Founder of Linden Leaves Brigit Awarded an Order of Merit

In old but new (to the blog) news, founder of Linden Leaves, Brigit Blair was invested with an Order of Merit by the New Zealand Governor General for Services to Business in 2010.

Brigit started Linden Leaves 20 years ago from a humble kitchen table operation in her home.

“I didn’t set off with a master plan to create a skincare range – it was really out of necessity because two of my three children had severe allergies, eczema and very sensitive skin, and back in the 90s there weren’t many options for people with sensitive skin”.

It was from here that Linden Leaves was born. It became a labour of love for Brigit, who set out to create beautiful, effective, quality handmade natural products that were kind to the skin.

Over the years the products have won numerous awards, including the USA New Beauty Magazine overall reader choice award for best cream, two awards in Singapore Cleo magazine’s ‘Beauty Hall of Fame’, and have been voted in the top 10 natural products for men by GQ Magazine Germany.

in 2014, Linden Leaves Natural Skincare Range received NATRUE International Natural Certification, officially making them a leader in the natural skincare product market. The objective of getting the certification was to strengthen trust in the brand and help customers make informed choices about the ingredients and products they put on their skin.

“We have always had a strong focus on natural quality ingredients. Receiving NATRUE Certification endorses the integrity and care that has been paramount in our product development for the past 20 years. Customers tell us how much they love seeing a brand they know they can trust. It’s a pretty humbling feeling”.

Linden Leaves has earned growing recognition and success over the past 20 years of business. Despite the many milestones achieved, including the HerBusiness New Zealand Business Woman of the Year in 2004, Brigit still like to take a hands on approach to her role, and can often be found lending a hand to packing orders, or picking the fresh locally grown ingredients that make up many of the products.

“Looking back at the past 20 years, it’s not the big things like winning awards that have truly mattered. It’s the letters from people taking the time to say how much the products have changed their life because their skin is settled and they’re feeling much more confident. I get such a thrill when anybody writes or emails!”