A Q&A with Neom

From the company’s humble beginnings of Nicola blending her own aromatherapy oils, how has the company expanded to become a household name being stocked in the biggest department stores? 

It’s been a journey that’s for sure! When we set about whipping up the concept of NEOM, we always knew it was all about getting everyone to FEEL good, and we’ve kept that front of mind the whole way through, it’s in our DNA. We don’t preach, we talk to our customers about wellbeing in small steps and we use only 100% natural fragrances – this has really resonated with our customers and the retail partners that we now work with! 

What initially inspired the brand to create fragrances and products using natural materials only?

My sister, Katie (a self-confessed staunch “greeny”) was a huge inspiration and educational tool at the start, and when I started studying aromatherapy, I very quickly realised the power of essential oils. At the same time I became very aware of a gap in the market for natural AND luxurious products, back then you really had to choose one or the other and the luxury items were full of synthetics. I set out to do things better with an aim to create a luxurious yet purposeful product range.

What does 100% natural mean and represent to NEOM? Why is it important to the brand?

We only use 100% natural fragrances with the purest possible essential oils - no synthetics - no artificial colours, no scent boosters, no preservatives, no chemical binders. Just pure 100% natural wax and 100% natural essential oils. We only use cotton and paper wicks and never any metals or tin and we only expertly blend the most purposeful essential oils with one another, meaning our blends truly work on your wellbeing i.e to help you sleep, de-stress, boost your energy or lift your mood. 

With new natural brands entering the market each year, what makes you stand out? 

NEOM is the only brand dedicated to creating products that use 100% natural fragrances with true benefits. We create modern remedies for modern life and we’re all about the little moments of wellbeing for EVERYONE. Our customers don’t all have time to practice Yoga and gulp down a green smoothie before 8am every day, so we champion the little things we can do to simply feel good. Not all brands are doing that! 

How do you follow trends as a company? 

We all have our finger on the pulse when it comes to researching the latest trends; The media, social media, the internet, events – we’re constantly learning! 

What inspired the well-being range? 

I was working like a nutter for magazines in London, which I absolutely loved, but boy did I feel it and I realised I was burnt out – I was only 26! So, I turned to essential oils and found blending the right ones were a massive help. In particular the blend I started with was what we now call Real Luxury with 24 different oils to work their absolute hardest for you if you’re prone to stress, or like me, anxiety. 

Scent is known to have an enormous impact on mood and well-being, what is NEOM’s relationship between naturals and well-being? 

We know that our expertly blended 100% natural, super-complex fragrances work to deliver true wellbeing benefits. When you inhale a NEOM fragrance, the pure essential oils are received by 50 million receptors in the olfactory system stimulating the hypothalamus and brain chemicals to help you sleep, de-stress, be energised... 

Your natural skincare workshops have proven so popular, what are the most common misconceptions about naturals? 

One misconception is how stripping natural ingredients can be. On the contrary, many work to repair, rejuvenate, hydrate and nourish and can be equally if not more effective than their synthetic counterparts. 

Is there a favourite smell or ingredient within the NEOM HQ? 

Very hard to say, we’re all pretty fickle!