About me
My name is Joe Phillips, I’m the founder of Surf Balm and this is my story.
I grew up in the developing world and spent my childhood running barefoot around the African savanna. I developed a love for nature and a real passion for conservation.
After moving to the UK I studied Zoology at the University of Exeter in Cornwall and that’s where I fell in love with the Cornish Coastline and the exciting outdoors lifestyle.
In my second year I set up a student brand called “Falifornia” to encapsulate this unique lifestyle. It’s a brand that encourages adventures in the fresh air and a love for the natural environment. Surfing quickly became a passion of mine but It broke my heart to see these beautiful beaches polluted with plastic. So, I launched Surf Balm, a sustainable ocean-friendly lip balm made from 100% natural ingredients and packaged in a recyclable aluminium tin.
Recently I was lucky enough to be a candidate on the popular BBC1 business documentary program “The Apprentice”. I proposed my idea for a sustainable ocean-friendly cosmetics company for Lord Sugar's investment. I hope to raise awareness for the need to transition away from traditional cosmetics and towards a more sustainable future.
What is Falifornia?
What on earth is Falifornia?
Falifornia is where my story begins...
Aged 20, I turned south and set off towards the Cornish coast. At university in Falmouth, I kept hearing this strange word thrown around and soon realised it was the nickname students gave to our beautiful Cornish campus. It's as close as the UK is going to get to the California dream - there's just a lot more rain.
Nevertheless, with surfing before lectures in the morning and beach BBQs in the evening, Falifornia was more than just a nickname, it was a lifestyle we were lucky enough to live as students on the coast.
Like many of you reading this, I fell in love with this lifestyle and in my second year, I bought the Falifornia trade mark and set out on a journey to turn this name into a brand.
