Oh Happy Day
Creative Writing student Sidney May has turned her passion for natural skincare into an online business.
Words by Cassandra Bulman
Photos by Sidney May
What is Hooray Happy Made?
It’s a small online business selling skin-care products and jewellery. They’re all made by me mostlysometimes I force my sister to help – selling to a lot of people I know and friends of friends. I started off making stuff for myself: face scrubs and things like that; then I made earrings, and I’ve also made clothes. I’m passionate about making things and sharing art and crafts. Usually when I make stuff, people love it and tell me that should sell it or ask if I can make them one, so that’s where it came from.
What is behind your business philosophy of being environmentally conscious, handmade and using natural products?
It reflects what I value in everyday life. A lot of people are just looking for some funky earrings or some nice skincare products, but if it can be environmentally friendly and reflect some bigger values—that’s a really positive thing. The environmental values are reflected in my low plastic, locally made products—so reducing shipping—and that links in with the organic side: reducing pesticides and going back to simple, natural things. Most of my ingredients you can eat—so you know what you’re using and often that’s better for your skin. A lot of things in my life are handmade – I’ve got dresses that my grandma made 40 years ago for my mum, and I like making bread from scratch at home and making my own muesli bars instead of buying them. This obviously has environmental benefits because you’re reducing your plastic usage but also just valuing what you have makes you waste a lot less. It makes you think about how you can reuse it or repurpose it. I also really like the satisfaction of making something so that it’s exactly what you want rather than just going and buying dresses that
aren’t quite right.
What are your main products?
The main range of Hooray Happy Skin is a body scrub and a face scrub – the face scrub is super moisturising. My skincare is about gentle skincare, not stripping your skin back but exfoliating to help clear out the skin. I put a lot of vitamin E, jojoba oil, coconut oil and shea butter in my face scrub, so when you wash it off it leaves moisture on your skin and then you can even use something like a face oil which moisturises but it doesn’t have the preservatives. The lip balm is probably my best seller. It’s something that everyone uses – even my dad, who is the least skincare-conscious person on the planet! I gave a lip balm to him and he says, “It’s actually quite good.” So yeah, lip balm – everyone loves it, everyone uses it and I always have one in my bag.
What are your plans for Hooray Happy Made?
In the next three years I’d really like to build the art aspect of the business – working with other people more is my main goal. I really enjoy making skincare products, but it’s not necessarily what I see as my long-term career. I’d like to move into something that’s got a bit more writing and a bit more of an ethical grounding.
See www.hoorayhappymade.com for the full range of Sidney’s products.