From mental health practice to botanical skincare
Sometimes a change of direction begins with a plan. Sometimes it begins with a feeling that there’s something else you’d like to explore, something more.
For Vicky Carroll, that feeling arrived in 2020. After two decades working in mental health, she was approaching her 50th birthday and wondering where her interests might take her next.
She trained in aromatherapy, fell for botanical ingredients, and came to Purodem to study essential oils in depth. Along the way, volunteering with cancer charities introduced her to the people who would inspire Brave Crab.
Today Brave Crab is a range of water-free balms for people whose skin has been affected by cancer treatment, and it’s on the shelves of its first shop, the Neal’s Yard Heritage Store in Bath. For Vicky, it still feels like the start.
We caught up with Vicky to discover how an unexpected change of direction developed into a business with a very personal purpose.
A new chapter at fifty
“2020 was a pivotal year for me,” Vicky says. “It coincided with COVID and my 50th birthday, and I began to feel that I was entering a very different stage of my life, one where I wanted to explore something new. After around 20 years working in psychiatry, first as a psychiatric nurse and later as a psychotherapist, I felt a calling to do something different.”
So she trained in aromatherapy and massage, and began practising. But she wanted to know more: about the plants themselves, their chemistry, and what formulation could do with them. That’s what brought her to Purodem, and our Professional Essential Oil Therapy Diploma.
When two interests come together
At the same time, Vicky was volunteering with several cancer charities. The people she met there talked about the side effects of treatment, and for many of them that included uncomfortable changes to their skin.
“This was the point where everything really seemed to click. I realised I had found a community I wanted to support, and an opportunity to create something different: a skincare brand specifically for people affected by cancer treatment.”
She’d always assumed she would carry on working as a clinician. “But as I studied and volunteered with the cancer community, I began to see how these two worlds could come together.” By the end of her course, Brave Crab was taking shape.
The story behind Brave Crab
Where does a name like Brave Crab come from? Partly from history. “The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates is associated with the term karkinos, meaning crab, which was used to describe cancer because of the crab-like appearance of some tumours. For me, the crab also represents courage, resilience and quiet strength.”
There’s a gentler side too. Cancer in the zodiac is traditionally linked with care and protection, and the orange at the heart of the brand stands, for Vicky, for warmth, transformation and change.
“Brave Crab brings together things that matter deeply to me: the history of plants and traditional plant use, the science behind modern formulation, and the personal and spiritual journey of creating something meaningful. I believe there’s value in bringing these different perspectives together rather than treating them as separate worlds.”
Discovering the pleasure of formulation
Vicky had always loved essential oils. Studying them properly was something else. “My studies gave me a much deeper understanding of the plants themselves and the oils they yield, including their physical, emotional and psychological properties. I found it absolutely fascinating, and I loved being able to explore the subject in such depth.”
Then there’s the making.
“For me, formulating is a lot like cooking. You’re bringing ingredients together, experimenting with how they work alongside one another, and hopefully finding that lovely balance where everything comes together. Of course, it can also be frustrating when a formulation doesn’t come together as you’d hoped, or when a blend of essential oils just doesn’t smell quite right! But that’s all part of the process.”
Her studies gave her more than knowledge, too. “My studies with Purodem gave me a really solid foundation, helping me develop a deeper understanding of essential oils, their chemical constituents and the more complex aspects of formulation. Just as importantly, they gave me the confidence to build on that knowledge and explore the subject further.”
“I don’t think Brave Crab would have evolved in the way it has without my studies with Purodem.” Vicky Carroll, founder of Brave Crab
From the classroom to the manufacturer
Early on, Vicky had a choice to make: formulate everything herself at home, or work with a manufacturer. She went with a manufacturer, found through a recommendation from Purodem, and the two have built a really good working relationship.
It wasn’t quick. “Stability and compatibility testing alone involve months of work, and we went through several rounds of testing as we worked through challenges with the butters and their texture,” she says.
She wanted water-free balms, in squeezy tubes rather than pots, because hygiene mattered for the people she was making them for. Both made the formulation harder. “Every decision came back to the same intention: creating carefully formulated skincare that feels thoughtful, practical and genuinely lovely to use.”
