As April unfolds, it not only brings the vibrant colours of spring but also serves as a poignant reminder: it’s Stress Awareness Month. In 2024, amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and mounting social issues worldwide, this annual campaign is arguably more important than ever. This year’s theme, #LittleByLittle, set by The Stress Management Society, underscores the significance of small, consistent steps towards self-care and stress reduction, highlighting their profound impact on mental health and overall wellbeing over time.
In the spirit of this theme, we caught up with Nature’s Journey to explore how they champion wellness through their brand and activities. Join us as we unravel the secrets behind their holistic approach to self-care and discover how their CBD products and practices can pave the way to a more balanced and harmonious existence. Plus, uncover discounted product bundles designed to help you bring a little more balance and self-care into your life – exclusive to Veo!
Hi Leighton, we’d love to get kick things off by hearing the story behind your wellness brand’s creation? Was it a personal journey?
I’ve worked in the beauty and wellness industry for most of my career, working with some of the biggest names in the business, so I’ve long been convinced of the power of plants to transform how we look and feel – but it was a chance meeting with my now co-founders that led to the creation of Nature’s Journey.
They introduced me to the incredible benefits of CBD – not just for the skin, but for the mind, too. We realised that together, with my knowledge and experience in the industry, and their expertise in cultivation and harvesting of CBD that we had a unique opportunity to do something special, and so Nature’s Journey was born.
Your brand’s mission seems spot-on for today’s world. How do you see Nature’s Journey fitting into people’s lives and why is it crucial for to prioritise self-care, especially in stressful times?
At the heart of our brand is our mantra: ‘an antidote for modern living’ – they’re some of the first words I wrote in my notebook during one of our initial planning sessions, and they’re always front of mind for me.
I really wanted Nature’s Journey to be a brand that people could rely on. A range that offered them the opportunity to take a few moments, every day for themselves.
I think self-care has become a slightly over-used phrase in the past few years – but for me, the interesting thing is that it’s become less about bubble baths and face packs and more about small wins that help you feel more like you again.
Stress affects us all in different ways – for some, it can mean tossing and turning all night, while for others, our mood is affected, or our skin starts misbehaving, so we’ve created products that genuinely help to address these concerns, and aside from the physical benefits of using a great product, there’s the secondary benefit of taking some time to nurture yourself…
Time for a quick crash course! What exactly is CBD, who is it for and why is it making waves in the wellness scene?
(Answered by the Scientific Advisor at Nature’s Journey) CBD is short for cannabidiol and refers to the non-intoxicating component of the hemp plant. It’s a naturally occurring compound, one of many other closely related compounds within the plant which, together are referred to as cannabinoids.
While it feels like CBD is a relatively recent discovery, it has been around for a lot longer. Hemp was in fact one of the earliest plants cultivated by humans, its properties have been used for over 3,000 years, particularly in Asia within Chinese herbal pharmacopeia. It’s only in the last 100 years that its beneficial properties are starting to be identified and fully understood. A significant amount of pre-clinical evidence suggests topical application of CBD may be effective for some skin disorders, such as eczema, psoriasis, inflammatory conditions like acne, and in neutralising free radical damage. Although confirmed clinical efficacy and elucidation of underlying molecular mechanisms have yet to be fully identified.
If someone’s on the hunt for a mood boost or some serious relaxation, what would you recommend from your skincare and aromatherapy product lineup?
If you’re struggling to relax and unwind, I’d recommend The Slow Down Duo (£15, worth £23). A good night’s sleep is essential – and this power couple is the perfect tonic. Just apply a little of the Relax Aromatherapy Rollerball to pulse points (I especially love to massage it into my temples) and spritz our bestselling Sleep Easy Pillow Mist around your bedroom a few minutes before you cosy up for the night. You can thank me later!
If, like me, you get an energy slump mid-afternoon and are tempted to reach for caffeine or a sugary treat, try our Revive Aromatherapy Blend (£13) in your electric diffuser. It’s a cheerful blend of Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Sweet Orange and Geranium essential oils and it really does help to lift the spirits when you need it most.
