Isobel Perl never planned to become a beauty founder. She was working in a corporate job when lockdown changed everything. With one pink clay mask and a strong belief that she could build something better, she created PERL from her parents’ kitchen.
Today, her self-funded brand is loved around the world, and she continues to grow with honesty, courage, and a clear purpose. In this interview, she opens up about the early days, the lessons she learned, and the power of starting before you feel ready.
Isobel, could you share a little about your journey and what brought you into skincare?
The idea actually started before the pandemic in late 2019, I read a Daily Mail article about two Australian guys who launched a pink clay mask brand that made millions in its first year. I remember thinking, hang on, why is it Australian? Why isn’t there a British pink clay mask? And if two men can do it, then so can I.
At the time, I had a full-time job in project management at KPMG, so it was one of those “one day I’ll do it” ideas sitting in the back of my mind. Then lockdown hit, I lost my job, and I just thought fuck it, if not now, then when?
I started mixing up pink clay masks in my parents’ kitchen, pouring everything I had time, energy, and my last £1,000 into figuring it out. What began as a small kitchen-table experiment to lift myself out of a rough patch ended up turning into the best thing that ever happened to me.
What was life like before PERL Cosmetics began?
Before PERL, I was working in project management at KPMG very structured, corporate, and safe. On paper, it was a great job, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t me. I’ve always been creative and ambitious, and I remember a manager once telling me, “Your name’s going to be in shining lights one day.” That moment stuck with me it was the first time someone else saw that spark in me.
From then on, I always had this image in my head of a billboard with my name on it not out of ego, but as proof that I’d built something meaningful. That vision quietly became my north star. So when I lost my job during lockdown, it felt like the universe saying, here’s your chance, go make that happen.
How did your small kitchen table idea grow into a seven-figure brand with a global community?
Honestly? Through consistency, community, and showing up when I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I started with one product, my British Pink Clay Mask and shared every single step online. I didn’t have a marketing plan or budget, just my phone, my story, and a belief that if I could make one person care, I could make ten, and then a hundred.
People connected with the realness me hand-mixing products in my parents’ kitchen, handwriting notes, celebrating every order like it was the first. That transparency built trust, and the trust built a community.
As the brand grew, I reinvested everything back into new products our French Green Clay Mask, Facial Oil, Lash Oil, Hair Oil, Cleansing Balm, Lip Oil, all developed from real customer feedback and my own struggles with skincare. Every decision came from intuition and listening, not strategy decks.
Five years later, that kitchen-table idea has grown into a seven-figure, self-funded brand with customers all over the world. But more importantly, it’s built on a foundation of honesty and connection and that’s what I’m proudest of.
What inspired you to create waterless and preservative-free skincare products?
Honestly, it started as a happy accident. When I was first formulating my products, I discovered that if I included water, I’d need to go through extra testing and add preservatives which just didn’t feel aligned with what I wanted to create. So, I decided to keep it simple and skip the water altogether.
That decision ended up being one of the best things that could’ve happened. Removing water meant products contained a higher percentage of active ingredients, and I didn’t need to rely on harsh preservatives or alcohols to keep the formula stable.
What started as a practical workaround turned into a core part of our philosophy creating potent, natural products that are kinder to the skin and smarter for the planet. It’s what sets PERL apart and continues to define the brand today.
How do your personal experiences with mental health influence the way you build your brand?
My mental health journey is at the core of everything I do. PERL was born during a really difficult time in my life, and creating gave me purpose when I felt completely lost. That’s why I talk openly about things like anxiety and OCD, especially my hair-pulling disorder, which actually inspired our best-selling Lash Oil. I want people to see that your biggest struggles can lead to your biggest breakthroughs.
How has building PERL changed the way you see yourself as a woman and entrepreneur?
It’s taught me resilience like nothing else. I’ve faced everything from lawsuits to burnout to total self-doubt, but I’ve come out stronger each time. Building PERL showed me that you don’t need to have it all figured out you just need to start, trust yourself and have faith it will all work out. As women, we’re often told to wait until we’re ready, but the truth is, you become ready by doing, because ready isn’t a feeling, it’s a decision.
Running a growing business can be intense. How do you find balance in your day?
It’s definitely something I have to work on. I try to set small rituals throughout the day taking Otto, my dog, for a walk, leaving my phone downstairs when I go to sleep, or doing my skincare routine mindfully instead of rushing through it. Those little pauses keep me grounded. I’ve learned that balance doesn’t mean doing it all; it means knowing when to slow down.
How do you manage to stay creative while handling the practical side of business growth?
By embracing both sides of the chaos. I love being hands-on with creative direction, everything from product development to storytelling, but I also like to be on top of the less creative things like spreadsheets and operations. The key is having systems and people in place so you can protect your creative energy. I’ve realised creativity thrives when there’s structure behind it, but also learning to embrace the days when I’m feeling less creative and not feeling bad about that.
Your community seems deeply connected to the brand. What helps you keep that bond genuine?
Transparency, always. I’ve never tried to present PERL as something it’s not. I share the behind-the-scenes reality, the good, the bad, and the tears in between. People can tell when something’s real, and I think that’s why our customers feel part of the journey. They’ve grown with me from kitchen table to known indie brand, and that’s something I’ll never take for granted.
What inspired you to start your new platform Perls in Business and your podcast Perls of Wisdom?
So many people started following me not just for skincare, but for the business journey behind it. I get messages every day from women wanting to start something of their own but not knowing where to begin. Perls in Business (currently trading under ‘Isobel Perl’) was my way of giving back, sharing everything I’ve learned so others can build their dream too.
The Perls of Wisdom podcast expands on that, spotlighting founders who are still in the “messy middle,” not just the ones who’ve already made it. Because I’m not sure about you, but I was getting a little tired of hearing the same founders talk about their successful million-pound brands, I want to hear from founders who are still in the thick of it and that is what Perls of Wisdom is all about.
What message do you hope women take away from your journey and your work?
That you don’t need to have it all figured out to start. You can build something incredible from absolutely nothing if you just take that first step. I want women to know they’re capable of more than they realise, and that success doesn’t have to look perfect. The messy middle is where the magic happens, and if I can inspire just one person to take the leap, trust themselves and follow a dream, then that is my job done.
What’s next for you, personally or professionally, that you’re most excited about?
Right now, I’m in the middle of rebranding PERL, a huge transformation that feels like a rebirth for the brand. I love the quote from Molly-Mae’s documentary: “She’s not reinventing herself; she’s refining.” That’s exactly what we’re doing, refining everything I’ve built to feel more aligned, elevated, and true to where I am now.
I’m also preparing to relocate to Dubai in the new year, which will open many new opportunities both personally and professionally. It feels like a fresh chapter, and for the first time in a long time, everything’s aligning: my brand, my purpose, and my own story.
Alongside that, I’m diving deeper into my coaching work, developing a course to help women start their own businesses when they don’t know where to begin, and launching my podcast Perls of Wisdom, all about the “messy middle” of building a brand and a life you love. It’s an exciting, slightly chaotic season, but it finally feels like the one I was always meant to be in.
