Our unscented multi-purpose balm is in June's Prescription Box!

For this occasion, Prescription Lab interviewed Camille and Clémentine, the two founders of Les Petits Prödiges.

It's an opportunity to learn more about their entrepreneurial journey, the choices they made when creating the brand, as well as how they met, the values they advocate, and what they like to do in their free time! A lively, comprehensive, and inspiring interview.

• You met at business school. What was your first impression of each other?

It was during a ski trip organized by the school that we became close and never separated. Our respective impressions were the same interests, the same taste for travel and projects. Our complementary personalities immediately clicked.

We quickly discussed entrepreneurial projects, imagining what our adventure would be after our studies.

• And so, was that first impression correct?

Yes, clearly, we weren't wrong! We are still very good friends in addition to being business partners, which was a challenge because it's not always easy to mix professional and personal life. In our case, it was and still is a great success!

Whether it's our personalities or our professional skills, we remain super complementary and learn from each other every day, even after 3 years of adventure.

• Les Petits Prödiges was created over dinner. Do you remember what you ate? (we miss restaurants so we're indulging in nostalgia).

Not an easy question! We don't remember exactly, but without taking too much risk, it was probably a good quinoa salad and a glass of rosé: our flagship menu at the time, during our late-night work sessions before quitting our jobs!

• Why did you choose a balm as your first product?

Beyond a simple balm, what truly attracted us was its multi-functional aspect. Our goal was really to get back to basics, to stop overconsumption by offering a balm that summarizes the entire skincare routine on its own. "1 product that replaces 10" was indeed a concept close to our hearts. Also, launching with a single product rather than a whole range at once was "safer" at the start, in financial terms, because we have been self-funded from day one and have therefore always been very careful with our expenses to remain profitable.

• The crowdfunding for your first product reached its goal in 24 hours. Tell us about that day, did you expect such enthusiasm?

We didn't expect it at all and were pleasantly surprised, for sure! You have to understand that at the time, crowdfunding campaigns for cosmetic brand launches were not at all "the norm" and only 3 brands before us had launched with relative success on Ulule. Today we see new brands every day on these platforms, but at the time we had few comparatives to set goals, and achieving ours in less than 24 hours was really super motivating for the start of an entrepreneurial project. We immediately saw the enthusiasm for the concept, and that confirmed us in our approach!

• Where does that cute little umlaut in your brand name come from?

That's the question that comes up most often!
We chose the "Ö" from "Les Petits Prödiges" because it is borrowed from the Scandinavian alphabet, a region where the "Back to basics" lifestyle (which they call "Hygge") has already been democratized and established for quite some time!
And graphically, we also liked this little originality.

• You seem to be quite restless, what is THE trip you absolutely want to take when Manu (the President) gives us the green light?

It's true that both Camille and I love to travel all over the world to discover new cultures, landscapes, etc. We're frustrated, like everyone else, to be confined; but we hope that will change quickly.
However, we also realize that traveling far means taking a plane, and we try as best we can to reduce our travel by this means, and to make it exceptional!
We would love to go to Asia, to the sun, with a beautiful sea as a bonus!

• And what will you put in your toiletry bag for the trip?

The BALM!
No, but honestly, we never leave without it. Whether it's in the sun, for after-sun application, it's absolutely brilliant – it nourishes the skin, enhances it, and soothes it in case of sunburn – or even in colder destinations because the balm protects the skin.

In reality, we also take the other products from the range: the solid shampoo & soap are great for travel, and even pass through airport security, the deodorant or the cotton pads; since the brand only revisits the essentials of a beauty routine, we find it hard to do without even one!

• And in the meantime, what are your lockdown activities?

Lockdown is really hard for everyone, but it's true that one of the positive aspects has been discovering new activities and hobbies. For example, painting, drawing, cooking, etc. It felt like a break from the usual everyday life, which is always at 100 mph. A forced but beneficial break, therefore. Now we can't wait for it to be over so we can see our loved ones without stress again, travel, and MOST IMPORTANTLY: go to a restaurant!!

• Your products are green AND sexy. For you, what does it mean to feel sexy?

We indeed use the association "Green & Sexy" but the term "Sexy" is associated with our products in the sense that we always design them so that pleasure remains at the heart of the beauty routine. For a long time, natural & ecological cosmetics were equated with "ugly" products, sold in bulk, to be applied with fingers, with rather special smells. With Les Petits Prödiges, we wanted to break this stereotype by showing that you can consume Green while keeping the pleasure with: colorful packaging, attractive scents, pleasant textures, and ease of use: and this especially not to discourage people who want to switch to a more responsible lifestyle but for whom the change seems too abrupt at first glance.

Feeling Sexy is feeling good in your mind and body and happy!

• What's your little ritual to feel sexy?

It's about being fulfilled, happy where we are, with the right people around us.

• Can you tell us about future projects for Les Petits Prödiges? We're curious!

Quite a few developments planned for the coming months. It took us a while to get started because finding unique formulas (no white label!), innovative, natural, AND effective, was a huge challenge! But now we're stepping up the pace. In April, we released a new orange blossom balm, in collaboration with the amazing influencer Douze Février, and we'll be releasing a new limited edition of this balm at the beginning of summer. We won't tell you the scent, but here's a hint: it was the most requested scent by our community and it smells like holidays.

We also have in our launch schedule: a toothpaste, a cleanser, and a conditioner. We won't tell you more about their forms or scents, but they're going to be AMAZING!

And there you have it, the adventure of Les Petits Prödiges and the multi-purpose balm hold no more secrets for you!