1. Introduce yourself: your name and where are you from?
Hi, I am Susie Willis and I am born and raised in the South of England very close to London in the Surrey Hills.
2. Where do you live in the UK?
I live in Wiltshire which is quite far South West heading towards Somerset, Dorset. Gorgeous rural England quite close to Stonehenge and Glastonbury, names that most people know.
3. What is the story behind Romilly Wilde?
I had sold my organic baby food brand, Plum, and still had the energy and conviction to create a truly non-toxic, nutritional, clean skincare brand with similar brand values. I have always loved skincare and was often swept up by over-promised results, but was always underwhelmed and moreover, disappointed when I saw what actually went into products, even at a high price point. I felt compelled to create a brand that really captured integrity via genuine ingredients that are there to serve the skin and optimise its natural metabolic energy, hence METABOLIC ATP. This essentially brings full nutritional performance and, as a result, metabolic exchange, with incoming oxygenation and outgoing stagnation.
4. What does clean beauty mean?
Clean Beauty should mean the avoidance of any (not just a token few) hazardous or potentially harmful ingredients, plus avoidance of synthetic bulkers or fillers. These are often present to create a better margin rather than healthier skin! Clean beauty is a grey area, and one that I seek to re-define through all our communications. It is a set of principles that ensures that nothing negative or superfluous is added to a formula or preparation, just 100% integrity, skin performing nutrition.
5. Creating a sustainable and cruelty free brand seems to be something that really matters to you. Could you tell us some more about your sustainability goals?
We are proud to have just partnered with Positive Luxury where we are aligned in a full agenda of ethical standards. This ensures that being vegan, cruelty free and using packaging responsibly, is all part of a growing strategy that can genuinely start to affect a change in our lives. It is not necessarily the easiest route to take, but has such a positive mindset that means so much more than just ‘doing the right thing’. It is about partnering and powering through to hopefully rid so many bad human behaviours and set new industry standards.
6. What’s your beauty routine?
A ‘beauty routine’ I guess for me is about trying to feel as good about yourself as possible. Bringing small elements into your day to feel energised, positive and nurtured. The minute I wake up I gulp down a mug of herbal tea that I made the previous evening, then plaster my face with our Light + Energy Serum Cleanser, and wear it as a mask whilst I go downstairs to feed the dogs. I then do our 3-Step-To-Glow which is our Advanced Supercell Serum + Active Boost Oil, and our godsend Eye Believe Eye Serum which I pat around my eyes to wake me up! I often reapply the serum during the day as it is such a moisturising drench, so always keep a bottle at my desk. In the evening I use the cleanser again and finish with our Night Duty Face Cream, which I currently add a boost of oil to for extra nourishment and more of a treatment.
7. Can you tell us one of your beauty secrets?
I take a host of nutritional supplements as I believe in the ‘inside/outside’ approach. A liposomal VitC assists with collagen stores, as well as great immunity support. Also Omegas with Seabuckthorn Fruit Omega 9 which is amazing for skin elasticity. We use a source of Seabuckthron Fruit Oil across our entire range, as it is a favourite of mine in general, for antioxidant protection and general skin health. Finally, sleep. I sleep 8 hours and I sleep well. I think that having a full day, getting up early to do yoga, having a full productive day and ending with a good book… your system is set for recovery sleep.
8. What’s the current beauty trend that you can’t get enough of?
Hmmm, beauty trends. I am not very motivated by trends I am afraid, but when I see something genuinely innovative and technical I pay attention. I have recently bought an LED light mask. When our facial treatments are open, we use an LED light therapy that enhances our facials, as it offers another level of skin repair that works beautifully alongside our products. I also swear by my infrared sauna, for a proper system ‘sweat’ that draws out any stagnancies within the body.
9. Go-to workout?
Yoga, yoga, yoga and Nordic walking. I have been practicing yoga (and it is a practice) for 2 years and aim to do an online studio class most mornings. I am rubbish at any balance poses so always fall over. I need fresh air and striding out, so take my Nordic sticks and do a combined 5k Nordic walk and run. This is a great way to connect with nature and brainstorm at the same time. Plus I can take the dogs so they can chase some poor woodland creatures.
10. Your house is beautiful! Did you design the interior all on your own?
Thank you! It is a mix of Jacobean and Queen Anne so quite a few architectural features to sympathetically work with. Yes, most of the inspiration and style is mine, although my husband has a great eye and is very particular, so I certainly don’t always get my own way. There are a lot of influences from travelling, so there are themes from Africa, Ibiza and India, keeping a very eclectic ‘non-theme’. I am probably an interior designer’s nightmare as I like so many styles.
11. Would you like to share with us a podcast you like to listen to? Or a book you love?
I listen to a great deal of podcasts, and particularly like ‘I Weigh’ with Jameela Jamil, ‘Under The Skin’ with Russell Brand , ‘Armchair Expert’ with Dax Shepard, ‘Smartless’ with Jason Bateman and ‘BBC Earth’ podcast. A heady mix from hilarious to thought provoking. Most recently, I loved a beautiful novel called ‘Where the Crawdads sing’, by Delia Owens.
12. Tell us something about yourself that not many people know.
I am superstitious about socks. I have to put on left, then right and they absolutely must be paired. The thought of wearing odd socks would drive me bonkers. I am also superstitious about a host of oddities, all inherited from my godmother who was a poet and as mad as a box of frogs.
13. Most guilty pleasure?
Honestly, tea in bed on the weekend, with my dogs and preferably my husband too (when he is not living in Hong Kong where he currently works!). Bliss.
14. What would you say is the key to a balanced life?
Other than tea in bed… taking time out for yourself. We all set the bar too high, and unless you can come down, ground yourself and curl into a small ball and howl sometimes, you will burn out. Being OK with not being OK sometimes must be the balance and sharing that vulnerability will help you to feel normal. My most used phrases (my poor children!)… “If you are going to do something, do it well or don’t bother” and “things are rarely as they seem”. Be a human being, not a human doing, as my mother says.
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