Atelier Zoë
Interview with an international entrepreneur
11 December 2023Nestled in between the restaurants, hairdressers and clothing shops in Wyck’s hip Rechtstraat, we find Atelier Zoë, a zen-like destination literally carved by her husband Simon’s hands. Zoë, born to a Dutch mother and an English father, hails from south-east London and has landed in the Maastricht Region with husband and teckel Sidney in tow, via a stint in Melbourne, Australia.
Browsing the holistic, sustainable and luxurious products on offer, even the bespoke shelving provides a sense of calm and healing in Zoë’s atelier.
“I have been a skincare obsessive for as far back as I can remember. As a child I was captivated by my mother’s daily skincare rituals and in my teenage years I suffered from very problematic skin, applying all manner of things to my face in the pursuit of a perfect complexion. I went on to study and qualify as a skincare/beauty professional and when I moved to Australia, I discovered a more holistic approach to skincare and really began to understand the importance of skin health from the inside out.
“After returning to the UK, I started a blog that focused on skincare and wellbeing; understanding that the beauty industry can be an overwhelming space sometimes, I wanted to help guide people through the maze of products and arrive at a place where they were not only more confident about their skincare choices, but also where they could see the rewards of establishing simple but effective skincare and wellbeing practises. (The blog is taking a well-deserved rest for now…).
We decided to make the move to Europe after becoming disillusioned with post-Brexit Britain and, having had 2 previous cycling holidays in the beautiful undulating hills of Zuid-Limburg, we decided on the Maastricht Region for it’s understated charm, international flavour and location in proximity to the rest of Europe. It’s one of the Netherlands undiscovered gems where we can live only a 10 minute drive from the city centre and, where we have received a very warm welcome from our growing number of loyal clients interested in adopting a greener and more holistic approach to skincare and wellbeing.
My life and wellness journey has provided me the opportunity to try all manner of formulas, products and treatments and, to establish the ones that really work, as well as understanding the positive impact that a more natural approach to skincare can have on your overall health and wellbeing.''
Moving to a new city or indeed country is challenging enough, however Zoë’s decision to launch a new business was most definitely a brave one.
''Setting up a new business at the tail end of the pandemic, in a city where the native language is not your first language could have been very challenging but Maastricht is very international and has embraced the concept of our English-speaking store wholeheartedly. It’s not all been plain sailing but, I have connected with and been supported by many like-minded individuals who have made this challenge an opportunity for both personal and professional growth. I’ve found the Rechtstraat in Wyck to be a particularly great location for individual female entrepreneurs.
I was introduced to the Expat Centre Maastricht Region by my neighbour and felt very reassured by their presence and ability to connect me with all the services and things I’d need in order to settle into our new life here as quickly and efficiently as possible.''
Alongside the carefully selected brands, Zoë also offers LED Light Therapy – a treatment that uses light energy (red and near infrared) and that is clinically proven to deliver multiple benefits to both your skin and your overall health. LED (Light Emitting Diodes) Light Therapy or Phototherapy is a clinically-proven, non-invasive treatment using near infra-red and red light wavelengths to energise your cells and enhance biological activity.
''There are quite a number of health benefits associated with LED Light Therapy, such as stimulating collagen and elastin production, improving blood flow and tissue oxygenation, reducing inflammation and assists in the management of conditions such as acne, rosacea and dermatitis. Further to those, there are also a number of beauty benefits including; reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, skin looks rejuvenated, plumper and more hydrated, and also one for the gentlemen: it stimulates hair regrowth!''
Zoë’s interest and expertise in mixing natural beauty and healing protocols with futuristic technology is evident when she gets to talking about what she currently has to offer her clientele and what her ideas are for the future. She has exciting plans to expand the treatments that she offers, ensuring residents of the Maastricht Region have the very best practices and technology available when it comes to health and beauty.
“Whilst LED Light Therapy, combined with our award-winning natural and organic products can be transformational for our clients, I am always looking at ways to incorporate further benefits into both my treatments and retail services. Whether that be through additional equipment and the inclusion of targeted ingredients or, hosting special events at the shop. These events are an opportunity for our clients to meet the founders of some of our unique brands and understand more about the products they’re using in their home routines.
In the summer, the founder of our 100% botanical fragrance line was in-store to explain what inspired him to make perfume and how he sources his rare ingredients whilst still following a very strong sustainability model.
We also welcomed the CEO of our Dutch organic skincare brand; were delighted to host a 2 day Facial Yoga Workshop at the store with a very highly regarded Facial Yoga expert from Amsterdam and most recently, the founder of our Ayurvedic wellness brand was hosting an event where our clients learned more about the benefits of Ayurvedic formulas and practises.
We are planning more events for 2024 so watch this space.”
