Kim Lewinn-Reilly Turned Her Passion For Beauty Into Big Business – Here’s How

Kim Lewin-Reilly is a passionate kind of woman. You know what I mean. One of those women who does nothing by halves. She’s an all-in sort and frankly, I like that. A lot. She’s the woman behind a skincare line that is going from strength to strength. And as such, we wanted to know how it came about, how she got to be where she is and maybe, how we could get there too.

So without further ado, please meet Kim Lewin-Reilly. She really is quite something (as you’re about to discover).

So the brand … it got its name how?

Well the name Lewin & Reilly came about because my surname is Lewin and my husband Andi’s surname is Reilly. So I tell everyone that I’m the Lewin and he’s the Reilly.

And it started because …

The idea came when Andi and I were on honeymoon in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. We were amazed at the botanical produce growing wild there. We felt so incredibly grateful and happy to be in such a beautiful place, eating such fresh, naturally organic produce. It made us want to change our lives and help others to feel that good, healthy and energised.

The cult classic – Lewin & Reilly Zeolite & Elderflower Purity Face Mask, $56.

 

And so we …

We returned home to Australia from the Cook Islands and began experimenting by making soaps, balms, things that are relatively easy to make because we wanted to translate that feeling of freshness into products that you use on your body. Our research led us to many incredible organic farms and growers, and native botanicals. It really opened our eyes to the fact that Australia has some of the best, most potent and unique native plants in the world, arguably THE best.

From this discovery, we could see the need for more transparency in the skin care industry with regards to ingredients and their origin, so we decided on a philosophy for Lewin & Reilly “Luxurious Organic Skin Care from Place to Face”. This is based on the cuisine philosophy of Farm to Table, and this is definitely what makes us stand out.

The journey so far has been …

Full of important life and business lessons, discovery, hard work, joy, struggles and personal growth. It is a whirlwind of emotions operating your own business, and there are so many tasks to accomplish each and every day. There’s hardly ever a day off, but the payoff in terms of customer satisfaction, personal satisfaction and what you learn along the way just can’t be matched.

The Lewin and Reilly Organic Spa Quattro – balances oily skin and brightens dullness, $223. 

 

You wish more people knew that organic skincare is capable of …

Being more effective than conventional skin care – if formulated correctly. Organic skin care that has a good range of ingredients; oils, hydrosols, butters, clays, hydrophilic (water-based) plant extracts and lipophyllic (oil-based) plant extracts, plus a good range of products – cream and oil cleansers, a cream-based moisturiser, a toner/tonic, an oil and/or water-based serum and a combined oil and clay exfoliating mask (not just powder based) will do everything for your skin that conventional skin care promises, but usually does not deliver on. In fact from personal experience, conventional skin care has done nothing but aggravate my skin.

You need to remember that …

Not all organic skin care collections are created equal. Some may still use lifeless ingredients purchased many months ago from halfway across the world and will have long since lost their potency. Some may just not have the variety of water-based and oil-based ingredients and products that your skin needs.

It’s better for the planet because no pesticides/insecticides are used in the process of growing the ingredients. These are known to have a harmful effect on not only the environment, but arguably the most important species on the planet, bees. Not to mention the effect that pesticides are proven to have on humans.

 

How did you get to be a business owner?

My previous life in performing and teaching, specifically ballet and then Pilates, nurtured my love for makeup, beauty products looking good and feeling healthy. I began working with beauty editors as an assistant/intern whilst studying for a BA in communications. So I’ve really been interested in beauty and skin care for a very long time, even since I was a child. I was fortunate then to have my Dad working as the manager for the food hall in a large department store (Selfridges) in London, where I’d go and visit him every weekend and basically buy skin care in the beauty department at every possible moment. Needless to say, it was not in any way natural or organic!

And your husband? How did he get here?

Andi formerly worked as a winemaker, and so had the technical knowledge and understanding of chemistry to ignite his interest in making skin care. Although we started with making soaps, that progressed to making balms, and then toners, finally  full-blown moisturisers and serums which are more complex formulation-wise. Andi is an avid reader and loves learning. He has such a variety of skills, and so our business has not only helped him to learn so many new things, but it also utilises his many skills and interests.