The Melbourne mums behind the wildly successful The Base Collective skincare brand

IN 2016, Cassie Sanghvi co-founded The Base Collective as an “experiment” while on maternity leave. Today it’s worth millions.

CASSIE Sanghvi was on maternity leave in 2016 when she and her friend Carly Pountney decided to launch a business as an “experiment”.

The Melbourne mums both had a passion for health and wellness, and were growing increasingly concerned by the lack of organic, chemical-free skincare products on the market.

They were both looking for a new challenge and were particularly worried about their kids using products with potentially nasty ingredients — and so the idea behind The Base Collective was born.

• Couple earns $18k ‘on the side’

• Shocking photo dividing America

• The huge problem with this job form

The brand launched just two years ago in April 2016, when its Lemon Hand Wash and Hand Milk hit the market.

Since then, the duo has also expanded into a magnesium-based range of products, including bath salts, body wash and body creams, which catapulted them onto an international stage.

Today, The Base Collective is a multimillion-dollar company and is on track to hit $1 million in sales for its best-selling Magnesium Oil alone this financial year.

Products are exported to China and the US and are sold through Anthropologie, and a partnership with a major Australian retailer is also in the pipeline, with several new products in the works.

Mrs Sanghvi, a registered pharmacist, and Ms Pountney, who worked in banking, have also developed a range of pet care products and a collection for babies, which features a sleep spray, a hair and body wash and baby balm.

But despite the company’s rapid expansion, Mrs Sanghvi, a mum of three, said it started as a bit of a gamble.

“I suppose it was an experiment — it was more of a mental health project for me,” she told news.com.au.

“I’ve always been a big thinker, but it is a bit surreal to think about where we are now.

“It’s almost a ‘be careful what you wish for’ thing because I’m super busy now — I have a nanny for a couple of days a week and on those days I work on The Base Collective, getting up at 5am and working around the kids, but it is hugely satisfying.”

She said the company had stemmed from a genuine passion for health — particularly the benefits of magnesium, which Mrs Sanghvi said could contribute to “increased energy production, better mood, and relief from pain, stress, muscle cramps and sugar cravings”.

“With my pharmacy background I always read the ingredients on labels … but having children really sparked my interest in natural, organic products,” she said.

“Your skin is your biggest organ, and what you put on it goes in, so it’s important to make sure your skincare is up to scratch.”

The 35-year-old said the launch of the brand was “fortuitous timing” as it coincided with a surge in interest in natural products and health and wellbeing around the globe.

“Everyone is more aware of the health impact of food and nutrition now as well as skincare so there was an element of timing there,” she said.

“I am happy people are finally taking notice and [the industry] is starting to grow and I hope it forces other brands to adopt similar principles.”

Mrs Sanghvi said her husband had an entrepreneurial background and had helped the company develop — although its rapid success had been a “steep learning curve” and “huge mistakes” had been made along the way.

But said the company now had a “seven figure” turnover and that while initially they were producing around 400 bottles per month, that had now grown to “tens of thousands” every few weeks.

“The Base Collective has seen phenomenal growth and it is heartwarming to know it is resonating with people and there is demand for our products,” she said.

She said the lucrative partnership with Anthropologie began after the American clothing, home decor and beauty retailer noticed The Base Collective on social media and got in touch.

[e-mail]