Beyond the Bottle

Making Supplements Chic

By Hailey Bethke | Photography courtesy of Arrae

Arrae is what I like to refer to as the “cool girl” supplement company. From luxurious branding to simplified, symptom-based labeling, consumers can now avoid the overwhelming task of navigating the supplement aisle at their local grocery store. Think gorgeous packaging with simple labeling like “Bloat” or “Calm” so you can easily self-diagnose which product is best for you. They’re made only with the highest-quality ingredients and no extra preservatives. Most of us have experienced gut issues, heartburn, sleep struggles, or stress, but we often avoid these topics in conversation. Arrae is changing this narrative by offering customers a new story to feel more empowered in their health journeys: taking your supplements at the dinner table can feel supportive, not shameful.

“I struggled with immune system issues for most of my life,” begins Siffat Haider, the CEO and cofounder of Arrae. “As I was navigating my early twenties, I ended up fracturing a rib from a chronic cough. When I went to see my doctor, I was prescribed codeine and essentially got sent home with no further plan of action. At that point, I decided to look into the holistic world—even though I was skeptical. The wellness industry back then was not accessible or cool among my peers, so it was just me researching on my own. As I began to make adjustments using natural approaches, I realized how much better I felt. I began using natural products, testing ingredients on myself, and slowly, my friends began coming to me for health advice.”

Haider explains, “I had a major epiphany and questioned why the supplement space was so difficult to navigate. As a consumer, I can walk into Sephora and easily find whatever I need for dark circles, acne, or hyperpigmentation—it’s all results-oriented, beautifully packaged, and formulated by experts. But the whole supplement world was hard to understand and convoluted; most consumers didn’t even fully understand what they were taking and why. That’s why we started Arrae: to create 100 percent natural, targeted supplements that are results-oriented and chic. Issues like bloating and heartburn aren’t necessarily sexy, but we wanted to take the taboo out of it to open more space for conversation.”

The supplement world is hard to navigate for those new to the space, so I asked Haider to share common misconceptions and the importance of clean formulation. Using her insider perspective as an industry expert, she shared various tips to use next time you wonder what supplement to take. “The most common things you should be adding to your supplement routine are vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin C for immunity,” she says. “You want to build a routine specific to you, which I recommend doing with a certified health practitioner. People will see their favorite influencers using a long laundry list of products and go and buy the same things. But you need to zoom in on why they are actually using what they’re using.”

She continues, “For example, if you’re using berberine, know that it helps with blood glucose control. Don’t use supplements because they’re trendy. Make sure your supplements are GMP certified (good manufacturing practices), look out for allergens and additives, and beware of supplements with dozens of ingredients. Supplements with fewer ingredients ensure they are more potent because each ingredient requires a certain dosage to have an impact.”

Arrae products are formulated to be completely clean, with minerals, vitamins, and herbs placed inside a vegetable capsule to avoid unnecessary additives. They also contain minimal ingredients, so you can feel the incredible properties of the product and focus on supporting your body. “Our products are very targeted, so there’s no confusion as to why you should be taking certain things. If you don’t have heartburn, don’t take our Heartburn capsules,” Haider explains. “I’m not here trying to sell you every problem aid we carry; I’m here to support customers in solving these issues. If you don’t experience any of these struggles, that’s great! But if you do, our team is here to guide you in achieving your most optimal state of health.”

“I take a day for intentional rest and do things to nourish and center me.”

Haider is also a huge proponent for what she calls a “parasympathetic day” to truly reset for the week. So many of us are still tapped into work and stress on our weekends (aka still using the sympathetic part of our nervous system). After experiencing burnout in her own life, she decided to make Sundays a day dedicated to rest and rejuvenation.

