Aside from being a TV presenter, children's author, model, former pop singer, wife and mother to three young children, Rochelle Humes is also an entrepreneur. Indeed, she is a self-proclaimed 'professional multitasker', so it’s unsurprising that when she felt dissatisfied with the lack of inclusive bath products for people of all hair and skin types on the high street, particularly for children, she created some herself.
Rochelle founded My Little Coco in February 2020 and the brand continues to grow, having recently extended to weaning products and accessories. When she was little she recalls how hard it was for her mum to find products which were suitable for her hair and skin type at an affordable price point. ‘The market has obviously improved since then,’ Rochelle admits, ‘but becoming a mum myself made me realise just how challenging it still was to find baby products that met the needs of my children.’
According to the This Morning presenter, 35, options were so limited that she found herself spending more on premium products – something she doesn’t want other parents to have to do.
‘As a new mum, you’re already dealing with so much, and the last thing you want is to struggle with finding the right products for your baby. It made me feel like my needs, and by extension, my children’s needs just weren’t being met,’ explains the former The Saturdays singer. ‘It was a bit of a wake-up call, realising that there was a gap in the market for something so essential.’
She’s right. These are not eau du parfums or scent diffusers for the kids' bathroom, My Little Coco products include things like shampoo, conditioner, body cream and bubble bath. Products that all children should have access to without compromising on quality.
Of course, this isn’t something that has only frustrated Rochelle. ‘I would say one of the best things since founding My Little Coco, above all the business successes, is having other parents who have experienced the same struggles tell me that my products have helped them in some way. Whether that’s making bath time more enjoyable or meaning the daily routine is easier.’
The brand has been in the works ever since Rochelle's first pregnancy with her husband, radio host and JLS singer Marvin Humes. The couple have been married since July 2012 and have three children together – Alaia-Mai, 11, and Valentina Raine, seven, and their three-year-old son Blake Hampton.
Having sought out products that contained her favourite ingredients and met her basic requirements while she was pregnant, and failing to find them, Rochelle decided to work with a paediatrician and dermatologist to bring My Little Coco to life.
The result is a collection fit for the whole family, ‘from tiny toes and tots to big brothers and sisters, not forgetting mum and dad too’. Four years into the business, Rochelle has learned a lot. ‘One of the things I felt really passionate about was that the products I was using on my eldest daughter Alaia weren’t suitable for my newborn. I couldn’t really understand that as she was still just as precious as my newborn.'
She continues, ‘This became one of the biggest brand values for me – I wanted products that could be used on the whole family. I wanted to create something that was gentle enough for newborns but still effective for toddlers and older children. It was about creating products that were truly inclusive and thoughtful of the needs of all children.’