La Mucca was born out of a very simple desire: to create skincare that was free of synthetic ingredients, hormone disrupting preservatives and harsh chemicals. Non-toxic skincare that nourished and restored skin to its optimum state, naturally. Founded by two busy mums and friends, Bessie and Jessie, the brand is rooted in a deep commitment to simplicity, transparency and nourishing skin the way nature intended. What began as small batches made in a home kitchen has grown into a thriving business, driven by a passion for safer alternatives. La Mucca reflects not only a return to traditional ingredients like tallow, but also the realities of modern motherhood, balancing family life with the demands and rewards of building something meaningful from the ground up.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
This is going to sound a bit cliché, but it is what it is!
The passion behind this business stemmed from the shift in priorities I experienced when I became a mum. I wasn’t always an ingredients-list-reader. I assumed if it was allowed to be sold to people, it must be totally fine. It was only after I became a mum, that I really began to pay more attention, not only to the things we were putting in our bodies, but also on our bodies.
The more I learned, the more I discovered that so many everyday skincare products were filled with ingredients I wouldn’t use if I had known about them. Things like synthetic fragrance blends (which can contain dozens of undisclosed chemicals and are a common trigger for irritation and sensitivities), parabens, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and petroleum-derived ingredients. It made me stop and think about what daily, recurring use of these products could do to a person’s health and what the cumulative effects could be in the long-term? It wasn’t a dice I was comfortable rolling for myself or my kids.
I had heard about tallow for skincare and I was intrigued. For thousands of years, it had been used as a moisturiser and skin barrier protectant. There was something appealing to me about returning to that kind of simplicity. Real ingredients. Natural. Time-tested. So, I learned how to make it. I sourced organic grass-fed and grass-finished suet from a local farm and got to experimenting. Different methods, recipes, textures and combinations of natural ingredients to see what worked well with the tallow. Batch after batch, I refined formulas in my kitchen. I would give out jars of it to my friends and family on the proviso that they would give me HONEST feedback!
It was really exciting when I started to hear and see the results. People told me their eczema was calmer. Psoriasis patches soothed. Friends used it on their babies as they wanted something gentler, simpler and more nourishing. I think it’s a common shift people experience once they become parents. When you have a little one that you love, who is totally dependant on you, I think there is this innate desire to take more special care, to question more, to choose more thoughtfully. It’s what led me to start La Mucca.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do this on my own. I have four kids now and we homeschool, so if I wanted to do this too, I would need a business partner. I asked my friend, Jessie, if she would be interested in starting La Mucca with me, and she said yes! I knew she had some experience in social media marketing and a background in photography that would be useful.
We didn’t have that experience though in building a brand and setting up a product-based business. We were very naive to it all, but I think you need to be to start your own business! We figured out which boxes needed ticking and divided the load. There is so much to do before you can actually hit GO. While we were getting our ducks in a row, we worked at growing a presence on social media. We knew that a lot of our demographic were on Instagram. There is such potential to grow a community on it if you’re willing to put yourself out there. I just needed to get over my discomfort at talking to the camera! People like to see who is behind the brand, and showing up like that definitely helped with our launch.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest breakthrough for us was when we took the leap and rented a warehouse space. For a while we were doing everything from home! As demand grew, the house became a semi-factory, and then forget about the garage, that was full to the brim with storage for the business. Not only did it affect home life, but it wasn’t efficient for the business.
Once we took the leap and rented out a dedicated site for the business, we were able to create a space that streamlined our processes and meant we could manufacture much more efficiently than we could at home. It was a game-changer.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Oof is there ever a perfect balance?! It is a constant juggle. I have four kids and Jessie has three. In order for us to have those days where we work at the warehouse, we do need support. My husband takes the kids one day a week, which is nice for the kids to have that full day just with Dad. Jessie’s two oldest kids are in school, and her youngest spends one day a week with her grandparents. Of course, if one of us really needs extra time to do something, we help each other out with the kids. We have a great support system. When we’re not at work, the goal is to prioritise time with the family and do any work at night after the kids are in bed. It does mean late nights, but it’s the only way it can work.
Running a business comes with sacrifice, and ours is sleep. Not ideal, but that’s how it is in this stage of life!