She’s honest about the money side, too. “The investment can be substantial, and you need to commit to larger quantities, with the storage space and sales commitments that come with them. Formulating at home in small batches has its own advantages and challenges, so it’s important to think carefully about what works for your brand and where you want it to go.”
A skincare experience with a purpose
“I felt there was a real gap in the market for skincare specifically developed for people whose skin has been affected by cancer treatment,” Vicky explains. “I wanted to create something that felt beautiful and indulgent, with high-quality ingredients and lovely textures, rather than something that felt purely clinical.”
As Brave Crab has grown, so has her interest in where cosmetic skincare meets clinical research. The range has been through independent testing on a sensitive-skin panel, and she’d love to go further. “For me, it’s about creating something that offers a genuinely lovely skincare experience while building a stronger evidence base for the people it’s intended to serve.”
Small moments that mean a great deal
The day Brave Crab went on sale in its first shop, the Neal’s Yard Heritage Store in Bath, was a big one. “Meeting the team, hearing their feedback and seeing the products on the shelves was an emotional moment.”
What means just as much is hearing from people affected by cancer treatment about how much they value the textures, aromas and experience of using the products. “That feedback reminds me why I started.”
And then there was the conference where she met aromatherapy educator Rhiannon Lewis, whose work she’d admired for years. “She was genuinely impressed and felt there was such a strong need for what I’m doing. It was a little like meeting a celebrity!”
Building a community around Brave Crab
Vicky is starting to build a small network of therapists who work with people affected by cancer. Some recommend Brave Crab to their clients, and others keep a little stock in their practices.
For her, the relationships come first. “For me, it’s about personal relationships rather than simply building a sales network. I love sending samples, sharing skincare resources, supporting therapists in their work and finding ways to collaborate. I’d love Brave Crab to become part of a wider community of therapists and practitioners who share a commitment to helping people feel more comfortable and cared for during a challenging time.”
You can’t always see the roots growing
We asked Vicky what she’d say to a Purodem student with an idea for a product or business who doesn’t yet know where it might lead.
“I think it’s important to have that vision and a sense of where you want to go, but also to think about the practical steps that will help you get there. That’s something I’ve learned with Brave Crab: to hold the vision and keep taking those steps, day by day.”
“My own journey was driven more by my experience and belief in what I wanted to create than by extensive market research, but I’ve learned how important it is to balance that passion with practical considerations. And be prepared to wear lots of different hats, particularly in the early days, when there’s so much to learn.”
“There are times when building Brave Crab feels like walking in the dark, taking steps without always being able to see the results. You have to believe in what you’re creating enough to keep going, keep knocking on doors and keep learning along the way. You can’t always see the roots growing, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening.”
What’s next for Brave Crab?
Plenty. A mineral sunscreen is in testing, and three body oils and a face oil have completed testing. They’ll launch when Brave Crab is more established and the timing is right financially. Further ahead, Vicky would love to contribute to, or undertake, research into skincare for people affected by cancer treatment, alongside her charity work and her work with therapists.
“Ultimately, I want Brave Crab to grow into a sustainable business that makes a meaningful contribution to the community it serves,” she says. “There are so many possibilities still to explore, and I hope this is just the beginning.”
Meet Vicky Carroll, Brave Crab
Vicky Carroll is the founder of Brave Crab, a range of water-free botanical balms made especially for people whose skin has been affected by cancer treatment. She spent around twenty years in psychiatry as a psychiatric nurse and psychotherapist, trained in aromatherapy and massage, and then studied the Professional Essential Oil Therapy Diploma with Purodem.
Website: Brave Crab · Instagram: @bravecrab
Beyond the Classroom: where could your studies take you?
Vicky’s story is part of Beyond the Classroom, our regular spotlight series on Purodem graduates and what they have built since they finished studying.
Vicky built her range around the needs of the people she wanted to serve. If you want to formulate around the wellbeing needs of your own clients, one person at a time, that is what Integrative Therapeutic Formulation teaches. We created the qualification, and it runs at Level 3 and Level 4. Explore Integrative Therapeutic Formulation
If you would like to create your own skincare range, the Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation takes you from the properties of each ingredient to finished, stable products. Explore Natural Skincare Formulation
