Battling with anxiety won’t stop self-made cosmetics brand owner Becky Bolton keep her successful businesses thriving through lockdown
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When Becky Bolton told her mum that she wanted to go to beauty college the reaction was a fat no. So, Becky forged her mum’s signature and went anyway. Nine years later, she sits in front of her newly refurbished stocking area for her brand B. Cosmetics.
B. Cosmetics is a vegan and cruelty free cosmetics brand, made and designed by Becky. The idea came to her whilst doodling on a piece of paper five years go.
Becky recently uploaded a video of the refurbishment to her B. Cosmetics Instagram, her social media presence friendly and innovative. With two professional Instagram’s just shy of 4,000 followers combined, it’s a huge feat for a 25-year-old woman from Langstone, Newport.
“Sundays are content days,” she says, “I put my images and captions in a folder ready for upload.”
B. Cosmetics Instagram took off when Becky had more free time over lockdown. The page is a mosaic of delicate pink designs that boast products, pockets of motivational content and advertise deals. “Social media rules my life,” she laughs, “I want people to know I’m not a robot. I sit up at 2am processing orders and I’m not perfect.”
People think that spa workers are relaxed, they’re not
At times, posting on social media is extra weight on a difficult day for Becky. Her partner, Nico, is always pushing her onwards, she says, as she talks of her encounters with anxiety.
After qualifying in beauty college, Becky worked as a nail technician at the Celtic Manor for three years; a tough job, with long hours. “So many of us were in negative mindsets due to stress, and it had a massive effect on my mental wellbeing,” she says, adding she was only 16 when she started.
The lack of control Becky had over her days led her to self-employment. “I don’t want someone telling me how to run my day,” she says, “I’m very strong willed, if I want something I’ll get it.”
I was so afraid there was something wrong with me
At just 19, Becky started a mobile nail service, which developed into her first business; The Beauty Box. Becky was struggling personally due to the end of a relationship at this early stage of her career. This, alongside the toll working at the Celtic Manor had on her, resulted in experiences she would later learn were panic attacks. Remembering a bad attack she had outside a clients house, Becky says, “I was so embarrassed, but the client was lovely and calmed me down.”
Her client confessed that she suffered with anxiety too, “I was so afraid there was something wrong with me, I felt so relieved,” Becky said.
Six years later, Becky vocalises her struggles on Instagram. “I was worried people were going to think I was doing it for a few likes,” but encouraging well-being is at the heart of her business, she says.
The little things make a difference
B. Cosmetics’ launched in July 2019. One of the earliest products released was cuticle oil, which Becky created a care pack of including scents like lavender that has calming elements.
“I want to make people feel good,” she says, “and I wanted to create cosmetics that maintain the hands-on work I do.”
The temporary closure of her salon in March has been beneficial for Becky. “I actually loved lockdown, it gave me the time to put my all into B. Cosmetics,” she said. Before lockdown, Becky had one or two orders a week, now she has 30 a day. She says she is nowhere near where she wants to be but will always keep going.
She said, “I just wanted to put my name on something. I want to show my kids one day and say look, this is mine.”
Becky’s self-care hacks
A master of well-being reminds herself to practice what she preaches
- Accepting your feelings – “We are allowed to have days where we just don’t feel happy.”
- Exercise “I always take time to gym or go for a long walk with my dog, Luna.”
- A good breakfast “Last week I was feeling a bit low, so one day I made myself a proper bacon and egg breakfast.”
- Put the phone down “I’m not really a bath person, but the other day I needed a break so I ran a bath and left my phone in the other room. It was really relaxing.”
- Writing down thoughts “My newest product for B. cosmetics is a planner. There is a section on there called ‘brain junk’ which comes from something I’ve done for years. Draw a bin, write out all the things on my mind and cross them out one by one.”
- Spending time with supportive people “I think it’s so important. I had to cut out a lot of toxic people in my life to get where I am today.”