Leading The Way: Female-founded brands you’ll love

March 8th is International Women’s Day, a perfect time to celebrate the incredible achievements of female founders in the health and wellness world. These inspiring women are transforming the industry, from sustainable supplements to natural beauty, creating products that support your wellbeing and the planet. Discover the female-founded brands leading the way, redefining self-care and making a lasting impact with innovative, ethical and effective solutions.

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What is International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day, celebrated every year on 8th March, highlights women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. It also calls for action to accelerate gender equality, an issue that female entrepreneurs are uniquely placed to tackle.

Support female-led businesses and help create a more balanced and diverse market, driving real change.

Our favourite female-founded brands

Antipodes: Beauty from nature

Founded by Elizabeth Barbalich, Antipodes are a New Zealand-based skin care brand. Famed for harnessing New Zealand’s natural bounty, they deliver eco-conscious skin care that balances scientific rigour with nature’s most potent ingredients.

Elizabeth launched Antipodes in 2004, creating natural, effective skin care products using locally sourced, sustainable ingredients. Her background in science and previous experience with a US surgical corporation heavily influenced her approach to skin care, blending rigorous scientific methods with a deep respect for nature.

Antipodes’ innovative product formulations include naturally effective ingredients like manuka honey, avocado and kiwi seed oil.

Known for their best-selling Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream and Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream, they harness New Zealand’s botanicals with advanced science to deliver high-performance skin care. Their commitment to sustainability is evident in their use of fully recyclable glass bottles and aluminium tubes.

Beauty Kitchen: Sustainable beauty innovations

Founded by Jo Chidley in 2014, Beauty Kitchen are a pioneering sustainable beauty brand.

Jo, a chemist, herbal botanist, and sustainability expert, has played a key role in shaping sustainable beauty practices. She develops natural and effective beauty products with innovative packaging that reduces waste and promotes a circular economy.

Her work extends beyond product creation to significant contributions to sustainability movements. She founded the Reposit program, emphasising her commitment to Cradle-to-Cradle design principles and is co-chair of the Sustainable Beauty Coalition.

Beauty Kitchen’s Return • Refill • Repeat program reflects Jo’s commitment to reducing waste in the beauty industry. Her efforts have earned her multiple industry accolades, and she is frequently featured in the media for her insights into sustainability and innovation in beauty products​.

Beauty Kitchen’s Seahorse Plankton+ Beauty Boosting BB Cream is a standout product, beloved for its skin-enhancing properties.

Faith In Nature: Nature harnessed, not harmed

Rivka Rose started Faith In Nature with a clear mission: to create natural, cruelty-free beauty products.

Rivka grew up in New York City with a deep love for plants and herbal remedies. In 1974, after moving to the UK, she turned her passion for natural health and beauty into something bigger, Faith in Nature. From her kitchen in Scotland, she created simple yet effective products using ingredients she trusted, both ethically and environmentally.

Faith in Nature was founded on a belief that everyone should have access to high-quality, natural products without the high price tag. From the beginning, the brand has focused on making natural beauty affordable and accessible to as many people as possible.

Faith in Nature stay true to Rivka’s vision and values, even as they grow and evolve. They’re known for using renewable energy in production and packaging their products in 100% recycled materials. Rivka put her faith in nature, so you can put your faith in the products she created.

Their Coconut Shampoo and Aloe Vera Conditioner are firm favourites among eco-conscious beauty consumers.

Hello Wellness: Made by nature

Sonia O’Donnell, founder of Hello Wellness, is a natural health practitioner with over 25 years experience.

Sonia’s passion and commitment to natural health shines through in every product, blending traditional herbal wisdom with modern nutritional science. Her expertise ensures each formula is carefully crafted using the finest natural ingredients, creating effective supplements that support your health.

Hello Wellness offers unique blends of active ingredients and adaptogens, carefully selected to help you achieve your wellness goals. With Sonia’s extensive experience guiding every formulation, you can trust each product to deliver high-quality, targeted support.

Choosing Hello Wellness means opting for sustainably sourced, UK-grown herbs and eco-friendly, award-winning biodegradable pots, making your wellness journey kinder to the planet.

Hello Energy and Hello Brain both won top spots in the 2024 Beauty Shortlist Awards, and Hello Menopause and Hello Brain received Nourish Award‘s highest quality rating.

