Over the last number of years, Jo Browne has established her brand as one of the leading names in sustainable beauty and wellness in Ireland and beyond. As a qualified reflexologist and holistic therapist, everything Jo puts her name to from her choice of ingredients to her signature bamboo packaging are thoughtfully chosen for their many benefits.
In the midst of the Christmas rush, we are delighted that Jo took time to have a chat to us about her inspiration and her exciting new product that is at the top of our Wish List!! ??
Q. What inspired you to create your first product?
I am a qualified holistic therapist and my passion is essential oils and their immense natural capacity for healing, invigorating and calming.
In 2013, I spotted a gap in the market for solid perfume and colognes. Apart from creating bamboo packaged natural handmade fragrances that are beautifully sensual and uplifting, Jo Browne solid perfumes have a lot of practical advantages.
They’re no-spill, lightweight, and airport security-friendly when you’re on the go! There’s less waste as you’re not spraying good perfume into the air, or over-sharing the scent with others. And, a solid perfume doesn’t need help drying, so won’t have alcohol or other irritants.
Q. Where does your passion for eco-friendly beauty & wellness products come from?
I worked in natural healing therapies and know the health and wellbeing benefits of natural ingredients. It’s difficult to improve on what’s in nature!
Many fruits and flowers produce natural oils that are nourishing and revitalizing and we use the most beneficial in our Jo Browne soaps, perfumes and cleansers, such as jojoba oil, mango butter and organic beeswax for the perfume base.
Recyclable packaging, sustainable sourcing, and avoiding harmful ingredients like parabens and palm oil that drives deforestation is a ‘no brainer’, especially when you have natural miracles like bamboo, aloe vera and camellia oil that are easily renewable.
Q. You’ve just launched an exciting new product that has so many health and beauty benefits; The Bamboo pillowcase – can you tell us more about it?
Organically grown bamboo is an amazing multi-tasking material that delivers on an environmental level and for consumers. We are very excited about the new Jo Browne Bamboo Pillowcase!
Bamboo fabric is smooth and luxuriously soft, with a feel like silky cashmere.
Jo Browne Bamboo Pillowcases
Its ventilation properties are superior to that of cotton, helping you stay drier, and it is thermal regulating and breathable, keeping you cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
As bamboo fabric is hypoallergenic, it is perfect for those with sensitive skin or eczema. It’s also anti-bacterial, so keeps odour at bay while the pillowcase stays fresher for longer, for optimum eco-friendly snoozing!
A sustainable biodegradable resource that is naturally grown, without pesticides, and requires minimal water, bamboo also aids soil stability, making it top of the eco-crops!
Q. At the moment your range seems to have a holistic approach to wellness and self-care with an amazing diffuser, essential oils and incredible skincare products, is that something you set out to create or has it happened naturally?
I tend to develop innovative products that I like and would use myself, so I have a very high-quality benchmark!
The aim is to offer natural skincare and lifestyle products that essentially work well, feel and smell amazing, and are affordable without costing the earth, literally!
Q. When it comes to Christmas gifting what pieces from your collection will you be gifting to friends and family and why?
The Bamboo Pillowcase seems to be top of everyone’s Christmas list this year. Of course, we’d all like a better night’s sleep!
The fabric is incredibly soft and silk-like, but it is more durable and healthier for skin, as well as being more affordable.
Friends also enjoy our Jo Browne solid fragrances – both male and female – although, as they’re so long-lasting, they don’t need to be gifted too often!
Q. What does the New Year hold for Jo Browne?
Always looking to innovate and excel in great quality luxury items that are affordable, while also supporting our natural sustainable sourcing policy!
Working with Irish stockists and consumers to constantly improve our offering, as well as developing our overseas markets, will keep me busy too, and so grateful that we have built a dynamic Irish business around the principles of natural ingredients and production.
Jo Browne is a holistic therapist and creator of the Jo Browne sustainable beauty and wellbeing range that includes handmade solid perfumes, natural skincare, and a new sustainably soft bamboo pillowcase.
Discover the Jo Browne range in-store or online at www.meadowsandbyrne.com
“Wishing Jo Browne a successful and innovative New Year! Excited to see the fresh ideas and beauty products 2023 will bring.”