MEET THE MAKER
LOVE OUR COMMUNITY
Catherine Cervasio - AROMABABY
What began as a fruitless search for natural and organic baby care during her first pregnancy back in 1993, has turned into a global Aussie success story for Catherine Cervasio.
Using her skills from a product development role in bath and body products, and seeing a gap in the market (like lots of talented Aussies) for natural baby products AROMABABY was ‘born.’
And when ‘our babies’ are born, we celebrate them. And Catherine’s baby (outside of her two sons!) is AROMABABY which turns 30 this year!
What an achievement. Happy Birthday and Happy Mother’s Day Catherine!
What was your inspiration for the brand?
Becoming a new mother meant I was being exposed to a heap of pregnancy and baby products. Always reading and researching, I discovered that some skincare ingredients were linked to irritation like eczema and dermatitis.
The more I researched, the more I discovered that the majority of baby care products used similar if not identical ingredients. With up to 1 in 3 babies suffering skin irritation or eczema in their first 12 months of life, I was passionate about developing a new kind of product range which focused on using natural and organic ingredients in place of synthetic ones. I carefully selected ingredients which had been historically used for infant skin or had been the subject of research.
How has Aromababy developed and grown over the past three decades?
Being a pioneer in natural and organic meant there was no actual ‘market’ for AROMABABY without important education. I spent time running workshops and providing information sessions in maternity hospitals. As a new mum to Beau, I was the ‘target customer’ so it was easy to understand what the customers needed.
I undertook a Diploma in Aromatherapy and also trained as an Infant Massage Instructor during my second pregnancy with my second son Jacob-Thomas which provided continued inspiration to grow AROMABABY, not only across pharmacy and specialty stores in Australia, but also overseas. We began exporting to Hong Kong, Singapore and UAE within the first 6 years.
Positioned as a premium brand due to the cost of AROMABABY’s ingredients, the word spread of our success on sensitive skin We received lovely notes from the likes of John Travolta and his wife Kelly Preston and Queen (then Princess) Mary.
Over the next decade we broadened our product range to include organic motherhood products including stretchmark support cream, face and body oil, body scrub, soothing bath salts. We also have new motherhood essential oil blends being launched this year. We also have ‘oil free’ formulations and now a gift hamper service.
What does 2024 have in store for the business?
This year, we are focusing on adding an upcycled element to our formulations – using upcycled ingredients which are a by-product of the food industry. As a passionate home-cook and food/travel writer, I was fortunate to undertake a Fellowship provided by ISSI (International Specialised Skills Institute) with my chosen research topic being around food waste and its application in the personal care industry.
As a result, I travelled to Italy to research olive oil processing and waste, visiting groves and interviewing olive growers. I also visited leading Australian olive oil producers to discuss the topic of using waste – it’s been a fascinating and rewarding experience.
So, in wanting to combine my love for both food and cooking, and in the process, minimise waste, I will be using an active ingredient from food waste to exfoliate and boost skin luminosity in our motherhood collection in the coming months. I will be sharing more around this on our AROMABABY blog.
How do you navigate the tough times when they hit?
There have been some extremely challenging times over the years, not the least the pandemic. With both retail and export coming to a halt, the past several years have been tough. We have been working hard to slowly build our exports back up with a new agency deal signed in UK, and talks underway with new potential distributors in Korea and Taiwan.
As with everything in life, it (the challenge) too will pass. I’m a big believer in being gentle on yourself. I think it’s ok to fall in a heap or go to bed and watch a sad movie, so you have an excuse to cry your eyes out. But what is important is that you then pick yourself up, take a deep breath and focus on the positives It really helps put things in perspective.
How do you maintain a work/life balance?
Having been in business for 30 years one does learn to somewhat ‘balance’ life and work. I need to be able to switch o, to take that walk, to cook (did I mention I love to cook, to exercise?). Whatever it is for each of us, then it’s important to make time for it.
Do you have a favourite quote in business or life?
“Do small things with great love” (Mother Theresa). And don’t give up.
I built my business around family – out of love, wanting to provide choice and make a difference in the type of products parents had access to. Everything was about making a small difference. We can all make a difference.
