Zara

SHE described her stint on Dragons’ Den as the “biggest and the most public rejection” ever – but Zara Saleem has had the last laugh.

The 37-year-old mum-of-two, who quit her underpaid £27k-a-year job, now has a business worth £5 million – and she started it all with just £500 at her kitchen table.

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But things haven’t all been smooth sailing for Zara, who has two daughters, aged eight and seven and her thriving beauty brand, Delhicious.

Not only did she deal with a huge plummet in sales during the coronavirus lockdown, but she’s also been faced with numerous rejections by top high-street retailers too.

However, now sales are flying for the award-winning skincare brand, which is approved by dermatologists and clinically tested. 

Opening up on her business journey, Zara exclusively tells us: “I had no money when I started – we had no more than £500.

“We started with just buying a small batch of ingredients and a tiny bit of packaging. Everything else that we could do for free, we did for free, including making the website. 

“The first year of revenue was very low. It was around £50,000 in year one. But now, we’ve made over £5 million since we launched.

“We’ve sold over 100,000 bottles of hair oil – we sold 10,000 bottles in three days.

“We are currently on track to make between £2 and £3 million this year and are hoping to scale the business to £8 million in the next two to three years.” 

Making products in the kitchen

It was when Zara found herself having to mark up to 150 school books a day that she realised being an “underpaid” teacher was no longer for her.

And it was when Zara, who is married to her co-founder Zak Ismail, 36, came face to face with skin challenges in 2018 that the mother began making products in her kitchen.

Zak helped out too and whilst on maternity leave, things really took off, as the beauty guru, who lives in Wembley, London, explains: “I had really dry skin and really ugly, scaly patches that were really painful. 

“I didn’t really want to use steroid creams and that’s when I started to experiment with ingredients that I knew had anti-inflammatory properties.

“I used to use black tea as a face toner, so I would brew the tea and add some oils, and I knew that it was a good anti-inflammatory.

“I formulated the body scrub in my kitchen and it had incredible results. Within a couple of days, my skin had almost completely cleared.”

We were really scared in the beginning but we took the risk. We were quite delusional

Zara Saleem

At the time, while Zara was employed as a teacher, her husband Zak was working in a corporate job. 

However, their lifestyle was far from lavish, as she adds: “I wasn’t living a luxurious life at all.

“The money wasn’t great – teachers are incredibly underpaid for the amount of work that they do.”

The GlossyBox deal that changed everything

Unsure of the brand’s future, Zara shares: “It was never really meant to be a proper beauty brand – I didn’t really have it in my head how far I could take it. 

“It was literally just me and my husband with the scrappy website that we made, hoping that we would get some sales.

“I had 20 bags of body scrub at the time and we had no sales coming in. 

“I was like, ‘if I sell a couple of body scrubs, I’m great,’ but I was very much at home with my two children under two.”

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But it was a huge deal with GlossyBox that really made the business take off, as Zara recognises: “Once we’d launched and started to get a couple of sales, I was adamant that I wanted to try and get some press, so I started to reach out to a couple of journalists.

“I went on the radio and then after that, we got approached by GlossyBox, who at the time were the biggest beauty box around, and beauty boxes around that time were really taking off. They wanted to place an order of 100,000 units.

“We were still making products in our kitchen. We had no manufacturer, we had no idea how we would actually be able to fulfil the order, but we took it on and turned our house into a factory.

“Our neighbours very kindly took our furniture in, we had our family and friends coming and filling body scrubs for us and we had a crazy four months where we hand-packed and made 100,000 body scrubs.

“I think it was at that point that we kind of thought, ‘this could actually be something.’”

Going viral on TikTok

After the success with GlossyBox, Zara and Zak turned to body balms – now one of their bestselling, award-winning products. 

Zara explains: “We made our body balms which went super viral on TikTok because they had incredible results for people with eczema and psoriasis. 

“Our fridge was full of balms and we couldn’t make enough because the minute we would put them online they were gone.

“We created waitlists. I think we had a waitlist of around 50,000 people at one point. It was actually insane. 

“We started hitting five-figure sales a month. We were growing, growing, growing and sales were pouring in.”

Whilst running the business, Zara returned to her teaching job, but shortly after, realised it was time to quit for good and focus on her business full-time. Soon after, Zak followed suit.

The couple were initially fearful to take the risk and Zara describes her actions as “delusional.” But in just three months, she had matched her monthly teacher wage.

The businesswoman shares: “We had no business background whatsoever. We were really scared in the beginning but we took the risk.

“We were quite delusional. I don’t think we thought things through enough to be honest.

“We were really lucky. We had a really supportive circle of family and friends who helped us get through. 

“Who knows, if anyone did doubt us, but it wasn’t to our face.”

