Merry Christmas from ishga - thank you for your support after another magical year!
We have had another whirlwind year, and we can’t thank you enough for your continued support. We’re excited to see what next year brings, with exciting plans that we can’t wait to share with you. Firstly, let’s take a look back at some of the wonderful highlights of 2024.
Launch of Little ishga
Back in May, we were delighted to share our newest product launch, natural skincare for children. Our Little ishga range was created specifically to protect the sensitive skin of little ones while promoting calm. Little ishga Marine Cream is a gentle and mild moisturiser that can be especially helpful for skin conditions such as eczema. Little ishga Hair & Body Wash is a delicate foaming cleanser has been found to help soothe irritation and skin rashes, whilst nourishing, healing and protecting. You can also read all about our partnership with Luxury Family Hotels on their Little ishga treatments here.
Stornoway pop-up shop
In June we opened our very first shop right in the centre of Stornoway, on Cromwell Street. It feels great to have a central retail space on the Isle of Lewis, where it all began for ishga! Since opening it has proved popular with locals and visitors alike and we love to share our story with people who are just discovering us for the first time. Our current space is a pop up shop, and refurbishment will be taking place soon so please bear with us in the meantime. We look forward to welcoming you to our shop one day soon!
HRH Princess Anne visits ishga HQ
We were honoured to receive a visit from The Princess Royal at ishga HQ. The ishga team were there to welcome her and share our story and the incredible benefits of seaweed. HRH even got involved in making some ishga products in the lab to take home. It was a privilege to have a Royal visit and ishga was honoured to be the only private company visited during her trip to the island.
BBC Island Crossings
Our Stornoway team were the stars of the show when an episode of BBC Island Crossings aired on the Sunday 8th of September. The show uncovers stories of both islanders and Calmac crew, and the lifeline ferry service they provide for island communities off the west coast of Scotland. Our team shared our story, the process of making our products from shore to shelf, and the day-to-day challenges of running a business from a remote island. It was an incredible opportunity to introduce our Hebridean brand to a new audience and our team were local celebs! You can watch the episode here on BBC iPlayer.
Lisa Oxenham from Marie Claire UK visits ishga HQ
We were delighted to welcome Lisa Oxenham, Beauty & Style Director at Marie Claire UK, to ishga HQ in Stornoway in October. Lisa spent some time getting to know more about our production and sustainable processes while having the chance to get involved in seaweed harvesting and product making. She filmed a mini documentary focusing on the incredible benefits of seaweed, and how important it is to sustainably harvest the algae. You can watch the film and read more here.
Supporting the wider community
This year, we had some exciting sponsorships to support the wider community and introduce ishga to new people. In Spring, we were sponsors of Spa Life Scotland, and also supported the Eve Appeal Get Lippy 2024 campaign. In August, we were an Official Supplier of the AIG Women’s Open 2024, which took place in St Andrews. This golfing event attracts tens of thousands, so it was brilliant to meet ishga fans old and new!
We recently also supported Scottish Women in Sport, sponsoring the para-athlete category which was won by the incredible Sammi Kinghorn, who was unstoppable at this summer’s Paralympic Games, bringing home no fewer than five medals including Gold in the T53 100m.
In November, we were proud sponsors of Global Wellness Summit at the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa in St Andrews, firmly highlighting Scotland as a key player in the global wellness industry. We had a fantastic time showcasing at the Innovation Lab along with Spa Vision and Swell Studio to deliver some Hebridean serenity through our sound experience. It was a great opportunity to catch up and connect with wonderful leaders across the industry, and we've left feeling inspired, recharged and thankful.
Sound Experience App launch
To create an immersive wellness experience, enjoyed at home and in the spa, we recently launched our ishga Sound Experience app (currently available on iOS). Immerse yourself in the serenity of the Hebrides with a bespoke experience, tailored uniquely to you every time. Choose your desired mood; uplifted and invigorated, connected and balanced, inspired and reset, or sleepy and relaxed. Then customise your duration and sit back and relax to the authentic sounds of the Hebrides. Download the free app on the Apple App Store here.
Hydra+ Marine Cream award wins
Our Hydra+ Marine Cream had a fantastic year, winning a total of FIVE awards. This means so much to us as the moisturiser is our most advanced formula yet, developed from ten years of expertise in seaweed, science and skincare. This year, it won:
🥇 Health & Wellbeing Awards - Gold in the Age Well Hydrating Heroes category
🥇 Natural Health Beauty Awards – Gold in Moisturiser
🥇 Top Sante UK Skincare Awards - Winner of Best Day Moisturiser
🥇 Beauty Shortlist Awards - Winner of Best for Mature Skin
🥇 Hip & Healthy Beauty Awards - Winner of Best Day Cream
Thank you for your continued support, it means so much, and we would not be where we are without it. Keep your eyes peeled for some exciting new product launches and developments coming in 2025.
