Gloss Boss: ‘Our fertility struggles built our wellness business’

“We turned our plight into a plan,” explains Danielle Fox-Thomas, 40, one half of Ova, a brand supporting conception, pregnancy and cycle health not just with supplements at affordable prices, but with an empowering and taboo-busting community. “We’re trying to normalise conversations around fertility, hand-holding women so they can get to grips with their cycle, earlier on to have the best chance of getting pregnant, should they eventually want to,” says Danielle, who had several rounds of IVF before falling pregnant with her first child Beau, five.

Her co-founder Kat Lestage, 32, had her own fertility struggles too, experiencing recurrent miscarriages. Last year, they both gave birth, Danielle to her second child Farley, Kat to her first Enya, and to their business, Ova which launched in October 2024 and was quickly picked up by high street retailer Boots.

The pair met while working at online fashion and beauty site Net-a-Porter, Danielle as the beauty and health editor and Kat the head wellness buyer.

Danielle was going through IVF and confided in Kat. “My husband Ed and I had been trying for a baby since we got married when I was 30. But it soon became obvious that something wasn’t working,” she says. “We were told by the GP, with no bedside manner, that it was ‘unexplained fertility.’” Although, subsequent testing revealed that his sperm count was below average, and once they started IVF to implant an embryo, her body started rejecting it, too.

“The doctors told us that the right prenatal nutrition could make all the difference to the chances of conception and sustaining a healthy pregnancy, so I was desperate to find the right support,” she explains.

Left: Ova co-founder Danielle and her husband during their IVF journey. Right: Ova co-founder Kat during her second trimester

The affordable pre-natal supplements on the market were few and far between and, according to Danielle’s research, contained high amounts of fillers and binders. The nutrients were also often not in their most the bioavailable form. Better quality supplements came with a premium price tag, she learned to her cost. “Given that we were already spending tens of thousands on IVF — literally a down payment on a house, and we’re still paying for our daughter — this felt so unfair.”

“I thought, where is the quality prenatal support without a sky-high markup? Fertility isn’t a privilege — it should be a right. I could see this huge gap on the high street, which didn’t reflect the modern conversations we were starting to have,” she says.

Danielle confided in supplement-obsessed Kat and they decided to form a business, with Danielle leaving her job to focus on Ova in late 2021. Kat, who had by now left Net-a-Porter and was consulting for other wellness and beauty brands, such as Lyma (another luxury wellness supplement brand), worked on it part-time alongside this, before joining full-time in 2023.

They’re on a mission to do things differently, with their range of four supplements. These have been formulated in collaboration with biochemists, fertility doctors and nutritionists at optimum levels to support with conception, pregnancy and cycle health.

Their best-seller is Ova Her Fertility and Pregnancy Support, £19.99 (which GTG contributor Lisa Oxenham swears by, as part of her wellness wins when pregnant at 49). But the Ova Plus Advanced Hormonal Support, £23.99 is also designed to support with PCOS, endometriosis and coming off birth control.

Left: Ova co-founders Danielle and Kat working out. Right: Ova Plus Advanced Hormonal Support

“We’re born with our eggs: we can’t change the number, but we can improve the quality by supporting the health of the cells as they mature, with some quick and easy lifestyle and nutritional changes that create a better environment for the egg to develop,” explains Danielle. “This includes boosting blood flow through exercise like yoga and jogging to support the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the ovaries. It is also important to get seven to nine hours of sleep, as lack of sleep produces the stress hormone cortisol, which interferes with ovulation. And, of course, studies have shown that taking prenatal supplements [such as Ova] can improve fertility outcomes in both natural conception and IVF.”

However, they also say increasing numbers of men are buying their Ova Him Advanced Sperm Support, £23.99. “It’s unfair that the onus has always been on women. Men make up half of fertility outcomes, it’s a team sport! Especially because sperm can regenerate every 24 days — there’s so much you can do to help with this ” she emphasises. “For example, I put my husband on diet protocols and lifestyle changes. For example, no drinking alcohol [which can harm sperm production by lowering testosterone levels], loose underwear [to keep the testicles at the optimum temperature] and no cycling [which increases heat and pressure that can damage production]. We did a semen analysis before and after, and saw a remarkable difference, which was part of the inspiration for creating Ova Him.”

“If I’d been told all of this years ago, I’d have done so much differently before I was trying to get pregnant,” says Danielle. “It’s about proactively making egg health part of your wellness regime through simple lifestyle changes, including the right nutrition — rather than a Band Aid approach when something goes wrong,”

Here, they share their secrets to “co-parenting” Ova into an overnight success — plus their advice for busy working mums who want it all…

Our lightbulb moment:

Danielle: “When I went on maternity leave in 2020, I had the lightbulb moment for Ova. I remember looking at my baby and thinking, I want to bring hope for others so that they could experience this joy, like he brought for me.

“I knew that high quality prenatal supplements could increase the chances of conception and sustaining a healthy pregnancy. And I wanted to make these available to all, without the sky-high mark-ups.

“I messaged my friend Kat and said, I think I’m onto something, and she was instantly on board. We set about accruing an incredible medical advisory board of fertility doctors, nutritionists and biochemists — including Channel 4’s Dr Anand Patel from Embarrassing Bodies. In addition to sourcing high-quality manufacturers using our Net-a-Porter contacts.

