Transformed Louth mum's skincare start-up business is shortlisted for award

Kelsey Norbury, 42, launched Diverse Skincare Formulations to help neurodivergent people like herself, most of whom have autism or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

Based at the Fairfield Industrial Estate on Warwick Road, it offers effectively, gentle and easy-to-use products and has plugged a significant gap in the skincare market.

Now Diverse Skincare has been named as a finalist in the Midlands region for the UK StartUp Awards, which recognise the booming start-up scene across the country, with 846,000 new businesses founded in the UK last year alone.

Kelsey said: “I am honoured to be shortlisted for the consumer products start-up of the year award.

“As someone with rejection sensitivity disorder, putting myself out there is never easy. But this recognition reassures me that my work with Diverse Skincare is making an impact.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to share my mission and appreciate the acknowledgement. Thankyou for considering me.”

Rejection sensitivity disorder is classed as an intense emotional response to perceived or real criticism and is common among people with ADHD.

Going back to her schooldays, Kelsey considered herself a negative and misunderstood person and says she never received any education of any value.

As a result, she felt her life was going nowhere as she jumped from one job to the next in the hospitality industry and also worked as a cleaner. Fourteen years ago, she was a single mum on benefits with three children under the age of five.

But suddenly, she was inspired by a book to think positive. Not only did she belatedly achieve her GCSEs and A-levels at college, she also gained a degree at university.

After working in the NHS, she took an interest in aesthetics and opened her own medical spa and clinic in Louth called Figura Aesthetics.

Now both the clinic and Diverse Skincare are thriving and Kelsey’s future looks bright.

"I set out on developing a skincare line that would complement the successful aesthetics clinic,” she said.

"I was inspired through extensive research, customer feedback and my own personal experience. I was also helped by my three teenage children, all of whom are also neurodivergent.

"Our vision is to position our skincare brand as the leading advocate for the neurodivergent community. Our mission is to be the go-to-brand.”

For the uninitiated, neurodivergence is a condition that affects the way the brain works and processes information. It is estimated that nearly 20 per cent of the UK population is neurodivergent.

If Kelsey wins the Midlands award, she will progress to the national final, which is to be held at the Ideas Fest event in Hertfordshire in September.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, the creator of the UK StartUp Awards, said: “New businesses (such as Diverse Skincare) are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation and contributing to prosperity across the UK.

"This year’s finalists embody the very best of entrepreneurial spirit, spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill and resilience, turning them into thriving ventures that are making a tangible difference in their industries."