Vancouver Loves Natural Beauty: Melissa Nkomo of Savile Beauty

Vancouver Loves Natural Beauty is a semi-regular column that highlights organic and natural beauty and skincare brands founded in our fair city.

Imagine the luxury of custom work applied to the world of beauty, and combine it with a holistic green approach to cosmetics and skincare. That pretty much sums up Savile Beauty, where the possibilities are brilliant and bewildering.

Need makeup that won't irritate your sensitive skin? Craving an all-natural version of a lipstick shade you spotted in stores? Used up your limited edition lip gloss and simply must have a replacement? Founder and self-proclaimed "skinthusiast" Melissa Nkomo can answer your prayers, one hand-crafted product at a time. I caught up with her to learn more about the business of bespoke beauty.

What inspired you to create Savile Beauty?

After years of working in the beauty industry, I wished that there was an eco-, health-conscious brand that could give me not only everything I want in my cosmetics, but everything my skin needs as well. I know firsthand that one size doesn't fit all and everyone's skin is unique. So I took a cue from Savile Row in the UK and knew that bespoke beauty was the answer.

What sorts of services and products can clients expect from Savile Beauty?

I help women (and a growing number of men) deal with issues like dryness, uneven skin tone, oily skin, rosacea, and anti-aging. I currently offer a bespoke (custom) blend service to create specialty products, like perfectly matched foundations or custom skincare formulations, to help you achieve your skincare goals. In addition, there is the ready-to-wear collection (what you see in our online shop) that includes mineral foundations, lip balms... all of which are infused with skincare. Essentially, we have everything you need for a flawless complexion from bare skin to foundation finish.

Can you talk more about your holistic approach to beauty and skincare?

One size does not fit all when it comes to your skin. So by taking a holistic approach, we can account for all the variables in your life that shape and define your beauty like the food you eat, how much sleep you’re getting, how much stress you are under and your lifestyle requirements.

What's next for Savile Beauty?

Stay tuned for new products to cleanse, nourish and balance your skin. We will also be starting to host holistic beauty workshops at our studio with experts in nutrition, fitness and wellness coming to share their wisdom on how to age well and treat your body better.

It seems like Savile Beauty can make a "clean" version of almost any beauty product, but is there a conventional beauty product you can't give up?

Yes we can clean up just about anything! The only product I have yet to find a natural version that I absolutely love is mascara. We also don’t sell mascara at Savile for this reason. I haven’t come up with or found a to-die-for formula... yet.

Visit Savile Beauty's website for more information about their products and services, or to book an appointment at their downtown studio.