When I stumbled across the Outback Organics line of tea tree products in 2010, I felt like I had discovered a hidden gem: a range of ethically produced skincare products that actually do what they claim to do, stylishly packaged and a delight to use… hang on, where was the catch?

Determined to find out more, I picked up the phone.  Turns out they are a small, family-owned business operating from their farm in the gorgeous Somerset countryside (see the above photo... I can certainly think of worse places to work).

Steve is the straight-talking Aussie and Tracey is the skin guru, and between them they created Outback Organics to capture some of the natural beauty and essence of the Australian landscape and bring it to the UK: a range of good, honest products with an Aussie twist.  To top it all, they are also very nice people.

So then… no catch.

Cynicism quashed, I knew instantly that I wanted to work with them.  I didn’t yet know how, or in what capacity, but as I boarded a train to Somerset one weekend last year, I knew that whatever we ended up doing together, it would be fun and it would be meaningful.

12 months, 2 curries, several glasses of wine and a roadtrip to Wales later, and I am proud to present the fruits of our first joint venture: the Outback Organics botanical range.

“Yes, that's all very nice Andy, but what exactly is it?” I hear you cry.

Well, Facebookers, in my humble opinion this is possibly the most complete post-wax skincare line to hit the UK thus far.

Products you’ve all been asking for, fusing the latest cosmetic ingredients with innovative natural extracts from the coastline, forests and bush lands of Australia.  Developed by your favourite male waxer (yes that is me, in case you were wondering), so you can rest assured they are a genuine solution to all those annoying post-wax niggles: skin irritation, pimples and ingrown hairs.  Affordable prices for you and your customers, in sensible sizes for both the salon and home use.  Oh, and kits.  I love a kit.

Finally, an entire range of post-wax retail products that really work and will keep your clients coming back for more.  I’m more than a little bit excited, as you can probably tell.

So, here is my personal lowdown on the first 4 products in the line (2 more are already in development for next year)…

Face & Body Scrub

As therapists, we all know the importance of regular exfoliation in the fight against ingrown hairs after waxing or shaving.  Some folks like to use a body mitt or brush for their exfoliating fix, others prefer a cosmetic product, so this was our starting point.

I knew from the off that I wanted something different to the bog-standard, watery, scratchy scrubs already on the market.  So we came up with a rich, moisturising cream base and pumped it full of perfectly smooth jojoba microbeads.  These babies give the product its deep-cleansing, exfoliating action but also make it gentle enough to use all over the face and body.

Add a dash of sandalwood, patchouli, rose and bergamot essential oils, and you’ve got yourself a deliciously scented scrubby delight, fit for any wax queen or king.

Ingrown Hair Serum

For those clients already suffering with tricksy tufts, might I be so bold as to suggest selling them some of this rather smashing stuff?

Tucked away inside an innocent-looking rollerball, we’ve whizzed up some fruit enzymes with a hydroxy acid derivative to help prevent and free stubborn ingrown hairs, through the power of chemical exfoliation.  For the science geeks among us, you’ll be interested to know that we’ve used a form of salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid) bonded with betaine (a natural skin conditioning agent) to exfoliate inside the pores without the sting and drying effect often associated with traditional BHA formulations.

We threw in some extra moisturising factors for good measure, and rounded the whole thing off with Australian sandalwood and cypress essential oils – not only do these have an antibacterial and astringent effect on the skin, they smell pretty darn good too.

Use it from 48 hours after hair removal – once a day all over to help prevent ingrown hairs, or twice a day on individual trouble spots to zap bothersome blemishes.

Post-Wax Spray

Let me cut to the chase: every single one of your male waxing clients should walk out the door with one of these in his manbag.

We developed this specifically for guys to help prevent and treat those dreaded post-wax pimples on the chest and back, but it can also be used by female clients on the legs and arms.

Formulated with essential oils and Australian plant extracts to cool and calm the skin after waxing, our cosmetic chemist has also laced the finished juice with a professional-grade skin sanitiser for extra oompf.  It’s alcohol free (bad news for winos, good news for happy skin) and it smells of sherbert lemons, which is always nice.

A generously sized salon version means you can start as you mean to go on, then wave your client off with his very own mini spray to continue the good work at home.

Bush Balm

Quite possibly my most favourite waxing product EVER.  This was technically the most challenging and frustrating product to formulate, but I think the finished results speak for themselves.

Essentially, Bush Balm is an intensely soothing and moisturising lotion to calm and protect delicate skin after waxing.  You can apply it in a thick layer to the face, underarms and intimate areas immediately after hair removal in the salon (leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes, then tissue off any excess), and then send your client home with some to use as a soothing cream in the days following their treatment.

It’s especially perfect after Brazilian waxing and is jam packed with good stuff to calm, hydrate and protect the most sensitive of skins: allantoin, organic cucumber extract, aloe vera, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, shea butter and macadamia oil, plus a secret weapon in the form of frankincense extract.  This exotic-sounding compound is known to have pretty potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties… it’s a wonder no-one has thought to use it in afterwax products before now (but hey, I’m not complaining).

Redness appears to fade before your very eyes.  The skin feels cooled and nourished.  Kittens in baskets fall from the sky.  Okay, I’m lying about the kittens, but you get the picture.  Words cannot express how much I love this product, and because I’m a big kid I also giggle like a naughty schoolboy every time I see the name.  *tee hee*

P.S. there are also sample sachets for those of us that like to give our clients a little freebie from time to time.

Launching at Olympia Beauty 2011

So, there we go.  4 fabulous new products, plus homecare kits and supporting point-of-sale stuff launching at Olympia Beauty on 18th & 19th September.  Come and say hello if you are there, we’re on stand B44.  The lovely Mat from Waxing For Guys is also lending a hand, and we have freebies for you all.

Which just leaves me to say a massive thanks to all of you who provided the initial inspiration, and special all-you-can-eat hugs to my star testers who provided brilliant feedback and patient, insightful responses to my crazed text messages at all hours of the day and night – you know who you are, and if I ever open a shop of ill repute you know where to come *mhwah* ;)

Questions? :)