There’s more than just swimmers and goggles
After taking out gold medal after gold medal at several Olympics and World Championships, Michael Klim is now making a splash in the health and skin care space. And quite a big one at that, with his brand Klim now being stocked online, as well as in major beauty retailers Priceline, Coles and Woolworths.
We recently had a chat with the swimming legend-turned-entrepreneur about his favourite products, and what’s next to come for his brand, Klim.
What’s one beauty product you can’t live without?
“Every guy should have a moisturiser with SPF 15, it will protect you forever. We’re Aussies and we all like spending a bit of time outdoors. Our Sports Moisturiser SPF30 is great if you’re a bit more active.”
What are some items we’ll always find in your gym or carry on bag?
“Klim Face Wash + Scrub, Klim Scrub + Cleanse Wipes, Milk Protein Bars, a strong water bottle, and I always carry swimmers and goggles. For me it’s like going for a walk, that’s how I keep myself active.”
Why is skin care so important to you?
“Initially, I had a kind of accidental insight into skin care. Being a swimmer all my life, you’re always in chlorine pools and it's often outside so you can damage your skin really quickly. Because of that, I’ve always been moisturising and trialling new products, and I felt that when I was getting closer to retirement I wanted to put my energy into something else.”
Tell us more about branching out with Klim after Milk.
“The brand is moving into a place called the 360 skin fitness regime, and I felt that we needed to change with the times. The whole wellness revolution is happening right now, and skin care is an extension of the wellness approach. Guys who are looking after themselves from a wellness point of view are also interested in skin care, so it fits in well with our active range that covers sport and nutritional snacks.”
What other new products are yet to come?
“We’re pretty excited as we’ve still got the heritage products in the market that we launched with eight years ago when we started, and the formulas haven’t changed. But we’re excited to launch an anti-chlorine body wash that has a very high vitamin C content which neutralises pool and sea water. It’s been a bit of a challenge to develop, but it should be on shelf in October. It’s also endorsed by the Australian swimming team - I’ve been dropping a lot of samples at the pool in Melbourne and they’ve been trying it out. When we did our research the number one activity that our consumers use is swimming, which is a really good fit with my past.”
Can you tell us more about the fragrance you're about to launch?
“I’ve always been really passionate about fragrances like Tom Ford and Dior, and my Dad always had a million fragrances in his bathroom. My fragrance is going to be called Aqua Beyond, and it’ll be for the guy who is really active and is looking for a day and night fragrance that he can wear on the weekend.”
Main image credit: Getty
Iantha is BEAUTYcrew's Beauty Editor, and has been part of the team since the site launched in 2016. Besides pinky-nude nail polish and wispy false lashes, she has a healthy obsession with face masks and skin care ingredients. Her previous work can be found in Virgin Australia Voyeur, Women's Health, and SHOP Til You Drop.
