Natural skincare shop WiDEYE has opened its third UK branch in Gardner Street within Brighton’s North Laines, following the launch of its Bournemouth store in May.
Owner Lawrence Bull opened the first WiDEYE store in Rye, East Sussex, in 2009 with the aim of creating an ethical, gender-neutral skincare brand that could offer good value and focus on products that suited an outdoor lifestyle.
As well as face, body and hair care solutions, the store also offers gift kits and homecare items such as candles, mists and diffusers, as well as a range of family healthcare.
“All products are produced in the UK, with ingredients sourced from recognized UK suppliers and the store carefully traces and researches the origin and quality of each ingredient,” explains Bull. “Our USP is that we never use any synthetic colours or scents. All our products are scented with essential oils or natural organic fragrances; we decorate our products with dried petals and flowers, natural pigments and clays. Not using synthetic colours and scents eliminates the toxins they carry and takes out ingredients that have been tested on animals.”
It’s been an amazing start, everyone has made us feel very welcome and the response has been above our expectations. Gardner Street is a fantastic venue and we are looking forward to many years of trading here in Brighton
The choice of Brighton as the venue for the new store was a natural one, says Bull, because ‘we believe how we see ourselves and how we see the world are closely aligned to the values and beliefs of Brighton’.
Bull says all the stores are fitted with the same simple, clean layout. “We use local craftsmen here in Rye that hand-make all our in-store units from pine that is then stained and hand painted.”
So, what’s been the response from Brightonians? “It’s been an amazing start, everyone has made us feel very welcome and the response has been above our expectations. Gardner Street is a fantastic venue and we are looking forward to many years of trading here in Brighton.”
Bull plans to open a WiDEYE treatment bar within the store in Brighton early next year and says he is currently focusing on eliminating plastic from the brand’s range.