Neal’s Yard Remedies: The modern apothecary

Neal’s Yard Remedies, founded by Romy Fraser in 1981, began as a small Covent Garden shop and have grown into an international brand and leader in organic skin care. They now offer a wide range of organic skincare products and have multiple shops across the UK.

In 2005, Romy sold the business and used the proceeds to buy Trill Farm in Devon, where she focused on education and sustainable living. Her work continues to highlight the importance of natural health, education, and eco-friendly practices.

Neal’s Yard Remedies are committed to creating holistic, effective, natural and organic health and beauty products. Their formulations help you look and feel good naturally and in a way that cares for people and the planet.

They uphold strong ethical values, sourcing ingredients sustainably and packaging products in their famous blue glass bottles that protect against UV light and can be recycled.

Products like their Rejuvenating Frankincense Toner are acclaimed for their anti-ageing properties.

Unbeelievable Health: Nature’s best-kept secrets

Sarah Orecchia’s Unbeelievable Health harnesses the natural power of bee products to create targeted natural supplements for immunity, energy, stress relief, and sleep.

Sarah’s passion for natural health began in childhood, inspired by her father’s enthusiasm for wellness. Committed to sustainability and ethical sourcing, she actively supports bee populations, which are vital for pollination and biodiversity. A portion of Unbeelievable Health’s sales help fund bee conservation efforts​.

What sets Unbeelievable Health apart is their use of high-quality, non-synthetic ingredients in therapeutic amounts. These nutrients are not commonly found in regular diets or standard multivitamins. Developed with expert nutritionists, their supplements are produced in the UK under strict quality controls​

Their Bee Prepared Max Strength Immune Support is highly regarded for its effectiveness.

Viridian Nutrition: Ethical vitamins with an organic heart

Viridian Nutrition, founded by Cheryl Thallon, are dedicated to creating ethical vitamins and supplements. Their philosophy is rooted in sustainability, ensuring every product is kind and has a clear provenance.

Cheryl is a well-known figure in the natural health industry, recognised for her commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices. She began her career in 1983, working in a health food store, and has spent decades advocating for vegetarianism, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. In 1999, she launched Viridian Nutrition, built on the principles of purity, sustainability, and giving back. A portion of their profits support environmental and children’s charities.

Cheryl’s impact on the industry has earned her multiple accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Natural & Organics Innovation Awards. This event also celebrated Viridian’s innovative product, Viridian Collagen Pro Factors, which won the Best New Supplement Product of 2024​.

Wild Nutrition: Supplements as nature intended

Wild Nutrition, founded by renowned nutritionist Henrietta Norton, create supplements designed to support your body’s unique needs for optimal health.

Henrietta is a respected author, known for her work in women’s health and nutrition. Her approach to nutrition emphasises the importance of natural ingredients and holistic health practices. She prioritises addressing the root causes of health concerns rather than just managing symptoms, encouraging a balanced, nutrient-rich diet as the foundation for long-term wellbeing.

Wild Nutrition stands out for its ethical approach, sourcing ingredients sustainably and supporting global charities dedicated to improving nutrition worldwide.

Their Food-Grown Magnesium is a customer favourite, popular for its superior bioavailability and effectiveness in supporting overall health..

WUKA: Redefining period care

Ruby Raut founded WUKA, a UK-based company that produce sustainable period pants to replace disposable pads and tampons. Growing up in Nepal, she experienced cultural taboos around menstruation, which shaped her passion for change. Confronted with traditional and unsustainable menstrual practices, she set out to create a comfortable, leak-proof and eco-friendly alternative.

In 2017, after a successful Kickstarter campaign, she launched WUKA. The brand quickly gained recognition for their sustainability credentials, with each pair of period pants replacing around 200 disposable products, significantly reducing landfill waste.

WUKA, stands for ‘Wake Up Kick Ass’, reflecting her mission to challenge negative attitudes to menstruation and empower women through sustainable period care. Her impact goes beyond product innovation – she successfully campaigned to remove the luxury tax on period pants in the UK, making them more accessible.

Ruby’s journey, from overcoming menstrual stigma in Nepal to creating a revolutionary product in the UK, highlights her dedication to women’s health and environmental sustainability​

WUKA remain committed to reducing menstrual waste and promoting body positivity. Their Ultimate Medium Flow Pants are best-sellers, providing a comfortable and leak-free experience.

Let’s keep celebrating and supporting these remarkable women who not only dream of a better world but take bold steps to create it. Together, we can continue to break barriers and build a more inclusive and equitable marketplace.