Passionate about vegan beauty? Meet Laura Rudoe, founder of Evolve Organic Beauty

Laura Rudoe, founder of Evolve Organic Beauty, chats with Scratch about the story behind her brand & its expanding range of product offerings, including hand cream and cuticle oil…

Offering vegan, cruelty free and eco-friendly products handmade at its Hertfordshire studio, Evolve Organic Beauty was founded by Laura Rudoe in 2009. “Unlike most skincare companies, we don’t work with contract manufacturers. We design and formulate all of our products in house and I am involved in every single one,” Laura reveals. “Having suffered with skin issues growing up, I turned to natural remedies to help. I did hours and hours of research on the most effective natural and organic ingredients and I loved learning about how we can live more holistically, and how the power of plants can aid the ailments that modern living throws at us plus help the environment.

“With this research, I can apply the knowledge I have into creating the most effective, pleasurable and sensorial products possible which is so important to me. It makes my day every time when we get feedback from customers that our products have helped them to have healthy-looking skin.”

Laura Rudoe

“Originally, making our products in small batches in our own studio was driven by necessity, but now we see it as a real product benefit,” she reveals. “It means that we know what is in them, why each ingredient is included and where every single ingredient comes from. It also means that they are as fresh as possible which maximises the efficacy of our certified organic ingredients and minimises wastage.

“I created Evolve Organic Beauty with a mission to create sustainable organic products that could help people live a little healthier and greener every day. Sustainability was part of our mission from the very beginning and we have continued to progress and become one of the most sustainable and ethical beauty brands in the UK over the past 13 years.”

A selection of products from Evolve

“I love using natural products which are packed full of high quality and pure ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, bio-retinols, and organic rosehip oil. It’s also important to recognise what’s left out of our formulations, as we don’t use any potentially harmful ingredients or preservatives.

“Our mission is now to go beyond sustainability to become regenerative, which is going further than just being less bad; it’s actually positive for the planet as well as for people and animals,” Laura smiles. “Cruelty free goes without saying, we care for the world we live in, and that includes animals. Our products are vegan as I wanted to offer options for people who are vegan to support them in their lifestyle choice.”

“I believe that natural, organic and eco-friendly ingredients are better for us and for the planet.”

“Our Timeless Renewal Hand Cream is made with super-effective plant based ingredients to deliver anti-ageing results. We chose bio-retinol from the bidens pilosa plant as it is proven to smooth the skin, plump up wrinkles, stimulate collagen synthesis and rejuvenate the appearance of skin by reducing the appearance of age spots. We also used ceramides, as they work to repair the skin barrier, improve skin comfort, roughness, and reduce dryness. We are so pleased with our first hand cream as it’s so lovely to use – it’s non greasy and sinks in so easily. My hands look and feel so much softer but also firmer after I use it, plus the rose geranium, ylang ylang and mandarin essential oils smell divine and are so calming.

“We wanted to create a cuticle oil that strengthened and protected nails and nail beds and that helped promote healthier nails. We blended a host of powerful ingredients including organic argan and macadamia oils, vitamins B & E plus jojoba,” she explains. “We chose organic argan oil as it nourishes nails and helps to strengthen weak or damaged areas on the nails, and vitamins B & E and jojoba to repair any damage, and organic macadamia oil to help with nail regrowth. It also smells lovely as we scented the cuticle oil with organic rose geranium and mandarin essential oils.”

Evolve’s Timeless Renewal Hand Cream

“One of the things I’m really passionate about is giving people natural organic and effective product choices for their entire beauty regime if they want to lead a toxin free lifestyle,” Laura enthuses. “Humans have evolved with nature for centuries and we believe that our bodies are more biocompatible with natural ingredients. This is why we choose them over synthetic ingredients as much as possible when formulating our products. Organic ingredients are also proven to contain more nutrients compared to conventionally farmed alternatives and we believe in the power of organic ingredients because they truly work with our bodies and with the natural environment.

“I wanted to create a natural and high-performance anti ageing hand treatment product as well as an organic cuticle treatment. There is a common misconception that choosing natural and organic ingredients means fewer ingredients to choose from and less effective products, but in reality this is far from true! There are actually hundreds of clinically-proven organic ingredients available, which is how we’re able to create such effective skincare and hand treatments without compromising on quality.”

Timeless Renewal Cuticle Oil

Evolve Organic Beauty is available via www.evolvebeauty.co.uk and www.louellabelle.co.uk.