Interview with Founder Gillian Downes of B Skin Beauty Products/Impossibe Diva Beauty

I had the pleasure to sit down with Gillian Downes the founder of B Skin Bath and Beauty/Impossible Diva Beauty products. Ladies just a quick note you can't walk in this store and be in a bad mood! With the stores ultra girly design of beautiful pink and gray walls it's no wonder customers can't get enough of B Skin products!
As soon as you walk in you are greeted by Gillian Downes the founder, who is very knowledgeable,so sweet and friendly.

She makes you feel welcome and lets you carouse the line to your desire. There are testers for every product out, so you can feel free to try them right there on the spot. Downes started making fun, girly bath and beauty products in 2001. Through her creativity her line transcended into oh so smell good, gentle, delectable products. Downes started making her line from home, which turned into her own flag ship store located in the trendy King Street West Village 766 King Street West.

Downes is also celebrating her one year anniversary at this location this month. Through this interview Downes talks about her favorite products, what inspired her to start the line,why her products are different from the rest, who her line caters too and best sellers. All of the bath and beauty products are filled with natural ingredients while the main ingredient is soy in all the products.

TorontoStyle-How did you come up with the idea for your line of products?

Gillian Downes- "I actually went on a trip in 2000 to Vancouver, and there I found that everyone was so happy and serene. There was no mad rush hour and everything was calm. I also found that about every few stores down there was a soap store where everything is organic and natural. We went into this one soap store and everyone there was just so happy and honestly you just cant be mad around soap! So, I decided to take it on as a hobby when I returned to Toronto. The hobby then turned in to courses, I found mentors, books and plenty of workshops. After that you just have to each yourself. I then launched B skin which is actually Brown Skin in 2001. The name actually changed to B Skin because I went to a craft show and someone asked if the products would turn her skin brown. I then changed changed the name within three hours to B Skin".

TorontoStyle- Who does your line cater too?

Gillian Downes-"I actually make everything for me, so it's been about seven years in the making. I actually made it as an answer for me. As black women we really didn't have a line of products like these for ourselves. We have all these other lines like Cake Beauty but nothing really for ourselves. So the line now really caters to everyone, who loves good smelling gentle products."

TorontoStyle- Did you start the line because you couldn't find what you were looking for?

Gillian Downes-"Yes, I was diagnosed with dermatitis, which I have had since I was 17 years old. So there was nothing really on the market, I didn't like how products smelled for my condition they where so medicinal. I can't stand the smell of medicinal products. So I started B skin, and as long as the product is gentle it can be used with what your doctor subscribes. I have never had a customer come in and say the products burned them or irritated their skin everything is made to be gentle."

TorontoStyle- What are your bestsellers?

Gillian Downes-"The High Maintenance Soy Shea Creme, The Black Mineral Mud and the Sweet Heart Soaps."






TorontoStyle-What makes your products different from the others on the market?

Gillian Downes-" My line of products are gentler, and it's fun. No one knows that the products are for people with clinically sensitive skin, but really it's for people who have dermatitis,psoriasis, and eczema."

TorontoStyle- What is Gillian's pick?

Gillian Downes-" The Mud by far, people with sensitive skin are not supposed to scrub. So you can put this product on watch your favorite show and rinse it off without scrubbing."

B Skin is having a variety of incentives every month,from in house makeovers,to 25% off the entire store and facials. B Skin in future will also be adding her own make up line and opening her second store in Vancouver. For further details about B Skin and other incentives go to www.becleansmellgood.com