Collagen — Haute So Fabulous — HAUTE so FABULOUS

Ancient + Brave is a brand I’ve been using for quite some time. I’m not a nutritionist or dietician but what I do know is as we age - more specifically around 30 - our body slowly starts producing less collagen which naturally makes the skin become thinner, drier + less elastic. And while protection is never the aim, nor is stopping the ageing process, I’m a big believer in certain things that WORK. And so, on my personal journey to finding a collagen supplement that wasn’t bulked with nasty toxins + unnecessary fillers, I found - and fell very much in love with - Ancient + Brave, a female-founded company that focuses on feeling good from the inside out. Here I speak with the brand’s co-founder Kate Prince about her journey thus far in the wellness world, her ups + downs + what her philosophy is on ageing gracefully..

HSF - Kate, Ancient + Brave is hands down one of the brands I’ve found myself quickly (+ gladly) addicted to in my own wellness practices. How did it all start + what brought you into the wellness space?

KP - I previously worked as a media lawyer, working on many TV programs from reality to documentaries. It felt like time for a change, so I started a tea company called Prince & Sons Tea which can be found at hotels such as The Newt and The Pig and we now export around the world. This started my passion for products, brand and formulation. Products should provide balance - from the ritual of opening beautiful packaging, to enjoying amazing ingredients which are not only good for you but taste delicious as well. As I learnt more about nutrition I realised that there is a compromise with many of the wellness blends and protein powders found on the market - many are in plastic containers and you really need to take them as a shot or in a smoothie to hide their challenging taste. We knew we could offer something different and do it better and so, Ancient + Brave was born and is designed to make lifestyle and wellness strategies, such as keto, paleo, exercise and intermittent fasting, simple and effective.

HSF - The brand’s core philosophy revolves around lifestyle choices + fasting strategies, can you take us into that at a deeper level + what that means on a daily basis for those wanting to understand more about the Brave Method..

KP - Whilst using our products alone and in combinations can support specific strategies. While many wellness strategies leave you feeling tired, hungry and sluggish, our Brave Method is designed to benefit you with key nutrition and sustenance when you need it most. Whatever your goal is - stress resilience, immunity support, ketogenics there are products to help you smoothly overcome motivational pitfalls, side-step progress plateaus, support energy and metabolism to easily achieve your goals. The Brave Method cleverly works alongside many of these wellness strategies often making the experience more achievable and empowering.

HSF - How can people use the products in a more self-directed way? Say for those who don’t wish to directly follow intermittently fasting as a rule?

KP - All the products support a whole variety of concerns so not just fasting but those who wish to nourish their skin from within, supplementing a vegan diet, aid recovery from sports injuries, there is an enormous list. We’ve consciously made all the products either completely odourless and tasteless (and therefore easy to add to your chosen drinks and food) or with delicious ingredients that make them a joy to incorporate into your daily rituals.

HSF - How does the sourcing process unfold at Ancient + Brave for specific ingredients?

KP - I absolutely love developing new products and sourcing organic, innovative ingredients. We work with suppliers all over the world to bring together the best ingredients we can find. It's obviously crucial that our products are potent and efficacious so we are really rigorous in our testing and developing phase, it takes such a long time!

HSF - At Ancient + Brave, how do you practice sustainability + continue to ensure you’re always progressing in terms of conscious partnering + your commitment to a better environmental practices?

KP - We regularly go through every aspect of the business and question whether we can do better for the planet. This has meant sourcing better ingredients, packaging and even simplifying our website so it takes less loading time. We also have dedicated environmental officers who continually work together to lower our impact. We’ve partnered up with 1% For the Planet, this is where we donate 1% of every purchase to our chosen charities. We have dedicated a further 1% for charities that specifically help communities to thrive.

HSF - As a female founded company, what challenges have you overcome in the journey thus far?

KP - I read a shocking statistic recently that only 1% of venture capital goes to female founded businesses. There is still such a long way to go for female founded businesses. I have to say that I’ve had nothing but incredible support from other female founders. It’s a very generous community. I don’t fear competition and really love collaborating with other female entrepreneurs.

HSF - What has been the most important piece of advice you’ve received?

