How a single mum built a global skincare empire that took Australian ingredients to the world
An Aussie woman was in the middle of a divorce when she launched what would become a seven-figure global business, attracting a host of celebs.
Long before social media influencers slapped their name on any generic skincare product and flogged it to their legion of online fans, Clare Castles was a single mum with a unique idea and a big dream.
The beauty therapist was toiling away in her salon in Sydney’s inner-west and doing corporate grooming jobs on the side, teaching new Qantas flight attendant recruits how to nail the airline’s strict uniform and personal presentation standards.
But Ms Castles had very few products to recommend to the growing number of male cabin crew members coming up through the ranks.
“It was the 1990s and there was really nothing in the market for men, and that got me thinking,” she recalled.
“Skincare is my passion and I was working in that space, so I teamed up with a chemist to develop products I could use with men, and we created a whole range of formulas to heal, soothe and calm the skin, using natural Australian products.
Vitaman was born – a now-iconic brand favoured by blokes across the world, as well as a long list of luxury hotels, exclusive day spas and high-end department stores.
It was slow going in the beginning, though.
Back in the late 90s, Ms Castles could only afford to operate virtually but getting Aussie customers to purchase online was tough, with public trust in e-commerce very low.
“We were among the first online stores in Australia at the time,” she recalled.
But Ms Castles believed the export potential of Vitaman was huge, given the world’s eyes were about to be on Australia for the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000.
“We partnered with Austrade and launched in France, the United States and Canada. We broke into the hospitality, hotel and spa spaces and then rolled out to retail.”
Vitaman secured deals with the famed up-market department store Galeries Lafayette in Paris on the Champs-Élysées, one of the world’s best-known shopping strips. Products were stocked in Barneys in New York shortly after.
The range was even chosen to feature in goodie bags given to celebs at the Emmys and Academy Words in Hollywood, helping to earn praise from some big names, including male model and the then-face of Ralph Lauren, Tyson Beckord.
Things took off from there.
That’s despite the rigid perception 25 years ago that men didn’t care about their appearance and skincare, so much so that those who did were derided with the term “metrosexual”.
“It’s such a ridiculous term now, when people look back,” she laughed.
“Men aren’t relieved of skincare concerns because they’re men. And they have such different issues to women – shaving and irritation, sun exposure, different hair concerns. And now, the notion of men looking after their skin and hair is the norm.”
When she arrived in the US in 2000, Ms Castles discovered that a burgeoning local brand catering entirely to men had launched about six months prior.
“American Crew,” she said of the now globally famous brand. “It was really interesting to watch them evolve and grow.”
Rather than try to market to men in any kind of specific way, which came with the risk of being clichéd, Ms Castles decided to emphasise her product range’s strong point of difference.
“I went all-in on Australian naturalness. I sold the uniquely Australian story of Vitaman, the fabulous indigenous ingredients, and the chemistry behind the formulas.
“There’s the Kakadu plum, which is the highest naturally occurring source of vitamin C in fruit. It’s incredible for radiance and evening skin tone, really plumping up the skin. The kernel inside the quandong wild desert peach is full of fatty acids and great for hydration and easing itchiness.
“We use wild rosella, which has high percentages of antioxidants and vitamins A, E and C, so great for protection.
“There’s Lilly Pilly, lemon myrtle, pawpaw and bilberry, just to name a few more. We don’t use artificial fragrances – just natural plant aromas.”
When Ms Castles started her business, she was in the midst of a divorce and a single mum to her young daughter, Lauren.
Growing a global business at that point of time, when the use of computer systems and even email was still emerging, was time-consuming and demanding.
“It was very tricky,” Ms Castles said.
“I was very lucky to have support from family while I was travelling interstate and overseas, and working a lot of very long days.
“Lauren has followed in my footsteps. She teaches beauty therapy her students absolutely adore her. We’re very close. Now she has a child of her own.“
Two-and-a-half decades after launching, Vitaman is a seven-figure business with strongholds in most major international markets.
“We’re 22 per cent up on last year, so we’re still growing, which is exciting,” Ms Castles said.
“And we’re constantly evolving and looking forward. For example, our distributor in Asia has noticed shifting trends and we’re working on a younger range for that market because it’s quite different.
“Everything we do is about understanding our target market and our point of difference. It seems to be working quite well.”
That enormous level of success is all without any investment in traditional advertising.
“I’ve never tried to compete with the likes of L’Oreal or Estee Lauder in doing full page glossy magazine ads or TV commercials. It’s reviews – we have thousands of five-star reviews – and it’s digital marketing via e-newsletters and social media.”
Celebrity ambassadors have also helped over the years, including Socceroos legend Tim Cahill, who is also a shareholder in the company.
“Tim introduced us to the electric vehicle brand BYD. We started skincare and haircare producing gift packs for them, which every buyer of a car receives. We’ve just developed a high-end car range for them – car wash, window cleaner and upholstery cleaners.
“During Covid, we worked with Australia Post to develop a hand sanitiser that did the job but was gentle on your body too. So, we do a bit of that corporate work.”