It’s hard to reinvent yourself in terms of perfume, you will tell us. It’s the challenge taken up with dexterity by Nicole Blum, an entrepreneur from Aargau who introduced into its range of handmade and derived beauty products mostly organic — No Bullsh!t — a solid version. Popular in Egyptian times, solid perfume was preserved in oils and fats. Here, it reinvents itself to show its full potential between wake exhilarating and compact size, which you can easily slip into a bag!
Heady head-to-head with Nicole Blum, who with her vegan solid perfumes revolutionizes the way we wear perfume.
Nicole Blum, how do you go from the world of marketing to producing your own beauty brand?
It is after an apprenticeship as a medical assistant and a few years of work, I turned to communication. For the past 20 years I have worked in different advertising agencies and online then I completed a training in marketing. At the same time, I always taught future marketers and sales, which I still do today. All I know about cosmetics, I have learned this myself over the past three years. Of course, my experience in marketing helped me a lot to develop the company and the brand No Bullsh!t I have never wanted to become independent – it happened somehow –but I am happy and grateful to have embarked on this adventure.
How did you come up with the idea of creating No Bullsh!t?
No Bullsh!t was born from a private project. In fact, I had produced a deodorant cream only for me and my friends. Some have offered it to others and more and more people were interested in this creation. Soon after, traders also showed interest and after producing 2,500 deodorants by hand in my own kitchen, I have sought a production partner. So what started with a gift for friends has become a growing business!
Nicole Blum, founder of No Bullsh!t
Where is the perfume produced, still in your kitchen?
(Laughs) No, I no longer had the space. Almost all of our products are made in Switzerland. This is also the case for perfumes. I am very close to the production and shipping of online orders that are made in Aargau. Thus, we have very short transport distances.
The name No Bullsh!t refers to the transparency of your products both level of their ingredients than to the philosophy…What is it?
Our name does not only refer to the ingredients, but rather constitutes the philosophy of our entire company. Thus, this guiding principle applies also in communication, product design and the online store, as well as the design of the assortment.
A singular anecdote to share with us about the beginnings of your experience of an entrepreneur?
The manual production of the deodorant cream took a long time. In addition to my job in marketing and my role as a mother of two daughters, it almost always happened at night. I vividly remember the very first time I took the deodorant creams out of production: I opened the box and found these products ready to use – no mixing, no filling , no labeling – it was a very nice feeling of accomplishment!
Le parfum solide No Bullsh!t SUN
You are a member of 1% for the planet, a global movement supported by companies that have decided to donate 1% of their turnover to associations for the preservation of l’environment. What does this represent for you?
It is not always easy, especially for small companies, to be particularly sustainable. The lack of means, the large minimum order quantities of raw materials and packaging make it often difficult for us to find the most sustainable solution. That’s why we also want to get involved in environmental projects and show that this is really close to our hearts. 1% for the Planet has a great network and is doing a lot around the world with various projects. We are proud to be part of it.
