5 spa brand founders TO FOLLOW

Find out a little about some of the founders of the top spa brands known both in and out of the industry thanks to their brand awareness and social media

Kirsti Shuba and Donna Tait

Instagram: @k_d_cosmetics 3.9k

Kirsti Shuba and Donna Tait founded Katherine Daniels, a British skincare brand for spas and professionals seeking results-driven treatments. Between them, the duo have over 70 years of industry experience.

Katherine Daniels was launched in 2008 with a vision to create skincare products that combine the effectiveness of professional treatments with the ease and indulgence of at-home care. Drawing from their backgrounds as beauty therapists, Shuba and Tait designed the products to be used both in luxury spa treatments and in daily skincare routines, allowing clients to experience spa-quality results at home.

Martin Macleod, and Joanna and Malcolm Macrae

Instagram: @ishgaskincare 24.5k

Ishga was founded by seaweed expert Martin Macleod, scientist Malcolm Macrae and beauty therapist Joanna Macrae, who share a passion for the power of Scotland’s natural resources. The trio wanted to create an environmentally conscious brand rooted in sustainability. They worked with local seaweed harvesters and scientists to develop formulations that are kind to the planet. From their base in the remote Hebrides, they have expanded Ishga internationally.

Susan Harmsworth

Instagram: @espaskincare 93.8k

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Susan Harmsworth launched Espa in 1993 with a vision to integrate traditional therapies and modern science. Under her leadership, Espa became a pioneer in the industry, partnering with hotels, resorts and spas worldwide. Harmsworth designed spa experiences that focused on both physical and emotional wellbeing. Harmsworth has advised governments and wellness institutions globally, helping shape standards. She founded the Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) and more recently charity Touch for Cancer.

Nick Jones

Instagram: @ cowshed 69.5k

Nick Jones is founder of Cowshed, the British spa and lifestyle brand known for its playful personality. It launched in 1998 at Babington House, part of the Soho House group he also founded. Jones’s vision was to move away from clinical spa environments to craft spaces that felt warm and rooted in nature. Cowshed’s formulations use essential oils and botanicals designed to suit different moods, reflecting the brand’s belief in emotional as well as physical wellness. As a hospitality innovator, Jones successfully merged Cowshed into the broader Soho House experience.

Veronica Fisas

Instagram: @naturabisse 83.2k followers

The story of Natura Bissé started in Barcelona in 1979 by couple Ricardo Fisas and Gloria Vergés, after Fisas noticed that a factory team member who worked with amino acids had strikingly soft hands. After further investigation, he discovered that exposing the skin to the natural, free form of amino acids had a powerful cosmetic effect.

From that discovery Natura Bissé was born with the purpose to help people care for their skin and wellbeing at every stage of life.

Their daughter Veronica Fisas has taken the helm as chief executive and the brand now has a team of over 400 people and performs over 7.5 million treatments around the world every year.