Sofia Belcadi is the founder of beauty and wellness brand 1001 remedies. After falling in love with her range of organic and natural beauty products StyleNest spoke to Sofia to find out more about the brand, her top beauty tips, and how we can all increase our sense of calm and wellbeing in today’s fast-paced modern world.
What led you to launch 1001 remedies?
I started this brand from a pure Mother’s love. I had a difficult pregnancy and my concerns for the pollution and daily stress of London grew rapidly throughout. I was determined to create a well-ness brand to help. Our PurAir spray was designed to kill off germs and bacteria in a room and help prevent flu and colds. It was designed overall to improve air quality and therefore your health!
What should we look for when trying to choose good quality organic and natural beauty products? Any ingredients to look out for, or avoid?
It is so much better to use organic only products on your skin instead of synthetic materials which are unnatural and harsh to the skin. There are around 45 essential oils that can be used on the skin but there are over 200 essential oils out there to learn about. Certain oils such as lavender will be better quality from certain places. High-altitude lavender grown in France is the best lavender you can get and we use it in our GoodNight balm for it’s calming properties that can help people sleep. 1001 Remedies does endless research so clients can rest assured we are sourcing the best quality ingredients.
You include many rare ingredients not often seen in beauty products such as the Japanese mushroom Maitake, and Myrhh, one of the oldest known aromatic substances. How do you choose what to include, and do you source your ingredients?
We made choices about our ingredients depending on what we fully wanted to achieve with the product. Myrrh is such a special ingredient which dates back to Egyptian times where it was used for it’s anti-ageing and spiritual qualities. Myrrh helps to heal wounds and feeds the skin back to health so it was the perfect element for our Magic Skin cream. Myrrh will help skin heal and is a remedy with a great heritage. With our Soin Millenaire cream we truly wanted a hydrating cream. The ancient Japanese Maitake mushroom is a rare ingredient that has been used for centuries to firm the skin and stimulate collagen.
How would you describe the philosophy behind the brand?
We wanted to bring the importance of wellbeing to the forefront. It was a brand created for my family, offering the remedies to loved ones first and then to friends. They felt better. They felt loved. We wanted to create modern day remedies to help people live healthier lives. A few sprays of the PureAir will instantly detoxify the air and kill off bacteria but also leaving a gorgeous fresh scent!
If you hadn’t chosen a career in beauty, what would your alternative career have been?
I was actually in finance before and enjoyed it but it was time to leave the city and follow my real passion. With 1001 Remedies I am very pleased to have made the career change as this means I will be helping people with their wellness and health which is much more rewarding.
StyleNest love the 1001 Remedies Good Night balm for a peaceful night’s sleep. Other than using 1001 Remedies, how else do you look after your wellbeing?
I am massively into nutrition and healthy eating. I love reading and researching all the nutritional books out there! I am a huge fan of Madeline Shaw, Rosemary Ferguson and of course the one and only Deliciously Ella. I can spend hours looking through all the lovely foodie shots on Instagram and I love preparing myself and my daughter healthy food – I am a huge fan of avocados and feeding the skin from the inside.
What is your own daily beauty routine? Any beauty secrets or favourite products you can share with us?
I wake up and spray my environment with PurAir Spray to start the day. I double cleanse my skin twice, this is the best way to make sure all the dirt has been removed altogether. Clean skin means the 1001 Remedies Soin Millenaire cream can sink to make my skin glow. I always have my lovely Good Night balm, which is soothing and eases my anxiety. To nourish my skin on my body the 1001 Remedies treasure oil is rich in argan oil and contains vitamin E to revitalise skin. It contains Neroli which relieves nerves. The Good Night balm is a must have item by my bedside.
How would you describe your style? Any favourite designers or brands?
I am a fan of classic dressing and French labels such as MAJE, Sandro, Claudie Pierlot and Comptoir Des Cotonniers. I love to invest in clothes that last and that are good quality ones. It is always better to spend that little bit extra, feel great and have clothes that last for years that can be passed onto my daughter.
Can you describe a typical day at 1001 Remedies? (if there is one!)
There is no typical day at 1001 Remedies and this is why I love what I do. One day I could be developing a new product for the line. The next setting up meetings with the likes of Net-A-Porter or having an interview with a magazine such as StyleNest. It really is all systems go when you run your own brand and no day is the same. You have to love what you do!
How do you like to spend your spare time? Any hobbies or secret talents that we don’t know about?
I love to exercise and do pilates at Be:Pilates in Marylebone, Heartcore Pilates and also I love Tri-Yoga. It is also so important to walk in nature and I regularly go for walks in London’s parks or travel out of London to the Country. Re-charging in nature is such a simple thing and it’s also a free pleasure too. Nothing beats resting up by a river bank with a good book.
How would you spend your perfect day off?
A perfect day off would be to relax with my daughter and be completely in her company with no other distractions. I’d take her to the park or do some activities with her like cooking healthy food or painting. It is very relaxing to be with my daughter and switch off otherwise I’ll be running around smelling essential oils, brainstorming new ideas or administration for 1001 Remedies.
Any spots from your secret address book you can share with us? A hidden boutique or favourite cocktail perhaps?
THE MARYLEBONE is a hidden secret in Marylebone, which is great for juices and early morning meetings! I don’t really do cocktails but they have a great range of juices, my favourite is the Hollywood which is a mix of carrot, orange, turmeric and mint leaves.
Where is your favourite travel destination and what would you suggest StyleNest readers do and see there?
I love the spirit of Marrakech, Morocco is such a magical place to visit. The colours, smells and the romantic sense of the country are absolutely amazing! I love staying at the Palace Aziz Hotel with it’s beautiful pool and Riad suites. It’s great inspiration to walk around all the Old Medina with artisans creating unique goods. A classic restaurant to visit is of course the Grand Café de la Poste
What can we expect to see next from 1001 Remedies?
We will be growing with our wellness mission and expanding internationally. We are currently building our stockist network and soon you will be seeing 1001 Remedies all over the world in the Middle East and the US.
And finally, what is your life motto?
My main motto for life and my brand is “Stand up for your Wellness.”