“We kept the costs down without compromising ingredients by using cartons and blister packets instead of expensive glass jars. The business was initially self-funded with support from friends and family, and we eventually raised angel investment. I quit my job in late 2021 and Kat worked alongside part-time, before doing the same in 2023. We launched Ova in October 2024.”

Left: Ova co-founder Danielle Fox-Thomas with her daughter Farley, this year. Right: Danielle’s plan for Ova in the early stages after coming up with the idea on maternity leave (with her son Beau) in 2020

What I do to stay sane:

Kat: “Reformer Pilates, an evening bath and Sunday mass all keep me mentally and physically well. However, since becoming a mum and co-founder, I’ve learned to let go of routines. Sometimes, a tricky evening with my daughter might mean no bath, and that’s OK. Keeping up with it when I can, but not putting pressure on myself if I don’t, is the key to staying sane.”

The biggest crisis:

Danielle: “The June before we launched, we pitched to Boots — and unexpectedly, they wanted to stock us in 800 stores, with a three-month turnaround. It was completely terrifying: suddenly, we were staring down the deadlines that can crush start-ups.

“Kat gave birth a month into this, so she was supporting everything remotely between newborn naps. I was also heavily pregnant, visiting our manufacturers to check our stock with one eye on my hospital bag.

“It honestly could have been chaos. But we never doubted ourselves. And, thanks to some incredible mentorship — from ex-Glossier and NHS staff — and best-in-class manufacturing partners, we pulled it off. This gave us confidence in our resilience. As founders, we’re firefighting every day, but I feel so alive doing this work.”

Left: Ova co-founders Danielle and Kat at their pitch to Boot. Right: packing up the orders to get ready for launch in October 2024

3 favourite productivity apps:

Kat: “ChatGPT is my lifeline for everything from helping me to come up with recipes quickly from the strange assortment of food in the fridge to recapping notes for a meeting and flagging the most important actions. It’s the closest thing I have to an executive assistant!

“Then, I use Claude [another AI platform] for double-checking this. And the NHS app Squeezy saved my pelvic floor during pregnancy and postpartum. I still use it twice a day to keep in shape.”

Lark or owl?

Kat: “I am decidedly neither. I work best ten am to four pm, when I can go non-stop without looking up from my computer. I do mornings with my daughter, and I won’t check emails until she’s with her grandmother after 9-9:45 am.”

How I get things done:

Danielle: “I’ve had to become so much more efficient since becoming a mother: as they say, ‘give it to a mum and she’ll get it done in half the time!’

“Sometimes things feel overwhelming, but I take it one step at a time with the mantra: ‘their urgency is not your urgency’.

“An AI notetaker on calls has helped with postpartum brain fogginess. I schedule my emails the night before. And swear by my 30-minute ‘Sunday reset’ to plan for the week ahead.

“Aside from scheduling two days a week for fixed external calls — with investor and suppliers, for example — Kat and I work flexibly around childcare the rest of the time. She knows I’m busy doing the school run, dinner and bedtime from five to seven pm. For both of us, family comes first.”

My work/life boundaries:

Kat: “I spent most of my career with no boundaries. I’d arrive at the office early, answer calls at the dinner table, and still struggle to take lunch breaks. However, since working from home post-pandemic, I’ve built a healthier mindset.

“It’s less about sticking to set hours and more about presence. If I’m with family, I let myself be fully present, and when I’m working, I commit to focusing on the task.

“I also allow myself to take real holidays. Not the kind where I’m ‘away from my computer but still staying on top of things.’ I mean a proper break: a full handover, a cleared calendar.”

Left: Ova co-founders Danielle and Kat hard at work. Right: Kat, husband Gabriel and daughter Enya

What I tell my doubters (including myself!)

Danielle: “If I’m told something can’t be done, my rebellious instinct is to do it anyway. Imposter syndrome doesn’t go away, but I park it and remind myself of my wins.

“Someone I admire once told me, ‘If you’re doubting yourself, you’re probably on the edge of something big’. And you do know what? This feeling has always led to the moments I’m most proud of.”

Where I get my energy from:

Danielle: “My weekly HIIT workouts at Zenith Fitness in London are non-negotiable, even when I’m chronically sleep deprived, because I know I walk out happier and calmer.

“Our Ova Plus Advanced Hormonal Support has also been a game-changer postpartum. It’s helped me find focus, energy, and kept my hormones balanced when everything else felt all over the place.”

From left to right: Ova Her Fertility and Pregnancy Support, Ova Her Advanced Hormonal Support, Ova Him Advanced Sperm Support

My one piece of advice for you:

Kat: “Confidence breeds confidence. Ideally, it comes from a genuine place. But when your self-confidence is faltering: fake it. The best way to build confidence is by doing the work. When you know you’ve put in the hours, done the research and delivered something you’re proud of, it’s so much easier to back yourself.”

I’m looking forward to…

Kat: “I’m incredibly excited for the future: for my family and all future families. The conversations we’re having now around women’s and men’s health, fertility, and breaking down long-held stigmas give me real confidence that we’re building a better future.

“I hope the challenges we’ve faced might be that bit easier by the time my daughter is grown. It’s humbling to know Ova is part of that push for change, and alongside so many others, we’re here to make baby-making better – for everyone.”

Shop the full range of Ova supplements now.