Dragons' Den stars to help cosmetics entrepreneur

An accessible cosmetics entrepreneur who got what was labelled the "best deal ever" on Dragons' Den, has said she wants the industry to become more inclusive.

Millie Flemington-Clare, 26, from Bristol, who has a rare condition called cystinosis, pitched her brand of inclusive make-up products on the BBC One show.

Although she was unable to secure investment, she was given offers of help from three of the dragons.

"I have ambitions of accessibility across industries and products and creating real societal changes," said Ms Flemington-Clare.

Her range includes anti-roll packaging, sensory-friendly formulas and audio descriptions via QR codes.

"I want an investor who really shares my values and my beliefs and wants to, kind of, change the world with me," Ms Flemington-Clare said.

She explained she would like to see a large retailer "take the chance and show people the future of beauty is accessible".

"I would also like to see other brands working with me because I'm not gatekeeping accessible beauty," she added.

Cystinosis is a rare genetic metabolic disorder that causes crystals to form in many organs of the body, firstly in the kidneys and the eyes, and later in the muscles, pancreas, thyroid gland and white blood cells.

According to the charity Cystinosis Foundation UK, there are only two or three new cases diagnosed each year in the UK.

Ms Flemington-Clare, who is 4ft 7in (1.4m) tall, had to be tube fed until the age of 18 and has had two kidney transplants in the past four years.

"At school I definitely felt different because of my height, and I've used make-up as a form of therapy through times of bad health," she explained.

"This has made me really passionate about making sure everyone can experience the power of make-up like I have.

"It doesn't have to be crazy innovation because a lot of the time that type of innovation is inaccessible in terms of price, so little changes can make it easier for everyone to use."

Ms Flemington-Clare had been hoping for a £50,000 investment from one of the dragons, with a 20% share in her business.

On the programme, dragon Steven Bartlett said it was a "really inspiring story" and while it was not a financial investment for him, he was willing to help and invited her to his office to explore how he could support her.

Fellow Dragons Touker Suleyman and Peter Jones also offered to help, while Deborah Meaden said it could be the "best deal" she had ever seen in the den.

"You've given away none of your business and you've got loads of help," she said.

Ms Flemington-Clare said: "Being in the den was a challenging, but a pinch me, moment.

"I have been watching the show since I was seven years old and to be on there representing the disabled community and advocating for the change I never saw, is a lifelong achievement.

"This is a turning point for me. I can't do it on my own and now's the time that I need to ask for support and get people on board to be able to make my vision become a reality."

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