Despite an initial (and mega) business plan taking Black Palm down other holistic avenues first - a day of birth preparation and a magical night under the Super Blood Moon changed it all for Founder Clare.

A frosty January morning, just four days until due date for my second son, I set up to make some soothing post partum balm for the two of us. My recipe scribbled down, equipped with ingredients and some aluminium tins I ordered online - I set to it. There was no pressure. I turned one of my favourite records up, slid into my comfy slippers and embraced the chill, feeling that excitement/anticipation of how the products might turn out.

**I wrote my recipes in kilo batches resulting in a large volume of initial pots without even thinking about it. I knew somebody would appreciate them!**

The whole day had a vibe that I struggle to describe. In fact, the weeks surrounding did as well. My first birth was fairly traumatic so it was my intention to try to make this birth as mindful and present as possible. Later that day, my balms set beautifully and I had my first contraction as me and my partner were staring at the HUGE orange super moon on our walk home. My son made a glorious arrival the next morning in the middle of our living room.

As we all know - life doesn’t always like things to run smoothly, so I was in a state of surreal calm and full of gratitude for a safe, stress free (albeit incredibly painful..) birth experience.

The balm was a joy to use. Functional, soothing and multi purpose with a beautiful aroma for mother and baby to enjoy. A few days later I posted online, offering the extra balms for free to new, expectant mothers or anybody with scarring that was looking for a natural aid. Turns out - a LOT of people were interested. The initial batch was accounted for within an hour and dozens more reached out with their personal stories asking for a tin as well. I decided to make one more batch and off they went to their new homes. Rave reviews followed and I took this as a sign to re-focus my efforts for Black Palm into the world of natural skincare! I knuckled down and developed the brand, the products and the strategy and we launched with a party that September. The rest is history!