NY Entrepreneur Spotlight

Tell us about your hair product and what it is that makes them so unique?

Act+Acre is reinventing the way the haircare industry thinks about products. Until now, no one really challenged the science behind the process of making shampoo and conditioner itself. The industry had just accepted that in order to make these products we must use very high levels of heat, sulfates, silicones and parabens. 

What birthed the Act + Acre concept? What were you seeking to share with the marketplace?

After university I quickly became a hairstylist, follow by an art director for a Dublin based salon. As hard as it was leaving my family and friends I always knew I wanted to work and live in New York. So off I went in pursuit of the big “NYC Dream”. I was fortunate enough to start my New York career with hair legend Sam McKnight and under his direction I styled Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris. From there I signed with an agency and went on to direct my own shows at Couture and Ready to Wear in Paris and London, as well as collaborating with the industry’s top photographers on magazine editorials and advertising campaigns.

It was during these experiences that I began to really examine the hair care industry and the products we were being served. I quickly realized that the haircare industry was offering up a selection of products that were completely substandard, the industry itself was miles behind the cosmetics industry or any other industry for that matter. We, the consumer, had been trained (or blinded) to accept that the current process for creating emulsions- boiling the ingredient’s for hours on end, was the only way to achieve favorable results. This was something I did not accept and thus challenged the market… so there and then Act+Acre was born (with the help of my husband, chemists, physicist’s of course!)

And to answer your latter question, I was seeking to share a product that not only disrupted the haircare market but served the consumer a product they didn’t quite yet know they deserved and as a result pushes other haircare brands to do better and be better.

What is your favorite Act + Acre product you have created or is there one you want to highlight specifically?

I don’t know if I could pick a favorite as I really believe each product works hand in hand with each other, it’s a three-step process; detox, cleanse, and condition. However, I will say the product that has received the most attention both from the consumer and the media is our Cold Processed Scalp Detox. This product has won two awards since launch (December 2018); The Byrdie Eco Age Award and Men’s Health award. 

What differentiates your product from other hair products?

When it comes to haircare we want to be the new industry benchmark. We are the first hair care brand to really combine science and wellness in order to produce a product that is good for you and good for the earth. We are the only brand on the market to create haircare using the Cold Process Method, which uses 90% less energy than traditional methods. Our bottles are made from the most recyclable form of plastic, PETG1. The industry standard is an average of only 3% of bottles being recycled, you will notice that our bottles are made of a harder plastic than most competitors on the market, this is because squeezey plastic bottles are made from silicone, which will never be recycled into the earth. We try to be sustainable from the inside out, you will notice all our outer packaging is made from recycled cardboard, our tote bags are made from bamboo, our (new) Corn foam packaging peanuts are entirely natural, they uses 70% less energy and produces 80% less greenhouse gases, they’re biodegradable, backyard compostable, edible, and dissolves in water (seriously, try it).

Also, coming soon, customers who subscribe or repeat order will receive pouch refills to pour into their old packaging, by doing this we will cut down Act+Acre’s plastic use by 40%.

In five words, how would you describe why you love New York City?

A city of endless opportunities!

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who would like to set up a business in New York?

I think once piece of advice that I was lucky enough to receive early on in my venture was that being self-made in today’s society, especially in New York, is more about having a purpose and more importantly, doing something that you love.

I think the definition of self-made is personal to your individual circumstances. It has evolved a lot from its origins. When I was growing up, a self-made person was perceived as one who amassed great riches and success without help. From my perspective, I felt what I would describe as the feeling of being self-made the moment we boxed and mailed our first set of Act+Acre products. After two years of hard work, sleepless nights and hours of meetings analyzing every detail, the sense of accomplishment in that moment was huge. Of course, I woke up the next day and the realization of everything we still needed to be done hit home but that feeling is what continues to motivate me to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can do as a company. How can I create new standards in hair wellness and deliver my clients/consumers a better experience.