To celebrate all the brains behind our Thrive Festival brands we wanted to delve deeper into the beginnings behind each one! Today we chat to Dara CEO and founder of Nuasan
What is Nuasan’s mission statement?
Providing superior personal care products for active lifestyles worldwide, from walkers to professional athletes, using natural active technologies allowing them to be clean, confident and protected.
Where did you get the inspiration for your brand?
In 2008, whilst travelling the world doing marine research, I was also a part-time beekeeper and acutely aware of the problem’s bees were having worldwide. Along with a number of top scientists, I formulated a blend of natural extracts scientifically selected for bee health called HiveAlive. To date, it has protected over 6.5 million colonies worldwide. Along my travels, I picked up Athlete’s Foot somewhere which led to nail fungus. It was very hard to get rid of and the only products I could find to prevent it from happening again were all full of nasty chemicals. I tried some natural alternatives, but they didn’t improve the condition. I decided at that point that I wanted to develop a natural foot spray that would prevent fungal conditions of the feet. Working with athletes and active people in developing this product I discovered that there were lots of products out there that said “sport” or “active” but they were just marketing gimmicks and actually did nothing. I decided active people needed better, myself included. After 4 years of working with scientific experts, we developed a proven solution to prevent athlete’s foot, nail fungus and even foot odour. But it didn’t stop there, now we were on a roll! We developed several other products to extend the range. Our Nuasan Active Body Wipes that are biodegradable, cool you down and again kill body odour so whether you are commuting to work, sneaking in yoga at lunchtime or racing off that plane for a meeting you can continue your day in confidence. We then developed our Nuasan Active Body Wash enriched with Arnica and Magnesium, that helps tired muscles recover faster and kills body odour so you feel and smell better for longer. Finally, our Nuasan Active Body Moisturiser that intensely recovers the muscles post activity and thoroughly nourishes the skin.
What are some of your favourite brands in the wellness space that you don’t make?
I am a huge fan of Dr Bronner’s body washes. I had used the peppermint one for the last 15 years until we developed our own body wash. I love it because it is natural, works well and you only need a small amount of it. I especially love that they are now using bottles made of recycled plastic instead of just saying that they are recyclable.
In your opinion, what has been the biggest innovation within your sector in the last few years?
I think the biggest thing is that people realise that there is very little value in buying cheap products made by large multinationals. Sure, they are cheap but entirely driven by profit. People are now looking at the ingredients, the way they are made and what it means for them, their bodies and their environment and really question the value. This has allowed amazing small companies to offer real choices to people.
What has running your own business taught you?
Oh where do I start! Running my own business has taught me a lot. Although Nuasan launched earlier this year, I have run my own business since 2013. It has its ups and downs, it’s constant challenges but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s so rewarding and seeing a great business grow and to build up such a wonderful team, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction. My real lesson has been to look at setbacks or problems as challenges and opportunities, in my experience, we tend to come out the better for them.
What do you think is the next big thing in the world of heath and wellness?
It’s hard to know with COVID how the industry will be impacted but I think people will become much more self-sufficient when it comes to their own health and wellness. So things like at-home solutions, preventative health tools, stuff like that will come more to the forefront. Hygiene will obviously be on everybody’s minds and Nuasan is already helping with that.
What did your team enjoy the most about this year’s Thrive Festival?
The team had a great time at Thrive. Their feedback was fantastic, but I think they enjoyed talking directly to people and explaining the benefits of Nuasan. Our Nuasan Active Body Wipes were given out to people to use after their classes and they seemed to really like them and loved of course that they were biodegradable.
You’ve been working from home during the COVID19 crisis. Tell us what your daily routine is like?
I usually get up early to meditate, it find it really sets me up for the day. Just a few minutes can make a huge difference to your outlook and therefore productivity throughout the day. I keep chickens so a morning ritual with my two sons is to check if the chickens have laid any eggs. I have team meetings every morning at 8.30 am which is really great. We regroup and prioritise our actions for the day. Then it’s just work as usual!