Insights from Wild Source Skincare Founder Kate Kay
In a recent episode of the Smart Beauty podcast, host Viola Levy sat down with Kate Kay, the visionary founder behind holistic skincare brand Wild Source. From humble beginnings mixing concoctions in her childhood friend's kitchen to securing coveted space at Liberty London, Kate shared her inspiring journey and the philosophy that drives her successful indie beauty brand.
The Birth of Wild Source
Kate's passion for beauty began early—at just eight years old, she was creating homemade beauty products with her best friend and selling them under the brand name "Aria's." This early entrepreneurial spirit stayed with her, and in 2017, she officially launched Wild Source with five carefully crafted products.
"I knew that I wanted a holistic approach to skincare," Kate explained. "I knew that I wanted it to be kind of woven through this more of a feeling and a time for you."
Creating a Holistic Experience Beyond Products
What sets Wild Source apart in the crowded beauty marketplace is its focus on creating meaningful rituals rather than just selling products. Kate was clear from the beginning that she wanted to redefine her customers' relationship with beauty through a more elevated, holistic approach.
"I think with a holistic skincare brand, it's really important to acknowledge that you have to work a little bit harder on that experience," Kate noted.
This philosophy extends beyond the products themselves to include guided meditations, workshops, and treatments that begin and end with meditation—making Wild Source one of the first brands at Liberty London to introduce this practice.
Navigating the Challenges of Building a Beauty Brand
Like many indie founders, Kate faced numerous challenges when launching her brand. Her honesty about these struggles offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs:
Legal requirements: "The biggest challenge was understanding the legalities of putting a product on the market. There's so many hoops you have to jump through that I had no idea about."
Product design: Despite having a clear vision, translating that into actual products was difficult. "Getting what's in my head down onto paper and then onto a product wasn't easy."
Timing and processes: "Everything took longer than I thought it would just because I simply didn't know the processes in the beginning."
Cost surprises: "I didn't know that every time I changed something on a label, I would be charged for the time that it took to make that amendment."
Breaking Into Retail: Perseverance Pays Off
One of Wild Source's biggest achievements was securing space at Liberty London, something Kate had on her vision board from the very beginning.
"That happened out of sheer perseverance," she revealed. "I had them on the vision board from the very beginning. I knew that I wanted to partner with Liberty and I knew that they would be right for the brand that I was going to build."
The relationship culminated in Wild Source products being featured in Liberty's coveted Beauty Advent Calendar—a full-circle moment for Kate, who had previously manifested this exact achievement by placing one of her products in an advent calendar and taking a photo of it as inspiration.
Balancing Emotion and Business
Running a beauty brand is deeply personal for Kate, who describes Wild Source as her "second child" (it came before her daughter Lenny). Balancing the emotional connection to her brand with sound business decisions is something she works on consciously.
"Having a business is super emotional," Kate admitted. "When you have a small team, you have to be so mindful not to project onto them."
Her approach involves processing things privately first, then discussing with her husband before bringing concerns to her team—a method that helps her "show up for your team and be that support and that lead that they are looking towards."
Advice for Beauty Entrepreneurs
When asked what advice she would give to other entrepreneurs venturing into the beauty world, Kate offered several key insights:
Be clear on your brand identity: "Being really clear, laser focused on who you are as a brand and your values and not getting too bogged down in what everybody else is doing."
Avoid comparison: "If I got upset every time a new beauty brand launched...I would be just paralysed with the fear of what everyone else is doing."
Just start: "Nothing's going to be perfect or 100% ready. If you have an idea that you believe in enough and you think it's worthy of putting out there, just actually starting is one of the biggest hurdles."
Ensure product integrity: In a saturated market, make sure your "products have integrity and that you're being truly authentic."
The Future of Wild Source
Looking ahead, Kate's vision for Wild Source isn't about expanding to hundreds of products but rather deepening the brand's focus on treatments and community.
"I think this year and onwards for us will be largely about treatments and creating more of a community with our facialists and our therapists," she explained. "Treatments are such a beautiful way for new people to experience the brand."
This focus on in-person experiences and deeper connections aligns perfectly with the brand's values of helping customers "drop back into themselves" in an increasingly disconnected world.
The Power of Beauty Rituals
Perhaps most importantly, Kate emphasised how beauty rituals can be transformative, especially during major life transitions—something she experienced firsthand after becoming a mother.
"Post having my baby, my beauty routine took on such a deeper, more important meaning for me. It was a way for me to anchor back to myself when I felt quite lost and at sea a little bit," she shared.
This understanding of beauty as "a portal back to ourselves" is at the heart of Wild Source's philosophy and continues to drive the brand forward.