When simplicity becomes excellence
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A moment of maternal concern turned into a labour of love: Katrin Otto explains how honey and botanical ingredients led to the creation of a skincare brand and why she believes that less is more when it comes to luxury.
The idea for Beetiful didn't come about in a laboratory, but rather from a moment of maternal concern. When our newborn daughter suffered from sensitive skin, it was the honey from our garden that brought relief. ‘Suddenly, I had this thought: if it helps my daughter so much, why not develop a skincare product that makes this amazing result possible for many others?’
Question: How did you come up with the idea of using honey in skincare?
Answer: Honey has been known for its effects for centuries, of course. But when our daughter had skin problems, we simply tried it out. It was impressive to see how it immediately soothed her sensitive skin. People often spend a long time looking for the ‘right’ cream for their skin type, testing lots of products and investing time and money. For us, it was suddenly very simple: our own honey worked.
I then started making regular pure honey masks. It wasn't particularly practical, as my glasses would stick to my face every time, as would my pillow, and sometimes it would even get stuck in my hair, but the results were worth it.
Question: When did you realise that this could become more than just a home remedy, namely a brand?
Answer: In the beginning, we simply learned how to incorporate honey into a cream with botanical oils and beeswax. We filled the first batches into simple glass jars. Soon, this cream was a big hit among our friends. We made more in response to demand, and the feedback was overwhelming. That's when we realised there was something bigger here.
From the moment you realise that you're no longer just mixing up a jar for friends, but that it's being given away as a gift and recommended to others, you have to start thinking about it professionally. Our first cream was light yellow, charming in a glass jar, but not particularly practical. Today, this honey yellow lives on in our logo, combined with modern purple, which stands for elegance. And the honey-coloured lid symbolises the heart of the cream: honey. So began the search for a jar that would do justice to this idea.
Question: Why are you so consistent in your focus on reduction at Beetiful, i.e. fewer products, fewer steps?
Answer: Because I believe that skincare has to work in everyday life. I don't have time for ten products in the morning, and very few women do. The children have to go to school, I have to go to the office. Nevertheless, I want to have well-cared-for, beautiful skin. For me, reduction is not a sacrifice, but a gain: less ballast, more effect.
Beetiful's formulas are therefore deliberately reduced to the essentials: raw honey, selected botanical essences, skin-friendly active ingredients. Everything the skin really needs in a clear composition. For me, this means maximum effect with minimum effort. This is exactly the attitude that runs through my life, both professionally and privately – dissolving complexity in order to radically simplify it.
Question: What does Beetiful mean to you personally?
Answer: For me, Beetiful is first and foremost a labour of love. I am someone who doesn't dwell on things for long; if something doesn't exist, I organise a solution. When my daughter wanted violin lessons at the age of three, but music schools only accept children from the age of five, I searched until I found a wonderful teacher who developed a playful concept. At the age of four, my daughter was already performing on the local stage.
I don't play the violin myself, but I was able to create the framework for her to learn something she enjoys. That's exactly how I see it with the cream: if the solution doesn't exist, then you have to develop it. Beetiful was born out of the desire to create a highly effective, high-quality skincare product that didn't exist before.
Question: What do you hope women will experience when they use Beetiful?
Answer: I hope they feel that skincare can be simple yet uncompromisingly high quality. That they enjoy a moment to themselves without having to think about ten different steps. And that they feel they are doing something good for their skin, something that works and is in harmony with nature.
Ultimately, Beetiful should be skincare that is effective and enjoyable, skincare that emphasises natural beauty, makes the day easier and pampers us a little bit every time.