KP - Mainly, I think the advice to stay true to your values is the most important. I’m very fortunate to have Renee Elliot, founder of Planet Organic, as a mentor. She’s wonderfully wise, but I love one of her sayings which is don’t overestimate what you can do in a day but don’t underestimate what you can do in a year.

HSF - Being in the wellness space + not to mention, living in a fast-paced world that can feel so overwhelming at times, how do you find balance in your days?

KP - I find the best way to find balance is to start my day incredibly early, I am a complete morning person and love being awake before everyone else. I can often be found in the Ashdown Forest running with my dogs as the sun comes up. I have a beautiful cedar wood, Swedish hot tub which I absolutely love. Next on my wish list is an infrared sauna! My meditation is practicing the drums, albeit quite badly.

HSF - What are your biggest tips on staying healthy?

KP - Concentrating on the basics - drinking lots of water and getting enough sleep – although this is easier said than done with a business, two sons, three dogs and five chickens! I really believe in the healing power of being in nature. We recommend various ancestral rewilding techniques through the Brave Lifestyle; I love walking barefoot and wild swimming. Since lockdown I’ve really got into the classes on Peloton and have a few favourite instructors.

HSF - Do you have a morning + night time routine?

KP - I start everyday with the same ritual of Cacao + Collagen with added True Collagen. I don’t wear a lot of makeup but do really look after my skin. I adore AMLY products and use their products everyday – I have their Exfoliant, Face Mist, Serum all of which are a joy to use.

HSF - On beauty + wellness in general I find it so destructive that women have been sold the idea of “beauty” being something elite. There’s a false sense of necessity in it to ensure one’s success in life; something you can attain in the next procedure or blow-dry, moisturiser or mask. I guess so much of the industry has been all about the aesthetic for far too long. I love seeing this shifting toward an importance around actually feeling good + living healthily though. Beauty from the inside out I guess. I really admire brands that prioritise wellness as a form of beauty. Thank you for being part of that for women.Do you see people’s mentality shifting when it comes to the value of overall well-being? Is that a driving force behind Ancient + Brave or something that just naturally results in what you do?

KP - Thanks so much Rebecca.

I really admire Carla Oates, the Beauty Chef. She was one of the early pioneers of championing beauty from within. I have always been very conscious of what products I consume and so there was absolutely no question of ensuring that our products were ethically sourced, environmentally sustainable and 100% natural. We talk about our products empowering your body, activating your brain and nourishing your beauty - it’s a balance of these three elements that are working together from the inside out.

HSF - What are your thoughts on ageing gracefully?

KP - Yes! Absolutely I am all for ageing gracefully. Longevity is so important to us all – I’ve always been passionate about choosing natural and organic products for myself and it was one of the [key focuses/driving force] when I started Ancient + Brave. I like to think I’ll age a little disgracefully too. I feel I have some pink hair and tattoos in me yet…

HSF - What has been your greatest challenge to date + how have you dealt with it?

KP - Personally, I put myself through the Hoffman Process ten years ago. It’s an exceptionally intense experience but it made me completely re-evaluate my life, allowed me to support my vision and made me the person I am today. Professionally, Brexit! It has been extremely challenging. We’re out the other side of it now and have solved a lot of the problems it created but it has been a very frustrating process, to say the least.

HSF - And your proudest moment?

KP - We’ve just submitted our application to become a B Corp, which is not a process you go through lightly. It may sound dry but creating our environmental, social and governance policy makes me enormously proud. We are constantly having to make business decisions both big and small but sticking to our ethics and values means we can grow the business knowing we are doing things the right way and not foregoing those principles.

HSF - What are some of your unfulfilled ambitions?

KP - We have some brilliant new products in development, which we’ll be launching later this year, with more planned for the future. We’ve sourced some incredible, innovative ingredients; iodine from algae in Iceland, minerals from the pristine waters off the Irish coast. Creating efficacious, potent and sustainable formulas will always be the passion at the heart of the brand and so I’m really excited to launch these and continue to develop our offering.

HSF - And lastly Kate, what’s on the horizon for Ancient + Brave?

KP - We’re at an incredibly exciting stage, I am really excited to continue to grow the team. It is very inspiring to work with such a talented group of people - we are a 100% female team so far!