Wanting to reduce plastic and packaging in her home, and to know exactly what went into the skincare she used, Philippa Hayward set out to create her own products. Having always needed a creative outlet, she began experimenting until she was producing beautiful, eye-catching, long-lasting soaps. From here, she launched WUNDER, adding other products to her range and achieving her goal of reducing plastics and packaging waste. Their handmade skin products are made using only the best elements sourced from all over the world – natural, organic, sustainable, or wild crafted. They make all of their products by hand in small batches to maximise freshness and effectiveness. Here Philippa talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about her business journey so far and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
WUNDER‘s inspiration comes from wanting to do better and my desire to create. Reducing plastics and packaging in my household are important to me, as well as affordability and knowing what is in our skincare.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
“Start” is a funny thing to pinpoint. I’ve always needed a creative outlet so making and creating has always been in my wheelhouse. WUNDER came about with me wanting to see if I could do better in my household by reducing plastics and packaging. I started making soap but found the generic shape of soap a bit boring. So I experimented with silicone moulds, and the results got attention and achieved the goal of removing plastics and packaging whilst delivering an eye-catching, long-lasting soap product. From there, other WUNDER products were added to the range all with the aim of reducing plastics and packaging.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest breakthrough was in mindset and self-belief, which came about from a supportive friend who said, “Stop waiting for perfection”. “Perfect” was holding me back, but with the support of friends and family, I took that first step and haven’t looked back.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Balance is always going to be a challenge – life is busy, sometimes crazy busy. Personally, I don’t enjoy living life in the hectic, stressed-out zone, so when I recognise our family life is heading towards that zone, I tend to strip back my workload and focus on my family. I prioritise what is really important and use the time wisely, heading to a beach for a bit of stress-reducing ocean air.
