We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Llewelyn THomas a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Llewelyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for Buddha Beauty Skincare was born from a fusion of personal passion, a deep appreciation for natural wellness, and a desire to offer something unique in the beauty industry. Back in 2011 there were not many fully vegan professional skincare brands.
It all started during a soul-searching trip to Southeast Asia, a place renowned for its deep spiritual roots and holistic health practices. I was seeking a break from the hustle and bustle of my cabin crew job and found myself immersed in the tranquil beauty of Buddhist monasteries and lush, vibrant landscapes. The serene environment, coupled with the simplicity and purity of the local lifestyle, had a profound impact on me.
On one particular day, I was visiting a local spa and during this day of treatments, I was captivated by the beauty of the scented oils and spa products they used. I had already trained in holistic myself and had a small side business which ran along the cabin crew job. It was during this I had a moment of clarity. I realised how disconnected I had become from nature and how much stress was taking a toll on my skin and overall well-being. It was at that Monet I began to plan the change of career.
It was time to re-create their secret. They used ingredients sourced directly from nature – herbs, flowers, oils – combined with mindfulness and balanced living.
Inspired by this revelation, I began researching traditional Eastern skincare rituals and natural ingredients. I discovered a wealth of knowledge about the benefits of botanicals and essential oils. As I reaserched more and more I coudl see there wqas a gap in the market. There were no skincare products that were available to all.
Returning home, I was filled with excitement and determination. I spent months experimenting with formulations in my kitchen, blending various natural ingredients to create skincare products that were both effective and gentle.
What made Buddha Beauty Skincare stand out was our unique approach – combining ancient wisdom with modern science. We focused on creating products that were not only free from harmful chemicals but also imbued with the essence of mindfulness and self-care. Each product was designed to provide a sensory experience, encouraging users to take a moment for themselves, breathe deeply, and connect with their inner peace.
I knew this idea was worthwhile because it addressed a growing demand for natural, eco-friendly vegan skincare solutions. People were becoming more conscious of what they put on their skin and how it affected their health and the environment. By offering products that were both luxurious and kind to the planet, we were solving a problem that many were facing.

Llewelyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

In the very beginning, I trained as a chef and did hotel management. A dream I thought would be my lifelong path but after many years in this industry, I was tempted away by a life in the sky. I gained my wings and started to explore the world.

I have been lucky enough that prior to this chosen career I was cabin crew for a chartered airline. 15 years I spent travelling to various countries and being exposed to their cultures. It was hard work, long hours but so much fun. After all who wouldn’t like being paid to lay on the beach?

That being said I knew I didn’t wish to carry this out for the rest of my day. After much soul-searching I decided holistic would be a good sideline and eventually lead to a move out of the airline industry. I began with learning. body massage, reflexology and reiki healing. Three treatments that I still love to this day.

This little sideline soon became so busy I needed to go part-time with the airlines and eventually, this along with the skincare idea that was beginning to formulate I took the decision and it was time to leave.

Someone once said to me until you feel the fear your business will never take off. Well, the fear certainly kicked in and it was time to drive this forward. Hard work, long hours and my cheffing skills all came together to create our unique formulations.

I always like to say there are hundreds of cakes on the market but some just taste better than others. This is where we stand on our choice of ingredients to create skincare that is results-driven and feels amazing on the skin.

As the brand grew I decided to merge the skincare and treatments and opened my first award-winning beauty salon. We were a hit. with a two week wait to get an appointment and 5* it was time to grow. Salon two opened along with the idea for more. within six months boom Covid hit and the world stopped.

It was during this down time I really dug deep to see where things should go. I think the peace and quiet and actually stopping still was wonderful for me. I loved the time off. So i decided to make a change. I approached my salon managers and after some time they bought the salons. It was time to focus purely on skincare.

It’s proven to be the best decision. The focus became clear and the driving force focused on building the brand and moving into new areas. Our white-label skincare side of the business was launched. Own branded skincare products for spas and salons. It proved to have been the best move and it is now the biggest part of the brand. over 80% of our revenue is private label. Offering white label with no MOQ no min orders has really opened up our brand and allowed so many salons and spas to offer their own lines of products. a perfect marketing pitch without the constant battle of being undercut but big online sales. Win Win.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

This is a story I tell all the new business owners I ever meet. Trade mark right away. Once you have the idea fixed you are going for it. It’s easy to spend on this or that and forget to trade mark to protect what you are creating.

This is my mistake, after months of branding and building a starting point I had spent hundreds of pounds on the packaging, bags, and label accessories and then I realised I had forgotten to apply for my trade mark. I had zero fear it was unique and no one else would think of it.

Boy was I wrong. 1 week exactly 7 days a brand had applied for a worldwide trade mark of my name. It was gone. I sat there with boxes and boxes of stuff all in a brand I could no longer use. I felt sick so sick but what can I do nothing apart from pick myself up and restart?

I think this is one thing all entrepreneurs have in common is the resilience to battle on. When you feel you cant quite do it out of nowhere you find the strength, the idea, the money whatever it is you need to get to the next stage. and that’s what i did and re branded to a similar but different name and I trade market it before i bought anything else. The moment I got the certificate it was all steam ahead to what we see today.

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

Yes as I mentioned before I sold my salons. It’s a relief when you are ready to let go. I think the biggest importance is to get organised. Checklists I love them have once for each stage of the sale.

Preparation is key, get your financials in order and know your business’s worth.

Know your motivations for selling. because even after its sold it can feel a bit odd for some time not having to go in and deal with things. There was definitely an emotional impact after.

Confidentiality is key. Ensure NDS and Confidentiality agreements are in place to protect the data you are sharing. It’s not unheard of sales falling through and the potential buying having had access to a lot of personal data and files.

Due Diligence be transparent but also prepared for scrutiny. After all, they are going to look deep into everything.

Plan the transition. The legalities and the taxes involved.

Finally, learn to grow. reflect on your experiences and grow into the new version of you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.buddha-beauty.com – www.ownlabelskincare.co.uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buddhabeautyskincare
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuddhaBeauty
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/llewelyn-t-2485a93b