Telford is proof that advice from the in-laws can be a good thing.
Claire Telford was on vacation with her in-laws, who happen to be the Sorbara family (aka the masterminds behind the loving restoration of The Royal Hotel in Prince Edward County) when some chance product placement catapulted her personal passion into a whole new career.
Founder Claire Telford.
“My mother-in-law Kate had brought one of my lotions with her,” says Claire. “My father-in-law Greg saw it on the counter of their hotel bathroom and told me at breakfast that morning that Telford would look great at The Royal.”
Telford, as imagined, looking great at The Royal.
Claire, who went to homeopathic college and has a science degree from U of T, had been casually making all-natural personal care products for her family and friends for years with no real goal beyond the creative outlet of formulating. “I made the first formulations in our basement,” she says. “I used a few, simple, plant-based ingredients, only what was necessary to get clean and moisturized, without any dyes, micro-plastics or harmful toxins.”
Telford looking great in my bathroom - I stocked up when I stayed at The Royal and am happy I can now order it online.
In a marketplace saturated with natural skincare, Telford holds it own. Claire tells me that there is a lot of “greenwashing” out there and that many products advertising the use of organic ingredients also use harsh surfactants, preservatives and artificial scents. “Telford really is clean and green,” she says. “Our surfactants are coconut-based, there are no silicones, no sulphates or sulphites.”
A perfect addition to a guest bathroom.
And finally: green formulations that look great, are effective and smell divine. “Next to the actual performance of the products, the scent is my favourite part!” says Claire. “The initial clean top notes of bergamot, eucalyptus, rosemary and lavender slowly fade to reveal earthy base notes of cedarwood and patchouli.” And she’s quick to add a word on patchouli. “It is one of the most misrepresented scents and has such a bad rap! But it is so delicious when used subtly.”
The Telford Collection – Hand Wash, Body Wash, Shampoo, Conditioner and Lotion – elevates all-natural to a luxurious level. I love everything about it: the backstory, the old-world-apothecary meets contemporary-cool packaging, the clean efficacy and that scent – I find I’m often lifting my hair up just to smell it. (And speaking of hair, nothing tames my fine, staticky lid like Telford Lotion. Try it on dry hair to smooth and texturize – it’s a genius trick).
The basement days of Telford are over – it’s now made by a local boutique manufacturer using 100% green energy sourced from wind and low-impact water generation. And, in case you can’t make it to The Royal, it is now available online, something Claire never imagined. “Kate believed in me and my husband Nick cheered me along and really pushed me,” she says. “When I started this, I had a toddler and a baby on the way and thought there was no way I could do it. Truly, it was family, and Nick, who gave me the support to bring Telford to life.”
www.telfordbasics.com