Rejection after rejection

But things haven’t always been easy for this couple, as Zara shares: “When we first launched, we aimed to get into Boots and buyers rejected us straight away.

“They were like, ‘no you’re not ready’, and I agree with that now.

“We’ve had multiple rejections – every single retailer you can think of rejected us.” 

After sales plummeted in lockdown, just four years after launching the business, Zara decided to go on Dragons’ Den, where she asked for £50,000 for 15% of the business.

But Zara left the infamous den without an investment, as she shares: “I felt like the Dragons didn’t quite get the brand.

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“But also, what had happened was, we had a spike in our sales with the GlossyBox order, and then after that, it was lockdown, which meant that I had both of my very small children at home, so I had to step back because I didn’t have any childcare available.

“I had to make that conscious decision to not invest as much time as I could in the business and obviously to the Dragons that didn’t sound good.

“I think they just didn’t really get it and they thought we were a TikTok brand. It felt like a little bit more of an excuse as to why they may not have wanted to invest.”

Reflecting on her time on the BBC show, the mother admits: “Dragons’ Den was probably the biggest and the most public rejection I’ve had, which was really difficult.

“Even before it aired, I was really nervous because I felt like I’d let myself down, I felt like I’d let the brand down because I didn’t get the investment.

“It was a really tough experience and at the time, I felt like I doubted everything about the brand.

I thought it would be good if I could have secured the investment, not for the money but more for the guidance, because obviously I didn’t have a mentor and we didn’t really know what we were doing

Zara Saleem

“They didn’t think it would scale and they didn’t think it was investable because of that one dip.

“And actually, rejection is always redirection and it’s something you need to overcome if you truly believe in whatever it is that you’re building.

“And I do fully believe in the brand, I believe in the ethos and the values of it, so I guess that keeps me going.

“I wasn’t relying on Dragons’ Den for the success of the business. I thought it would be good if I could have secured the investment, not for the money but more for the guidance, because obviously I didn’t have a mentor and we didn’t really know what we were doing.” 

Expansion and £120,000 salaries

But despite walking away empty handed, it didn’t take long for things to pick up again for Delhicious. 

As well as being online for Debenhams, Zara says: “Retail was a big move for us – we always wanted to be on the high street. We are in store in Beauty Base and exclusively in store with Superdrug.”

Things have since expanded from Zara and Zak’s kitchen and now, Delhicious is a team of five.

Zara adds: “We’ve got all UK manufacturers now – that process took us quite a long time.

“Obviously when you’re making products at home, it’s a very different process – you’re making a couple of hundred to now making thousands at a time.”

“We used to pack every single order that used to come in. Now we have a fulfilment centre and it’s a very, streamlined process compared to how it was before, which was very hands-on by me and Zak literally seeing every order coming in, making the products, printing labels, and packing them ourselves.

“We’ve outsourced all of that so we can actually focus on the growth of the business.”

Being able to focus on the business growth has proved profitable for Zara and now, both she and Zak are on £120,000 salaries. 

Life-changing success

Reflecting on the company’s success, she acknowledges: “We’ve had six-figure months – we’ve done at least £200,000 in one month.

“It’s been so life-changing in so many ways. Financially, to have that ease of mind, it’s incredible.

“I’m not a big spender but if we want to go on a nice holiday, we can go on a nice holiday.

“We’ve recently done a big house renovation, which was amazing – it’s something we’ve always wanted to do.

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“Going from a £27,000 salary to then being able to be on six-figures now – I would never have been able to get that in teaching.

“We’re very, very blessed and very lucky, but we’ve worked really hard for it.

“I’m still very modest, I’m very conscious of the way that I spend my money, and that’s something that I pass on to my children as well.”

Now that Zara is her own boss, she has much more flexibility over her life, as she beams: “I absolutely love that I can do all the school drop-offs and pick-ups. I have a lot of flexibility over my time which is so nice.

“Of course, we still do work a lot. People get the impression that when you run your own business, you’re not working as much.

“We work a lot but it’s on our own terms – that was the one thing that I couldn’t get in teaching and it used to break my heart.”

Zara is now on a mission to get more women into the industry, as she continues: “I’m a really big advocate for women going into business. I think it’s such a great way for women to be independent, but still be able to be present in their other roles. We need more women in business.”

Discussing the future of the business, Zara concludes: “Hopefully we’re going outside of the UK now as well and hoping to be able to expand distribution and go to more multiple retailers as well. 

“We’ve definitely got our eyes on Australia and the US, as well as Kuwait and Dubai.” 

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Zara McDermott has made a BBC series about stalking but was shocked by her experiences

Laura’s ex broke into her car and followed her to and from work. He bombarded her with ­hundreds of unwanted messages. She moved house to get rid of him. He found out where she lives, and stands outside at night, watching.

