Alice Liang On Her Female-focused Wellness Brand, Brae
The boss babe of Brae shares tips on boosting confidence and self-care.
Amidst the pandemic, Alice Liang wanted to channel her background in aromatherapy to help women achieve wellness from the inside out with the herbal power of botanicals. So, she created Brae. A Scottish word referring to the slope of a hill—which is the best site for planting—Brae reference the brand’s ambition to create products from premium organic sources while encouraging modern women to “bra(c)e the braveness” in themselves.
Now, the Hong Kong-based, female-owned wellness brand creates a line of empowering, efficient products that help women live their best lives. Ahead of the release of their new skincare line this Spring, we speak to co-founder Alice about wellness, women, and entrepreneurship.
Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur?
I’d never really thought of being an entrepreneur. I was always more into creative works, like writing. Brae is my first start up and founding it was pure coincidence and the right timing—I felt like it was the universe urging me to take a great leap forward in my career.
Thinking back, I’d say that entrepreneurship does involve some creativity, but of course, it also involves immense dedication and unsexy skills like an analytical mindset and a sensitivity to numbers.
What defines a modern woman in 2022?
I think most of us would agree that today’s modern woman should embrace qualities such as independence, capability, discernment, and resiliency. Nowadays, women are given a lot of freedom to explore the things they genuinely want to pursue. Being a housewife or mother isn’t necessarily the only role they have.
However, I think it’s equally important to take time to nurture and pamper the inner self. At times, women put a lot of stress on achieving their goals but neglect the need to express and manage their emotions.
In sum, I’d say a modern woman should dare to show her true colours while striking a balance between the outer and inner self.
What sets your brand apart from other wellness brands?
My professional background is in content creation, so when I created Brae, I wanted to deliver a better storytelling experience to engage my audience and customers. Because I’m also an astrologer and aromatherapist, I wanted to be able to impart my knowledge in a way that would empower them.
What does your self-care routine look like?
Every night before bed, I take the time to wind down from my day. I like jotting down the things I was grateful for that day in a journal as I think it’s a great practice for reflection. I also meditate while using my essential oil blend to help gain some clarity of mind.
“A modern woman should dare to show her true colours while striking a balance between the outer and inner self.”
What does female empowerment look like to you?
I think female empowerment is more than just telling women how strong they can be. I think it’s more about nourishing them and helping them back up when they’re at a low point. I hope women out there know it’s okay to be vulnerable, as long as they can find a safe way to channel those negative emotions.
What’s the one thing you’d recommend to all women for a quick confidence boost?
I think mantras are very useful when you need a quick confidence boost. Repeating a mantra, either in your head or aloud, it works a bit of magic to reassure yourself. Some of the mantras I’ve been using recently are “I’m abundant,” “I am safe and loved,” and “I choose to forgive and let go of anger.”
What are your favourite female-owned brands at the moment?
Right now, I love Scentory. The founder is my girlfriend and she’s keen on curating unique scents and experiences with selected book titles.
I also really like Lola, an aspiring female wellness brand that covers all types of feminine care. I’m particularly intrigued by the community they have to connect different women with similar issues.
Who’s your Chika?
Sumiko Iwamuro, aka DJ Sumirock. She was featured in the Tokyo episode of the “Midnight in Asia” series on Netflix. She’s 86 years old and balances her day job as a restaurant chef with a night job as a club DJ. I’m so amazed by her energy and curiosity for life. I hope I’m as active as she is when I’m her age!
