In conversation with Sarah Brown, founder of Pai Skincare

“I’m a Mum to 2 boys, was born in London, am half Kiwi, and spent a period of my secondary schooling in Melbourne. I now live in West London and can often be seen getting from A to B on my Bobbins bike!

I started my career in communications – marketing everything from holidays and McVities Digestives, to credit cards and Nike trainers. I then later found myself in the world of wine based in California. This was a formative role, being on the inside of a global family business, glimpsing the inner workings of the supply chain and finding ways to stand out on a crowded supermarket shelf!”

“I wanted to reimagine what skincare could look and feel like for someone like me. High performing products that were (provably) 100% natural, beautifully packaged and that I could use without fear of irritation. I had hyper-reactive skin so felt I had limited options despite wanting it all! 

Like some of the best businesses out there, the brand was born out of a personal problem, and a garage.  My husband and I built it brick by brick, customer by customer, with £15,000 of savings.”

“Starting and ending the day right, because the in-between bit is invariably messy and unpredictable. That means properly fuelling in the morning – my breakfast routine is homemade granola full of seeds, berries and nuts, and a cup of green Sencha tea. Then a deep skin cleanse (and moment of calm) in the evening with Pai Skincare's Light Work Cleansing Oil and Middlemist Seven Cream Cleanser. A proper hair brush before bed is also a natural bookend to the day. I love my La Bonne Brosse No.1 Universal Hair Care Brush which is canary yellow. It makes me happy every time I use it."

“Getting enough sleep is my absolute no.1. There’s almost no problem that can’t be surmounted after a good 8 hours! I also started weight training a year ago and have never looked back. I was previously a fervent gym no-goer, but it’s absolutely transformed my overall health and sense of self. On the weekend I make bread and read – both of which calm my mind and are creatively nourishing.”