Mum who left school at 13 and used to be homeless launches beauty tool range that’s loved by the Kardashians – and she’s set to make £700k
The mum-of-two from Doncaster only launched her range of luxury beauty tools five months ago - but it's already proved a hit with celebs
A MUM who left school aged 13 and found herself homeless is now set to make £700k as her successful business takes the beauty industry by storm.
Rebecca Crawforth, 33, first thought of the idea for her bespoke beauty tool company while battling a rare brain condition in hospital five years ago - and now counts the Kardashians, JLo and Rihanna as customers.
The mum-of-two - who lives with children Hettie, three, Harry, 12, and her husband Curtis, 33, in Doncaster - left school when she was just 13 years old and fell pregnant with her son aged 21.
With hardly any qualifications, Rebecca started off by floating between jobs and "always talked her way into new opportunities."
However, when she was made redundant from her job in a large department store, Rebecca told the : "I lost not only my job but my home and resorted to staying on my grandma's sofa while carrying my first baby."
Determined to make a better life for her son, Rebecca became set on starting her own business and set her sights on the beauty industry.
- Fine Cuticle Clippers, £46 from Navy Pro -
After winning funding from the Prince's Trust - a youth charity founded by Prince Charles to help unemployed young people - Rebecca was able to launch two beauty salons in her local area.
She added: "I met a Prince's Trust executive after returning to the UK and falling pregnant with my son whilst staying with my grandma.
"I wanted to build a life for us and had heard of the incredible opportunities the Trust was renowned for.
"I had an idea of what I wanted to do and from meeting them I never looked back. They gave me the wings I needed."
However, Rebecca was sadly diagnosed with a rare brain condition in 2015 which left her hospitalised for weeks.
But it was when she was recovering from major brain surgery that Rebecca came up with the idea for her pioneering beauty brand Navy Professional.
She added: "When I owned salons, I was always very thorough with cleanliness and hygiene but felt restricted in what I could do.
"The tool hygiene available in the UK is primarily the traditional blue disinfectants and to clean as often as required would cause rusting to the tools, meaning they would need replacing.'"
After being diagnosed with autonomic dysfunction, Rebecca began working with a family-run Sheffield manufacturer to create her dream range of bespoke beauty tools.
The mum-of-two even sold her two salons to put all her energy into her new passion project.
The titanium coating of the range gives each tool added strength and durability, with the added benefit that bacteria is unable to adhere to it - it also gives them their signature gold colouring.
Rebecca also worked with Dr Patricia Fenton MB BSto ensure the tools come with the best possible hygiene guidelines.
So it will come as no surprise that these vegan, cruelty-free tools have taken the beauty world by storm since launching five months ago.
Now counting the Kardashians, JLo and Rihanna as customers, Rebecca said: "I’m totally overwhelmed. I can’t believe the success of the brand.
"The whole project is self-funded so it’s extremely important for me to get this right.
"I’m passionate about quality in beauty, and it just seemed crazy that the industry was forced to use such sub-par beauty tools."
Along with a professional standard nail kit, Navy Pro also sells luxury tweezers and beauty scissors which have all been coated in titanium to prevent them from rusting.
What's more, less than half a year into her new business venture, Rebecca is on course to make a turnover £700k.
The entrepreneur continues to work closely with the Prince's Trust and Navy Pro is now an ambassador for the charity.
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