NOT many businesses can boast to have worked with one of the US President’s inner circle within its first year of existence.

But for County Durhambased online men’s make-up company astonmitchell, that is exactly what they’ve done.

Although they don’t shout about it, one of their key suppliers is Michelle Probst, personal make-up artist to Barack Obama. The site is one of a very limited number of outlets worldwide to retail her Menaji range.

Such high-powered and high-profile endorsement is indicative of how well astonmitchell, based in Bowes near Barnard Castle, County Durham, is doing.

Set up by two friends who dreamed up the concept after deciding they wanted to start a business together, it is amassing a growing base of customers – with orders coming in from as far afield as Argentina – and is now targeting £200,000 turnover within 18 months.

Founders Claire Mitchell and Kate Jones were both entrepreneurs, juggling their businesses with their roles as mothers, before starting astonmitchell and launching the website – astonmitchell.

com – in October last year. Ms Mitchell runs a marketing consultancy and Ms Jones has three North-East nurseries, and the idea for their new venture came to them over a cup of tea one afternoon.

Ms Mitchell, marketing director of the company, which is the latest entrant in the If We Can, You Can challenge, said: “We set up astonmitchell because I had baby blues last summer when my daughter, Chloe, was about four weeks old. I was at Kate’s house having a cuppa and we decided that it would be a really good idea to set up a business together.

“We had a long list of criteria which had to be met in terms of the business idea and men’s make-up ticked all the boxes. We share the work – and the business has really taken off. We deliberated for a while and Kate came up with men’s make-up. Strange but true – her mind works in mysterious ways!”

Ms Mitchell said they have found a significant market for the products they retail, which range from cosmetics to skincare items, and have found men want them for different reasons.

“Our customer base is diverse.

We have customers who buy very obvious make-up products such as eye liner, mascara and blusher, but we also have guys at the other end of the spectrum who want to use make-up to disguise under-eye circles, shiny skin or blemishes and who would hate anyone to realise they are wearing make-up.

“They are two completely different groups and we need to market successfully to each,” she said.

“We help lots of men feel more confident. With some, we help them deal with longstanding skin problems; some just want to know how to apply our products. We get lovely, sincere, heartwarming feedback from men who are happy with our products and service.”

While the business currently sources products from around the world, including from President Obama’s make-up artist Ms Probst’s Menaji range – “if you like those products, you’re in good company,” said Ms Mitchell – astonmitchell is considering launching its own line, a decision on which is due later this year.

As well as the business being a forum to retail products – it has exclusive distribution rights on several items – it also provides advice and tips to men, and gives an opportunity to pose questions directly to Angela Bartlett, one of the UK’s leading makeup specialists. Its email newsletter already has more than 400 subscribers.

Ms Mitchell said that while the business is proving to be a massive success, the main thing is that both she and Ms Jones are happy in their work, which they can base around being mothers.

Our business is making a difference to people and we love it,” she said.

“Astonmitchell is a success story and it’s ours – mine and Kate’s. How good is that?”