“This has been going on for four years,” she says. “There doesn’t seem to be an ending. When we split up, my neighbours told me that he used to turn up at my door and look through the kitchen window at seven in the morning. He was sending me 200 messages a day.

“I even had holes in my back fence and every time I covered them up, more appeared. When I went around the back, you could see straight into my living room. I had a note left at my house that said ‘caught in my trap’. Now I am checking my cameras outside all the time because he is watching me. He keeps turning up at like three or four in the morning and I catch him on my Ring doorbell.

“The person I am seeing is standing there anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour and a half. They are just stood there and then they disappear. I am convinced it is him. I cannot think of anyone else like a passer-by or a dog walker… they would not just stand there for an hour staring at the house in the middle of the night.”

Laura’s nightly reality would be enough to break most people. For Love Island star turned filmmaker Zara McDermott, one night at Laura’s place was more than enough. In her forthcoming BBC mini-series To Catch a Stalker, Zara admits: “I could not relax. I could not sleep. This is how some women live every single day. It would absolutely destroy me.

“Even the creaking sound of the house is freaking me out a bit.” Zara, 28, wanted to reflect the reality facing thousands of women in the UK who live in fear for their lives because of the actions of a stalker.

Laura’s ex has already been convicted twice for stalking and was given a suspended sentence. When Zara visited, he was out on bail having been arrested for breaching the terms of the suspended sentence.

The former reality star – who has never experienced what it is like being stalked – offers to spend the night and keep watch in case the figure returns, and is warned to dial 999 immediately if she spots someone.

Zara admits: “I want to keep her company for the evening. I am really interested in getting an understanding as to what she has been going through.

“I am staying the night to keep an eye on the door bell so Laura gets the chance for a good night’s sleep. But I almost jumped at my own reflection and I feel a bit paranoid in this house.”

Later, Zara says: “It’s nearly 2am. Laura has given me access to her cameras and I can’t relax because I am waiting for this figure to appear.” Zara is relieved to report the next morning that the figure did not appear across the street.

But she tells Laura: “I didn’t sleep much. I spent most of the night checking the camera. But it makes you realise how distinctive that figure on your ­screenshots is. It is undoubtedly someone because it is so pitch black.”

Anxious Laura struggles to hide her tears as she tells Zara exactly how her ex has turned her life upside down with his creepy behaviour. She says: “It is quite unpredictable but through the six-week holidays it was about eight times.

“I had to move here because of it. Before I’d stay at my sister’s every other weekend, just because I did not feel safe at home. Then a vehicle that is very similar to his started driving past my sister’s house at 2am.

“You know it is him but it’s not like he is knocking on the door and waving at the window – which is what the police need.

“So I think this is why it is so difficult to get him charged. I am lucky that he has already been charged with stalking but I don’t want to move again because he is just going to keep finding where I live.”

In Zara’s documentary, Laura adds: “Although I am not with him, I feel my life is still controlled around him and I think that is what I find most frustrating and quite scary ­because how can you escape?”

She tells Zara after her stay: “It is nice to have someone who has experienced it. I feel believed – which is very rare when you are stalked.”

Zara discovers Laura’s ordeal could have some positive resolution if the offender is given a stalking prevention order. The police can apply for this civil order to protect anyone at risk of stalking, and it does not require the same standard of proof as a criminal conviction.

An SPO can ban a stalker from going near a victim’s home or a place they often visit, and from contacting or approaching them.

In contrast with a restraining order, an SPO can also force a suspect to have a mental health assessment, sign on at a police station or attend an intervention programme.

The National Stalking Helpline has received over 75,000 contacts from victims of stalking since 2010. Anti-stalking charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, named after the estate agent who disappeared in 1986, says: “When many people hear the word stalking they still think of a stranger lurking in the shadows or a delusional fan following a celebrity. About 45% of people who contact the helpline are being stalked by ex-intimates and a further third have had a prior acquaintance with their stalker.

“Just because you know or knew the stalker does not mean that the situation is your fault – it is still stalking and it is wrong.”

A 2024 report found police forces often lack a sufficient understanding of stalking, conduct flawed investigations, fail to respond to breaches of orders and lack a consistent and effective strategy to support victims.

Latest figures say one in seven people aged 16 and over in England and Wales have been a victim of stalking at least once, with women and younger people the most targeted. An estimated 1.5 million people aged six years and over experienced stalking in the year ending March 2024. Among women, 20.2% have experienced stalking since the age of 16, as have 8.7% of men.

In the documentary, a Met Police detective tells Zara: “Many suspects have a pattern that is fixated and obsessive. He does not stop just because a victim changes her number. You can find their TikTok or Snapchat, we all leave a footprint.”

Zara adds: “The impact this crime has on its victims is truly devastating.

