A BUSINESS is marking its 10th anniversary with the return of a beard and moustache championships.

Braw Beard, which makes beard conditioners with 100 per cent natural ingredients, is marking the milestone with the launch of a new oil, commemorative gift packs and the return of the championships, which were sidelined by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company, which is based in Musselburgh, was founded by Macmerry man John Jackson, a former graphic designer.

He launched the business after a mountain bike accident in Fort William, when he broke his back while training for a six-hour endurance race.

John, who is also currently collaborating with a professional wrestler and musician to create their own beard oil, and a bodybuilding coach to create recovery bath salts, was excited about the coming months.

He said: “It’s great to reach this fantastic 10th anniversary milestone, which came from an idea after my back injury and is now a well-known brand in the beard care industry, despite having no experience running a business when I first started out in 2012.

“To be working with so many fantastic ambassadors over the years who have helped raise awareness of the business, including professional fighters and athletes, actors, bike racers, skateboard professionals, models and pro wrestlers, is such an incredible accolade.

“There’s been so many highlights which wouldn’t have been possible without the help of my mentors, family and friends, including getting the logo on Jamie Coward’s crash helmet within the upcoming Isle of Man TT PlayStation 4/Xbox/PC video game, being invited to speak on live TV and also being asked to marry a couple of customers in Oregon, USA – it’s definitely been a whirlwind!

“Thanks to the great community we have around us, we’ve been able to evolve, adapt and drive the business forward despite Covid and difficult personal situations, including losing family members, then my wife and I having a baby at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.”

As part of his recovery, John, 38, experienced various sports rehab therapies which helped to get him back on track, resulting in joining a sports massage course at The Haven in Musselburgh to learn how to make his own massage oils.

He first started making hair oil for his wife Elaine, then, after trying it on his beard, he found a gap in the market for beard oil and became the first Scottish beard care brand.

The company currently sells more than 7,000 products annually to customers around the globe including New Zealand, USA, Australia and Iceland.

New products to mark the 10th anniversary include a limited-edition commemorative pack featuring the first three Braw Beard oils, with the original artwork designed by John when the company was founded, and a special standalone anniversary beard oil made with eucalyptus, cedarwood and bergamot.

The company, which has been working with various charities, including the Beard & Moustache Clubs in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Liverpool, with a percentage of sales going to Cash for Kids, Chris’s House and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, also runs a series of podcasts and a weekly Facebook Live check-in call with ‘The Brawtherhood’ community.

As part of the 10th anniversary celebrations, John, has unveiled plans for the Braw Beard & Moustache Championships, which first began in 2017, to take place in February.

The first four events welcomed more than 1,200 attendees from around the world, including USA, Norway and Germany.

Awards include Best Ginger Beard, Best Freestyle Beard, Best Over 12in Beard and Best Fake Beard.