Could you tell us a bit about how you started the company?
My co-founder, Georgie conjured up the first products and the name. We were both living in the Cotswolds at the time and after a chance meeting, it became clear that we had countless shared passions – particularly fragrance and botanical herbology. I had been dreaming of starting a fragrance brand, and Georgie was looking for someone to run 100 Acres with, so I joined and took over the brand in its infancy. I’ve since repositioned it as the British Botanical Perfumer and have begun developing new products.
Why the name?
We were thinking that, if we could, we’d spend all of our time running naked through a hundred acres of heavenly English countryside. We use freshly distilled botanical ingredients to create products that not only have transformative benefits for the skin but are a wild, fragrant escape for the mind too.
What are you looking for from your products?
I want 100 Acres to be a literal, tangible portal back to nature. Kilos of fresh flowers, herbs, fruits and foliage are distilled, steamed and squeezed into each bottle. You can tell the second you smell one of our products just how rich and fresh our ingredients are. I’m from the Cotswolds but live in London now, so for me, 100 Acres is a way of escaping back out to the countryside even on a gloomy morning in London.
Which botanicals particularly work for beauty products and why?
As a botanical perfumery, we firstly ensure our products that our products smell utterly delicious, but the fantastic part about using botanicals (and why we love them so much) is that they also have incredible, genuine benefits for the skin. We use at least 8 or more freshly distilled botanicals in each product, and these include Geranium – that’s packed with anti-oxidants and has potent cell-regeneration properties, Sweet Orange – that calms the body, and Ylang Ylang that’s great for anti-aging being full of antioxidants that fight off free radicals and pollutors that contribute to premature aging.
What is the day to day running of the business like?
Varied! Days rarely look the same, but I try to give them structure. I run my day in time blocks and limit emails to an hour around midday and 2 hours in the late afternoon/early evening.
Where are you based and what do you most like about your area?
I live between London and Cotswolds – generally I’ll do 3 weeks in town and 1 week in the country. I grew up there so I know all of the best secret spots. We’re based around the Painswick area and, I know it’s clichéd, but my favourite part of being there is the green space. The footpaths, the meadows, the gardens, the winding country lanes.
Which are the best shops and restaurants in the Cotswolds?
Jolly Nice near Cirencester is the most gorgeous farmshop. I love Cutter Brooks in Stow-on-the-Wold, and Cotswold Trading in Broadway.
The Double Red Duke is great for food and atmosphere. The Woolpack in Slad is the quintessential country pub, and a lesser known one is The Black Horse in Amberley which has amazing views.
Where do you go to find calm?
This would have to be atop Minchinhampton Common, at sunset. Walking there through the back lanes, taking a blanket, nibbles (strawberries usually), perhaps with my partner or a friend and watching the sun go down behind the valleys.
Which products do you take away with you on holiday?
I’m about to escape to Greece and I will be taking our Invigorate Oil and a big bottle of 100 Acres Conditioner – sun and sea makes my hair so dry, so I always drench my hair in our rich conditioner when I’m on holiday and it works wonders.
What’s in the pipeline? What are you looking forward to?
We will be launching our first fragrance diffusers soon, which we are so excited about. They’ll be housed in beautiful recycled green and gold glass vessels, and we’ve tweaked the botanical oils up to the maximum possible fragrance concentrations, which is what makes our scents so distinctive.
Aside from that, sustainability is at our very core, so we’re making even more advances here (to date, all of our ingredients are sustainably sourced, cruelty-free, fully traced, and all packaging is either 100% recyclable, biodegradable or already recycled). We have refills in the pipeline, and we also hope to work even more cooperatively with our amazing charity partner, Rewilding Britain.
Visit 100 Acres to find the full range of products and follow @100_acres on Instagram.
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A Little Bird Loves