“I take a day for intentional rest and do things to nourish and center me, such as going on a long walk, minimizing social media consumption, morning meditations, avoiding scary television shows, reading, and journaling sessions. I also don’t make any social plans on Sunday; if something comes up, I always say no unless it’s something important, like a friend’s birthday. Nowadays, we are always on overdrive because we experience overstimulation in every area of our lives, from work to technology, school, and social commitments. Taking a day to move more into the parasympathetic system helps counteract that. This has helped with everything from my HRV levels to my quality of sleep and resting heart rate throughout the week.”

When asked how she leans into change as an entrepreneur, Haider explains, “As a founder, you have to be extremely nimble and not be attached to any outcome. It’s second nature to me that we could be doing one thing and then abandoning it and completely changing course the next day if that’s what’s best for the business.”

The ability to pivot and adapt has fueled her passion for stoicism, a philosophy that dates back to the Hellenistic age in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. “I am a very stoic person—which is a learned skill, not something I was born with. I don’t take things personally and try not to let anything ruffle my feathers. Life will always throw shit at us: from work to school and relationships, there is no end to the unexpected.”

She recalls, “I remember one time something had happened at work, and I called my dad crying. He is an entrepreneur himself. He listened and then told me, ‘When you decided to be an entrepreneur, this is what you signed up for. Change, uncertainty, navigating challenges—this is all part of your job description. So why are you crying?’ That moment made me realize that I can’t let things impact me so easily because one hundred things go ‘wrong’ every day when you’re an entrepreneur. You are certainly allowed to have bad days, but now I know that struggles are part of life, which builds character and an ability to overcome adversity. Life never gives me anything I can’t handle, and there is always a lesson to take away from every situation.”

Not ready for this conversation to end? Read on for some bite-sized pieces of wisdom from Haider!

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To connect with Siffat Haider and the Arrae team, follow along on social media @siffhaider, @arrae.co, and @thedreambiggerpodcast, and head to Arrae.com to find your new go-to supplement.

Advice Column with Siff Haider

Three non-negotiables in your wellness routine:

• Getting outside for a morning walk. I listen to a book or a podcast while I’m out, and everyone can do this because it’s free!
• I also love journaling; you can find prompts if you’re new, focus on gratitude, or just write what’s on your mind. I’ve been journaling since 2015, and it has changed my disposition.
• I also love lifting heavy weights at the gym—it’s great for my mental health and makes me feel powerful.

Advice you would give readers in their twenties who are navigating career choices: Your twenties are for experimentation. When I was about to graduate from college, I felt like I needed to have everything figured out. I thought I knew what I wanted, but I switched career paths about four times before I started Arrae–from pre-law to thinking I wanted to go culinary school to my job working in public relations and then at Elle magazine, these experiences taught me the importance of giving yourself the grace and space to pivot.

What scares you? Honestly, I can’t say that I’m afraid of anything anymore. Unexpected things are thrown my way, our business has been in operation for almost four years, I have had near-death experiences, and overall, I have dealt with a lot of adversity in my life. It has taken me many years to build self-trust, but my biggest takeaway is this: life is too short, and you can’t be afraid of things. I’m not going to live my life trying to please other people or limit myself because of insecurities.

Favorite episodes from The Dream Bigger Podcast: Maggie and Lauryn are both good friends of mine, and it’s so easy to have the conversation flow! These two episodes are recent favorites:

• “Maggie Sellers, Angel Investor: How to Angel Invest, Angel Investing vs Venture Capital, How to Fundraise for Your Company, Growing Your Platform & More”
• “Lauryn Bosstick aka The Skinny Confidential: Reaching Your Fullest Potential, Being an Investor, First Ever Arrae x The Skinny Confidential Product & More”
• Or tune in for the entire interview on Episode 38 of The Sunshine Signal Podcast at TheSunshineSignal.com/blog/arrae!

Favorite Arrae product: The Le Depuff Drops from our collaboration with Lauryn Bosstick from The Skinny Confidential. They are very limited edition; I add them to my water every morning, and they are delicious and detoxifying, giving your digestive system that extra boost. The Bloat capsules are also the product we are best known for, so you can’t go wrong with either of those!