the brand began to take shape with so much more clarity.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Some days feel like a graceful dance. Others, more like a chaotic juggle with snacks flying. I’ve learned to lean into the rhythm of our life rather than fight it. Slower mornings, guilt-free pauses and working in those quiet pockets of time (during naps, after bedtime) have become my norm.
What helps most is that Mesay isn’t separate from my life; it’s an extension of my values. That makes it easier to blur the lines, to weave motherhood and work together in a way that (mostly) feels natural. I’ve let go of chasing balance and started honouring the seasons instead.
