An Interview with Kate Prince, co-founder of Ancient + Brave

Kate Prince was a media lawyer and entrepreneur when she met Hollywood naturopath Annelie Whitfield. Two worlds collided, and Ancient + Brave was born.

Their shared idea became a new way of living to help people from all over the world awaken their true potential.

An inspiring woman and CEO, passionate about redefining fasting strategies that allow our bodies to naturally rejuvenate. We had the chance to speak to her and to get a personal look behind-the-scene. Everyone, meet Kate.

First thing first, tell us, how you got into the beauty industry and what led you to launch Ancient + Brave.

It was a fairly odd journey to get here! After a career as a media lawyer working on many TV programs (from reality to documentaries) it felt like time for a change – this coincided with my husband and I moving from London to the Sussex countryside. We 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.

I believe the products we use or consume should all 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. I am a fan of very natural beauty and a totally holistic approach and I totally embrace the concept of ‘Beauty from within’ which was championed by the wonderful Beauty Chef, Carla Oates who was one of the early instigators of this methodology.

As I learned more about nutrition I realized that there was a compromise with many of the wellness blends and protein powders on the market. We knew we could offer something different and do it better. Our products are formulated with the function of restoring and nourishing from the inside out. We take a more holistic approach of body, brain, and beauty to provide targeted ingredients and benefits to support your needs.

With longer life spans, chronic disease, and rising stress there is a global shift from a curative to a preventative approach as we all take charge of our health. The worlds of food, beauty, and wellness are continuing to intertwine and we are all understanding so much more about how we look and feel on the outside comes from how well we are feeling and if we are in balance.

Ancient + Brave is designed to make lifestyle and wellness strategies, such as fat loss, exercise, and intermittent fasting, simple and effective. We deliver easy to use products, which fit with your busy lifestyle and help you achieve your wellbeing objectives. Our ethos is focused on optimal daily wellbeing with sustainability, purity, and potency at its heart.

Our name, Ancient + Brave derives from a concept of ancient old meets brand new. So taking ancient knowledge in terms of diet and lifestyle and pairing that with brave innovation to create a new generation of wellness products. We embrace ancestral lifestyle strategies to help our community thrive in the modern world. Our connection to our community is wider than just our products and through our story, we promote concepts based on re-wilding. Ideas that are open to everyone, which restore us to our natural rhythms and connect us to our natural environment – such as wild foods, walking barefoot, hiking, wild swimming, fasting rituals, and balancing circadian rhythms.

Where do you source ingredients from?

Our ingredients come from all over the world and we will always use organic sources whenever possible.

We work with amazing ingredients such as collagen, MCT, proteins, adaptogens, and beautiful nutrient-rich botanicals. We have just launched our collection of vegan Collagen which are built and protect collagen formulas - Naked for the body, Inspired for the brain and Radiant for beauty.

Our delicious blends of Cacao + Collagen and Coffee + Collagen are certified organic by the Soil Association with 2000mg of nourishing collagen in every serving and packed with nutrient-rich botanicals and adaptogens - designed to enhance mood, energy levels and working to boost your skin's radiance.

Our True MCT is a beautifully balanced blend of 60% C8 (caprylic acid) and 40% C10 (capric acid) which is clean. light and flavorless. Entirely sourced from coconuts and extracted using new green technology without the use of any chemicals or solvents and with no palm oil or lauric acid.

True Collagen is an amazing product and fantastic not only to promote nourished and hydrated skin but also for tissue and gut repair as well as supporting stronger bones and flexibility. But all collagen is not equal and we have sourced what we believe is superior quality and the purest form of bovine collagen available. Our collagen is clinically tested and up to 90% is absorbed by your body and is odorless and tasteless - which is vital if you are adding into your favorite roasted coffee!

We are obsessed about some of our hero ingredients in our new Collagen collection which we have sourced specifically for this range such as Haskap (a purple berry naturally rich in anthocyanidins and bursting with deep berry flavors), Hebridean seaweed (sustainably harvested from pristine waters surrounding remote islands of the Scottish Outer Hebrides, full of minerals, trace minerals and polyphenols), Vitamin D3 – present as cholecalciferol a highly absorbable form of vitamin D sustainably produced, carefully extracted and gently dried from a special form of algae.

Do you have a blacklist of ingredients?

Our products are all dairy, gluten, and GMO-free and we don’t use any additives or preservatives.

What is your favorite supplement?

Obviously I love all things Ancient + Brave but my favorite new supplement which is helping my sleep patterns is an amino acid called NAC and a highly bioavailable form (suitable for vegans).

What are your thoughts on aging?

To age naturally and gracefully. I am personally not a fan of surgical procedures or botox or fillers and I don’t believe anyone needs to do it. I think stress, lack of sleep, and a poor diet are the biggest challenges we face when it comes to aging and there are definitely.

Are there any beauty secrets that your mother or grandmother passed down to you?

My grandmother was very elegant and always had bright red lipstick on and beautifully painted nails. I am rarely seen with either of those but continually aspiring!

What are the three beauty products you always have in your handbag?

I have my mini facial spray to freshen and hydrate especially if I am traveling, my lipstick for a quick touch up, and a True Collagen travel sachet in case I need a protein boost.

And three desert island products?

Okay if I can’t take my family or dogs ….Then it's my pillow (which I often travel with to hotels).

What is your self-care approach?

For me, it needs to be low maintenance and as natural as possible – it needs to fit in with my fairly busy life. But I am a huge fan of sleep, exercise, eating well, taking my favorite supplements, and having regular facials (monthly if I can!). Facials are definitely my treat and I have hugely missed them in lockdown – I do a weekly mask at home but it’s not the same as a great therapist doing it for you.

First thing in the morning?

I wake very early (around 5 am) and sometimes I start work then but if its light I will walk outside with barefoot just for a few minutes to ground myself and think of the day ahead. I often exercise first thing or walk the dogs in the forest as the sun comes up – that is one of my favorite things to do. Then I make myself a cup of delicious Cacao + Collagen – hopefully just in time before my boys wake up!

You’re in a gorgeous spa. What treatment do you ask for?

A vitamin C facial (with extraction!).

Your favorite holistic destination?

I always love the cowshed at Babington and they do a beautiful vitamin C facial. For culture and grounding, I love the Kasbah Tamadot just outside of Marrakech and there is a great spa in Marrakech called Les Bains and they have the best hammam. The Maldives is always stunning for some diving and general wellbeing – Soneva Fushi is truly wonderful. But my favorite place is just to walk on the Ashdown Forest near where I live very early in the morning.

What is your best, hidden talent?

I wouldn’t really call it a ‘talent’ as I am pretty terrible but I am learning to play the drums. I am not naturally musical so the focus I need to read the music, get hands and feet working and keep in time needs all of my concentration! So for one hour a week, I give in and can focus on nothing else other than the task in front of me. It's a very noisy meditation but I love it.

What is one dream you have that you have yet to accomplish?

Long term, my list of personal projects is so long - from being better at drums to learning a language to doing a Classics degree. Think I should just start with some drum practice!

And last but not least: what is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I think it's using the right and left side of my brain – moving from a creative photoshoot to writing copy, to product development, to sales and even accounts. When you start you have to be a ‘jack of all trades’ and do jobs you wouldn’t normally feel were in your skillset. The awareness of what we are capable of builds confidence and resilience.

And what is your favorite thing about being a woman?

Mostly just being with other women.

Don't forget to share your self-care and wellness rituals on Instagram @muse_and_heroine.

by Margherita Fresilli