Then there’s The Self-Care Ritual (£20, worth £30) – I just love this collection (and it’s great value too!) featuring three of our best-sellers for glowing skin and a dreamy night’s sleep. Want restful sleep when both home and away? The Sleep Easy Duo (£20, worth £28) ensures you’re never without a bedtime saviour with, this exclusive duo of our best-selling blend is perfect for travel.
And finally – don’t leave home without The Mindfulness Ritual (£30, worth £39). Think of it as a first aid kit for your mood! Featuring all three of our signature scents in our handy aromatherapy rollerball. Perfect for a mindful moment on-the-go.
In line with April being Stress Awareness Month, how does your brand play a role in promoting holistic relaxation and self-care?
Isn’t it ironic that one of the only times we properly take care of ourselves is when we’re sick? We drink more water, we eat nutritious food, we get outside for some fresh air, we rest… and yet, when we’re ‘well’, we often neglect these things.
Taking proper care of yourself is essential for long term health and wellness, and as the saying goes ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’, and I believe that something as simple as taking time to really nurture your skin, or to take 5 minutes for some mindfulness practice can really help promote a feeling of holistic wellness.
One thing that I’ve always been super passionate about is scent – and more specifically, aromatherapy. Each of our signature scents are far more than just ‘nice smells’, they’re specifically blended to help restore emotional equilibrium.
Can you tell us more about the eco side of things? How do you keep things ethical and in line with the wellness ethos?
I think that in today’s world, you can’t have one without the other. You can’t be a brand that is promoting wellness, taking care of yourself, and doing good for your body if you’re damaging the planet in the process. It just doesn’t make sense.
When we created Nature’s Journey, we knew what kind of brand we wanted to be, and we designed our brand around that vision. We know that consumers are increasingly looking to brands to do the right thing, not the easy thing.
So, for example, we decided to use glass packaging for our range – it’s more expensive for us than buying plastic. But it’s the right thing. It’s infinitely recyclable and helps protect the product from heat and light. We use uncoated papers and never use laminates so that our cartons can be recycled, too. And we always make our products in small batches, so we never make more than we need, avoiding landfill or waste. We’re also proud to be the first CBD wellness brand to be certified by The Vegan Society, and Leaping Bunny approved. We know we’re not perfect – and there’s still a way to go, but it’s something we care deeply about.
Congratulations on the pending B Corp status! That’s a big achievement. We also hear that you’ve recently had a lot of success at the Beauty Shortlist Awards! Could you tell us more about that and any other highlights you’re especially proud of?
One thing that we were particularly keen to do when creating Nature’s Journey was not only to create amazing, ethical wellness – but also to be a great place to work and a great brand to work with, so for us, B Corp certification seemed like an obvious choice. As you guys at Veo know, it’s a tough and rigorous process – and we’re still on our journey to full certification later in the year, but it just made sense. I love that more and more brands are joining the movement and together, we are creating a force for good.
The beauty and wellness industry is BIG business – and so as a new brand, one of the most important things for us was to get people to discover our range. Maybe we’re biased, but we believe that our range really does deliver on its promises – so we’ve been thrilled to receive so many awards and accolades for our range since we launched. It’s testament to the quality of the formulations and such a huge boost for our small team. And the awards keep coming! – but our lips are sealed for now….!
What’s on the horizon for your wellness brand? Any big plans or dreams to spread the word about CBD and wellness even further?
We’re a small team with big ambitions – and we’re just getting started. We know there’s still a lot of misinformation out there about the safety and efficacy of using CBD, so we’re on a mission to help debunk the myths and help everyone discover the amazing benefits that it can bring to the skin and mind. We’re working hard on some new additions to our range as well as planning some exciting events and pop ups this year, too.
Want to try the healing power of nature for yourself? Check out the full Nature’s Journey product collection at Veo and discover your antidote to modern living…