“I have seen women have to change their entire lives, their entire routine, but also live in constant fear.”

The documentary will be screened just days after a convicted stalker of singer Cheryl Tweedy admitted another breach of a restraining order after turning up at the singer’s home. Daniel Bannister pleaded guilty to a single charge of breaching a restraining order on Thursday.

* Zara McDermott: To Catch A Stalker launches on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday July 1 at 9pm.

LOUIS Tomlinson and Zara McDermott’s chemistry was on full display during their Costa Rica holiday.

The One Direction star and Love Island beauty couldn’t keep their hands off each other on a sun-soaked day out.

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They were spotted hiring a quad bike, with Louis, 33, taking the lead as they cruised through town.

The History singer wore an orrange T-shirt and white shorts, which he teamed with black sunglasses and a baseball cap.

Zara, 28, stunned in loose white trousers and a crop top layered over her green bikini.

At one point Louis puffed on a cigarette while they waited for their ride, with a smitten Zara wrapping her arms around him.

Louis returned the affection by gently squeezing her bum and planting a kiss.

They were later seen grinning at each other before hopping on the quad bike and driving away.

Louis flew the Strictly star out in first class to a secluded villa last week.

He’s currently working on new music there and wanted to spend some quality time with Zara after going public with their romance.

She was previously seen locking lips with her new pop star beau as they dined at a restaurant.

A source said: “Louis and Zara are going from strength to strength.

“He got his team to organise her first-class travel from London to Costa Rica.

“It meant Zara was unable to attend the TV Baftas but she is keen to spend as much time with Louis as possible.”

Louis will be back in the UK for Soccer Aid next week and is set to play on the England side with Zara’s ex Sam Thompson.

Zara split from former Made In Chelsea star Sam in January, moving out of Sam’s West London home, and leaving behind the two cats they shared.

She has decided to skip Soccer Aid to avoid an awkward run-in with her ex.

Zara and Louis confirmed their romance on holiday in Los Angeles over a month ago.

The pair were snapped holding hands in a sweet PDA during their trip to the US.

The Sun revealed they were an item after they were spotted enjoying an overnight stay at The Suffolk in Aldeburgh in exclusive photos.

It came amid reports that Zara had formed close bonds with Louis’ sisters Phoebe and Daisy.

They recently teased a new reality show, with sources claiming Zara has been helping them behind the scenes thanks to her experience as a TV presenter and documentary maker.

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LOUIS Tomlinson and Zara McDermott were unable to stop snogging during a romantic date night while holidaying in Costa Rica.

The smitten couple packed on the PDA as they dined at the Banana Beach Restaurant on Sunday.

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The Sun revealed that One Direction star Louis, 33, flew the Strictly star, 28, out in first class to a secluded villa on the coast in Santa Teresa where he’s recording new music.

Zara, who split from former Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson in January, was seen locking lips with her new pop star beau.

The ex-Love Islander was seen beaming as she and Louis were spotted deep in conversation while gazing into each others eyes.

Zara was pictured with her arms wrapped around Louis, as he lean in close for a kiss.

They struggled to keep their hands off each other and were seen repeatedly embracing and smooching.

Zara showed off her toned arms and midriff in a sleeveless white crop top and matching skirt.

She opted for minimal makeup and wore her brunette tresses in a high ponytail, while accessorising with statement gold flower earrings.

While the Best Song Ever hitmaker looked casual in a yellow t-shirt.

They looked comfortable in each other’s company and were seen laughing and joking around in between their PDA sessions.

At one point Louis was seen whispering in Zara’s ear, which left her giggling like a school girl.

Throughout the evening, they were seen enjoying cosy conversations as they struggled to take their eyes off each other.

Zara was then seen scrolling through her camera roll with Louis.

She was seen grinning from ear to ear as she put her arm around the hitmaker as they made the most of their romantic getaway.

It comes after fans bumped into the singer while the couple were out and about.

As they asked to get selfies with Louis, Zara patiently waited by his side.

He was then seen putting his hand on her back as he guided her out of the venue with him.

The fan account which posted the video captioned it: “They’re cute.”

In the video Louis is heard saying “I’ve been loving it, I’ve been loving” when asked about the area.

Louis will be back in the UK for Soccer Aid net month and taking to the pitch at Old Trafford for the annual charity match alongside Zara’s very recent ex boyfriend Sam Thompson.

Sam split from Zara four months ago, and is now set to play on the same side as her new boyfriend in next month’s charity match.

She has no plans to support Louis from the sidelines, but was keen to spend quality time together abroad while he works on his new album.

A source said: “Louis and Zara are going from strength to strength.

“He got his team to organise her first-class travel from London to Costa Rica over the weekend.

“It meant Zara was unable to attend the TV Baftas but she is keen to spend as much time with Louis as possible.”

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