Daisy Connor - City Survivor

How would you describe your business/brand?

City Survivor  is a supplement brand for real people and modern life; helping us to stay healthy while enjoying the best things in life! An ethical brand - everything is made in the UK including my recyclable metal packaging.

What inspired you to set it up?

As a nutritional therapist, I’ve worked with supplements for over 10 years and they’re so confusing for people who don’t have a nutritionist to advise them. I saw a gap for a range that’s easy to understand and meets our most common health concerns - stress & sleep, pollution, energy, immune health. People don’t know there’s a huge variation in quality & efficacy of supplement ingredients, so I wanted to use my favourite ingredients with no compromises.

What do you enjoy about your work most?

Relationships with my customers. As a small brand owner I reply to all their messages, I write the blog and social content myself. It’s so great when I get to know one of my regular customers and hear they’ve benefited somehow from my products or the nutrition info I share.

What are you most proud of?

I recognise the customer names of a majority of the orders through my direct website, meaning they feel the benefit and want to keep taking my supplements. It makes me proud to see that my effort in formulating and choice of ingredients makes a difference.

What does living well mean to you?

Cooking real food, enjoying good food, wine & time with friends and family. Also managing to enjoy one’s work, not work excessive hours and enjoy a good novel!

What does natural beauty mean to you?

Firstly using natural beauty products that do my body good. I think our skincare should be caring and nourishing from the outside, just as supplements are from the inside. Secondly, embracing and enhancing how I naturally look - I wear makeup but I’ve never changed how I fundamentally look with lip fillers etc.

What makes you glow?

Literally? Face oil and blusher!! But more importantly: laughing with my best friends.

What is your self-care ritual?

A weekend lie-in with a book and tea in bed, followed by a long shower. (Sorry to those reading who have young children!)

Why Elan Skincare?

You’d be tempted by the packaging alone, but what’s inside is even more delightful! Elan is like City Survivor in that we choose ingredients for their efficacy and quality, not for their price - anyone trying Elan will be a repeat customer. Plus I have an affinity with other small female-led brands and I love our collaboration and support of each other. 

A portrait of the woman with a laptop and a range of health supplement in colourful tins