Meet Clare Eluka from Premae, the very first allergen-free beauty brand. She is a pioneering force in the contemporary health and wellbeing industry. This is her story:
You discovered the need for allergen-free cosmetics due to your own personal struggle with Candida Albican and food intolerance. Can you tell us more about this? What’s your story?
I established the need for allergen-free cosmeceuticals due to my own personal struggle with Candida Albican – a wheat, dairy, yeast and gluten intolerance. My 7-year research for a cure, led me on journeys around the world from Egypt to Europe, investing in Chinese herbs and then to ayurvedic dietary rudiments all of which revealed one thing – the huge gap in the market for Allergen free skincare. Although many brands are becoming Vegan and Non-animal cruelty certified, they still cause problems for allergy sufferers.
I worked as a makeup artist for 10years and became a High School English & Personal Social Health Education Teacher.
Once I was able to control my internal allergies by adopting a Vegan Plant based diet, my external cells continued to diminish. With the launch of Premae skincare, I have been able to enjoy a contemporary cleansing system, sourcing ingredients from all over the globe and wanted to share the brand with the world. There are currently 2.5 billion allergy sufferers worldwide, with an increase of 5% each year.
I named the brand Premae because it is two words bound together Premium & Formulae the epitome of the brand is the unique formula’s which I created from scratch!
How do you formulate and source your products?
Two years ago, whilst teaching, I began formulating my brand and using my independent science studies to design a brand which mirrored my raw food diet. It was obvious that if my internal immune system was being cared for by eating plants, beans and vegetables, then my skin should enjoy the same healthy diet. It seemed crazy to me to eat well but then use chemicalised products on my skin cells which were seeping into my bloodstream and weakening my immune system and causing me eczema and acnegenic skin issues.
I jumped on a plane to Africa and connected with the co-operative farmers in Uganda. The poverty line over there is beyond low. It was a pleasure for me to do business with them direct and cut out the middle man in the UK. I plan to connect with India in 2012 too.
Why being a sustainable and ethical business is important to you?
Sustainability and ethics has been important to me since I was a teenager. I worked for the Body Shop when I was 17 and was immediately attracted the brands ethics. I championed recycling, trained staff on ethics and community trade in the flagship store and spent lots of personal time volunteering for the charity ‘Mind, Body & Soul’ doing Makeovers on HIV sufferers. Businesses have a responsibility to be ethical and to think of the future, I believe that my job is to create services that look after us today and pathe the way for tomorrow. Every little helps.
Eco-Ethical Values
Premae operates a strict disciplinary approach to production and manufacturing process. All of our ingredients are 100% Vegan and natural and unrefined, exceeding Organic standards. Our manufacturing process is assessed, appraised and certified for our 100% non-animal testing policy by the BUAV. We are proud and honoured to be the 1st 100% Allergen-free focused wellbeing brand.
Environmental Values
New packaging is always lovely. But newly-recycled packaging is Earth-gorgeous!
Our belief in “more ethics, less waste” transpires through to our recycled aluminium bottles and jars, recycled paper labels and our green online policy (PDF filing instead of reduced printing) offers our customers peace of mind and encourages them to rethink their personal ethical practices.
Aluminium adds style and class to a product and has excellent light block abilities. The aluminium is EPA lined and therefore will not come into contact with your products, ensuring no reaction takes place. Aluminium offers excellent recyclability, being an endless resource to recycle.
Our customers benefit from up cycling their used packaging, by buying refills in disposable PET at a cheaper price accompanied by discounts and complimentary samples to encourage them
Could you please share with my readers something about you that would surprise many people…a super power, or a secret identity perhaps? 
Super power? Hehehe, can’t think of anything specific. Two psychics have told me I am a healer, but I haven’t yet tapped into it. I see Premae as a part of my ability to heal but I am sure I could be doing more (crystals and chakras etc)
Not enough hours in the day!
If you would like to stay in touch with Clare, follow her on Facebook and/or Twitter. Thank you Clare for sharing your story with us. May all things beautiful come your way!
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