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Its about the Health of our Families Skin 

OUR COFOUNDERS

We are Brad Pickett (the UK MMA and UFC legend) and Neil Patel (Sports Osteopath).

We made Vigour8, the suitable-for-frequent-showering, all-natural, essential oil antibacterial body wash. This is our story.

 

Together, we set out on a crusade to change conventional personal hygiene for the better. We believe everyone - from our children to our grandmas - deserve to wash in an affordable, safe and natural way. And we needed a way to keep our own bodies extra fresh and clean after a sweat-heavy workout. With those two disparate goals in mind, we created Vigour8.

Supermarket shower gel meets just one of those criteria. Full of harsh industrial chemicals, these cheap brands full of skin irritant can strip the skin of natural oils. We can’t say the exact impact these supermarket brands of shower gel will have. But we can say we’ve created the antibacterial body wash that won’t make you sick and dry out or damage your skin .

 

Brad Pickett

With a fighting career that spans well over a decade, Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett has been at the center of the evolving MMA sport in the UK.

With a fighting style that focuses heavily on boxing and striking, Brad earned the nickname ‘One Punch’ early on in his career. Two years after stepping into the cage for the first time, he became the Cage Rage featherweight champion. In 2009, he claimed the Ultimate Challenge MMA featherweight belt. More recently, Brad has taken over the UFC scene - often heralded as one of Dana White’s favorite fighters to watch. Acquainted with both victory and defeat, Brad strives to put his best foot forward - from the mat to the business meeting. Brad is a young father and an integral founder of Vigour8. 

 

 " Obviously not on the same scale but the Covid crisis did remind me of the time our gym came down with a bad spate of staph skin infections. With many fighters scheduled to fight, some in very big career fights and the mats were absolutely packed full of talent training hard every day. My star student Nathaniel Wood was due for a world title and he had suffered skin infections repeatedly in the past, the last thing we needed was a breakout of staph and having seen fighters suffer over the years , I knew it was no joke! 

One by one guys had to take time off from their training and camps, some were just ashamed and others were just trying to carry on by covering up. They started using lots of lotions and potions, there were bottles everywhere and I remember complaints of the awful medicated smells , constant dry skin with cracked hands and feet, Some even complained that the medicated shower gels burned their balls!!

 Looking back on the sweat drenched mats, all the different classes and people it’s not surprising I suppose. I went to see my good friend and Osteopath for many years Neil Patel and mentioned the outbreak , I told him of the staph outbreak and he could relate because of the nature of his job, I asked him how he avoided dry skin and infections on his hands since his work involves touching many patients and hand washing constantly.

It was then he showed me his own soap which seemed to be completely different to any I’d come across. 

He explained that it was packed full of natural, antiseptic ingredients and most importantly didn’t contain SLS a known skin irritant , how common SLS was and its affects. He told me how he didn’t believe it was good for his kids skin. I found myself agreeing when I realised how strong it was and saw just how much of the chemical irritant was in and around my own home. 

He agreed to have some of his soap made for me and mainly for Nathaniel as he was his therapist too. Before long everyone at the gym started asking for it, as they say the rest is history. Nathaniel like others at the gym used the new soap and continued training without disruption he cruised on to win three World titles in total before signing for the UFC all with no infections as in the past.

Nathaniel Wood UFC

3 X Cage Warriors Bantamweight World Champion

 It’s not the cheapest shower gel but by saving on shampoo, moisturiser, bath soak etc the cost difference is negligible and this was 100% naturally derived, smelt amazing and could be used by the whole family, so for me it was a no brainer. When I’m abroad commentating or cornering my fighters I can use it to shave and it brushes straight out if you use it as a hair gel without the chemicals, so it saves me lots of money on many personal products. Some of our Fighters end up soaking their kit in a solution as a pre-soak to get rid of the smell of stale sweat, others add it to their sports wash so the list of uses is endless and its even vegan friendly 

 When we released Vigour8 a couple of years ago we never believed it would be used in so many ways by environmentally conscious people from anglers to campers or those who work in high sweat conditions such as construction workers, chefs, fitness / pool instructors, medics and therapists , but most importantly at this current time of crisis, we’re most proud that it’s helping those NHS workers on the front line fighting against Corona, helping to keep staff safe, preventing infection and dry skin issues just like it does in MMA.

Brad 'One Punch' Pickett

Head Coach Gt Britain Top Team & Co Founder Vigour8.com

 

Neil Patel BSc Ost. Med

In 1992, Neil Patel became one of the first Osteopaths to obtain one of the first BSc Degrees in Osteopathy in the United Kingdom.

With a keen interest in sports and a teamwork ethic, he quickly developed a reputation for sports injury rehabilitation. He soon became the Consulting Osteopath for many West London sports clubs, including Brentford & Chelsea Football Club.  

Over a 30 year career, Neil has gained an international reputation, He has treated some of the best International Football,  Rugby , Cricket , Tennis players, Combat Athletes and Olympians from around the world and many of uk sports number one's.

With Vigour8, Neil breaks his tradition of never endorsing a commercial product. That’s just how kickass the antibacterial body wash is.

If you’re looking for more fun facts, Neil has been appointed to two royal families and is father to two teenage daughters.