The Women of NYR

The Women of Neal's Yard Remedies Canada

March 8, 2019

Young entrepreneur, Romi Fraser, began her journey with a single boho-chic boutique in Covent Garden in London, England in 1981 selling herbs, essential oils and custom-blended products to those wanting to avoid the harsh chemicals being adopted by much of the industry. She was a trailblazer of the organic skincare market - paving the way for a movement we have come to know as natural, organic skincare. Today, we are a globally-recognized brand while maintaining our core business practices Romi once envisioned: sustainably-sourced ingredients, Soil Certified organic beauty and wellness products, and a genuine admiration for our customers. In 2014, Lisa Shelley and her family planted Neal's Yard Remedies Canada's roots in Calgary, and we continue to grow within our community and country, sharing our love for natural wellness.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, we are truly inspired by the strong female team members throughout our organization every day of the year.

We asked Maria Reyes, our newest and youngest team member to help us highlight some of our team in Canada to communicate the importance of our relationships with women around the world. She spoke with our Lead Product Educator, Lindsay, a skincare expert for over 15 years and a part of the Neal's Yard Remedies team since October 2017 to learn more. “Neal's Yard Remedies empowers women on both a local and global scale. At a local level, we provide programs and products that enable a woman to feel greater confidence in her own skin. Whether it is a 3-step bespoke skin care program, a nutritional workshop, or a treatment with one of our practitioners to support inner health, our ultimate goal is fostering an environment where her concerns are understood and remedied. On a global scale, Neal's Yard Remedies has been working directly with women's fair trade cooperatives - some for over 15 years. These programs directly employ women who would not otherwise be able to work outside the home. We're really proud of that.”

So what does she think defines an NYR woman? "The NYR woman has a passion for the world around her, and it shows.”

What products does Lindsay use to stay balanced? “Wild Rose Beauty Balm, Wild Rose Beauty Elixir, and Mahonia Skin Gel (perfect for those stubborn spots that just don’t want to go away!)”

So, how does this year’s National Women’s Day theme, “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change” speak to us at Neal's Yard Remedies?

The answer is simple, we strive to empower everyone to feel healthy and balanced, inside and out. Everyone's skin and well-being are important to us. We continue to develop products that use cutting-edge and award-winning scientific developments (such as using plant stem cells in our Frankincense Intense Cream), while always staying true to nature by maintaining our Soil Association Organic certification. Innovating for change will forever be at the heart of our business - we were one of the few to push against the synthetic chemical approach to skin and health care. We also were the first health and beauty brand to receive a perfect score from the Ethical Company Organisation. We will continue to support local and global initiatives and push ourselves to leave our precious earth better than we found it.

We give thanks to all the women that are part of the NYR community today, and every day.