Beauty firm honoured to unveil royal crest at Telford premises after keeping secret for years
A Telford skincare and beauty firm says it's 'proud and honoured' after unveiling a royal coat of arms at its headquarters.
Heaven Skincare was awarded a Royal Warrant of Appointment in March by Queen Camilla, having provided products and services to the royal family in relative secret for nearly two decades.
Companies holding a Royal Warrant, which is granted for up to five years, are recognised for providing goods or services to the monarchy and are allowed to use the coat of arms of the royal they are associated with on packaging, as part of advertising or on stationery.
The unveiling of a royal coat of arms at the firm's Telford premises is a proud moment for the company's entrepreneur owner Deborah Mitchell, who started the business from virtually nothing, aged just 28 and while working as a mobile beauty therapist in Telford.
“It’s such a 'pinch me' moment. To receive the Royal Warrant in the first instance was incredible, but to now see the warrant in situ on the front of our HQ is something I’m so proud of," she said.
"I started with a £10 pack of nail extensions, that was it, that was all I could afford! My first customer gave me a £1 tip. I grew the business then and I started in Holiday Inn in Telford, and I went into a lot of other hotels, and I was very successful.
"I'd made my products by then but they weren't in particularly good jars and things like that so gradually I put all my money into the skincare products and grew the brand.
"Growing a business is very hard and it takes an awful lot of money, so really I had ups and downs."
But fortunes turned in 2006 when the company's Shifnal salon received a call from an aide to Camilla Parker-Bowles requesting a treatment, and despite having to keep quiet about the firm's royal appointment for nearly 20 years, the rest is now history.
Deborah now oversees Heaven Skincare with her daughter Ella Cox.
Three years ago the business completed a move from its previous premises in Shifnal to a larger head office, factory and training centre at Hadley Park in Telford, which was also helped by the firm's emerging royal connections.
The brand received a sales boost after one of its products was named in a number of newspapers and magazines in association with Queen Camilla, which Deborah says led to the company's ongoing success.
"I went off to London and I did a treatment on her and on the Prince, as he was at that time, so I was really happy that I got to do them both but I never told anybody. That was in 2006, and now nearly 19 years later receiving the Royal Warrant means that I can now say I do those treatments!
"This beautiful mask [product], which is a moisturiser as well, went in the paper because [Queen Camilla] was using it.
"That went completely worldwide and if I hadn't made this product I don't think I'd be standing here in our lovely, shiny, new factory now."
The company is now permitted to use the Queen's coat of arms on its products and materials, and this week marked the unveiling of signage at its premises in Telford with a reception event.
"When you receive a Royal Warrant you're told to apply. But being told to apply doesn't mean you're going to get it! You have to run through a lot of hoops and things like that," added Deborah.
"Now we've got it, it speaks for itself."
