Pai skincare awarded Queen's Award For Enterprise

An Acton skincare firm that's a favourite of Hollywood A-Lister, Natalie Portman, has won a top export award.

Owner Sarah Brown, who lives in Chiswick, quit her marketing job in 2004 after finding there was nothing available that helped her own ultra-sensitive skin condition. She took matters into her own hands, researched and eventually created a completely new range of nature based products.

She says : ''Shockingly I discovered that any cosmetics company can label their products as 'organic' regardless of what's in them. We are one of a very few to be Soil Association certified which means independently checked and produced to the highest standards.''

The products are also vegan and cruelty free.

Pai - from the Maori meaning good - launched in 2007 from a converted garage in Ealing but is now based in Colville Road W3, employs 36 staff and exports to over 100 countries.

Sarah says the products were being used by various make-up artists in the movie business and she was surprised and delighted when actress Natalie Portman publically gave Pai her seal of approval.

The Black Swan Oscar winner picked Pai Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream, as one of her make-up must haves praising the company in a magazine saying: "This organic British brand makes great moisturizers. They're really clean and free of all the bad chemicals—plus, they smell fantastic."

Next week Sarah and her team will be presented with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise - the UK’s highest accolade for British businesses.

The distinction was awarded for the company’s outstanding growth in International Trade. To win in this category, a business must show a substantial and sustained increase in export earnings over a three-year period to a level considered outstanding for the products and services concerned, and for the size of the organisation.

Since 2013, international trade has grown by 237%.

In 2016, Pai will be focusing on growing its U.S. presence and expanding further into Europe.

6th July 2016