The Supplements We Actually Take: Skin, Energy, Gut Health, Stress & Living Well with Arrae Co-Founder Siff Haider + Navigating Postpartum

Derm Approved

Dr. Sheila Farhang interviews Siff Haider, co-founder of Arrae and host of the Dream Bigger podcast, about navigating early motherhood while running a successful wellness brand. They discuss Haider's decision

Key takeaways

• Siff Haider returned to work 10 days postpartum after intentionally setting up recovery systems, including meal prep, chiropractic care, and external help for her newborn.
• Dr. Farhang clarifies that topical retinol is safe while breastfeeding, debunking common online myths that restrict its use beyond pregnancy.

Main topics

• Postpartum recovery and returning to entrepreneurship
• Evidence-based supplement selection (magnesium, creatine, probiotics)

Notable quotes

"Supplements are exactly that: supplement. It's a tool in your toolkit. It's not a silver bullet."

Conclusion

Listeners gain a practical framework for balancing high-demand entrepreneurship with new

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) The following podcast is a Dear Media production. Speaker 2 (0:02) I'm Dr. Sheila Farhang, and welcome to Derm Approved, your insider access to skin that looks and feels its best. Welcome back to Derm Approved. Today's guest is Sif Hader, co-founder of Array, Dream Bigger podcast, also a Dear Media entrepreneur. and fellow new mom. Today, we're talking about how to balance it all. And we're going to dive into supplements, which you guys know I love. And she is the supplement expert. And we're going to talk about the ones we love, the ones we recommend, which ones to avoid, especially when it comes to skin hair analysis. So you're going to love this one. And thanks so much for being here. I'm Speaker 1 (0:41) so excited. This is going to be such a fun convo. Yeah. Speaker 2 (0:44) I love recommending Rock's new line smoothing two-step peel pads as an at-home alternative to a professional peel without the cost, the downtime, or the irritation. It's a two-minute treatment dermatologist developed delivering the results of a facial at home. Every Rock product is science-led, developed, and tested to ensure the highest quality and efficacy. For more than 65 years, innovation through collaboration has been the heart of what they do at Rock. Visit www.rockskincare.com for more information. I did an integrative dermatology like certification program on like Ayurvedic type dermatology, which is like, I feel like my roots. Tell me how you got into supplements and obviously your huge brand Array, which is very successful that you co-founded with your husband. So do you feel like your background had an impact? I know you had a personal kind of reason too. It's Speaker 1 (1:39) interesting because I think in the Indian subcontinent, so I'm originally from Bangladesh. I think what has happened is that, yes, like Ayurveda was a big part of like historically everything that was going on. But over time, I think we've started to lean very heavily on Western medicine, which is actually quite interesting. And so there's a lot of kind of like treat it. as quickly as possible sort of culture now. But when I was growing up, I remember my mom was actually quite big on like supplements. Yeah. But I was just not a believer in it. Speaker 2 (2:16) And Speaker 1 (2:16) so it's funny that I've kind of gone back to that over time. And obviously, you know, going through. the experience that I did, if essentially for your listeners who don't know, Speaker 2 (2:25) I Speaker 1 (2:26) was someone who was constantly in this loop of getting sick, taking antibiotics, getting better, doing it all over again. Essentially in my early twenties, this was happening over and over again. And I ended up fracturing a rib from a chronic cough. And when I went to my doctor, I was prescribed codeine. and essentially told that like just take it and you know it's going to be fine and of course like treating the symptoms treating the symptoms exactly and while that's helpful to solve it in the moment right I really wanted to not feel like that anymore and unfortunately there were no real answers for me and so that's when I really got into you know wellness and supplements and herbs and minerals and vitamins and really researching what each thing does. And that's kind of how I really got into it. But it was interesting because I remember even when I was little, like my mom would, you know, just tell me to do little things like make sure you're taking vitamin C, you know, like just like stupid or like turmeric. Yeah. I'm Persian. Yeah. OK, so. Yeah. Yeah. Very similar. I mean, my Speaker 2 (3:27) mom till this day, like I'll be like sick and she's like, use this little candy cane and you're you know, this is going to be great for you or beef tallow is something I. like grew up with using and I had no idea because of that. So first starting off, let's talk about just like career motherhood for anyone listening. You literally had babies like six weeks ago. And as you guys know, I had a baby last year. So what surprised you the most about the identity shift? Oh, this is Speaker 1 (3:57) an interesting Speaker 2 (3:58) one. Speaker 1 (3:58) So Speaker 2 (3:59) I. Speaker 1 (4:01) OK, so to preface, I was never a big baby person. I knew at some point I wanted to have kids, but it really was or a kid. It really was a lot of conversations and intentionality that went behind us, our decision to actually have a child. And, you know, when we wanted to have a child. Speaker 1 (4:25) truthfully, I was extremely scared before getting pregnant. And I remember calling up one of my best friends who's very similar to me. And I was like, tell me about your experience. And she's like, like, you don't need to worry. You're not going to like suddenly lose yourself. Like, for example, this is going to sound like very shallow, but it's just one small example. OK, I was like, I can't imagine. being pregnant and constantly being in sweats. Like I feel like it would be a big departure from who I am or all of a sudden not wanting to work as an example. And I was talking to my friend about this and she's like, that's just not going to happen to you because it's just it's not like you just switch overnight into like an entirely different individual. And that really was my experience with pregnancy. I, you know, I just went about my life as I normally did. Thankfully, I also had. very uncomplicated pregnancy. So I was able to do all of that in terms of the identity shift that's happened. I actually think that it has been the biggest level up that I've experienced probably what or one of the other one being when we started array. I feel like that was a big level up. And I feel like this is quite similar to that because it shakes up your life in the sense that, you know, now you have this. being that you are responsible for and you love so much. Speaker 2 (5:38) But Speaker 1 (5:39) at the same time, I think it it pushes you to make decisions faster. You're extremely efficient with your time. And I think, quite frankly, it has made me a much better business owner. And I didn't think that I could be someone who was. like who could optimize my time even more. Speaker 2 (5:56) And Speaker 1 (5:57) yet here we are. And I'm like, wow, I've had so much time all along. It's like it magically gives you even more time or you're just like working quicker within the same parameters. You're Speaker 2 (6:06) way more efficient. I actually realized the same thing because I was like, I feel like I I love my child, but I'm almost like a better mom when I'm like myself. I lost myself in that little moment. I Speaker 1 (6:19) completely agree with you. So. I we had done it so that I was definitely going to take two weeks off and then like it was flexible after that. I was so excited to go back to work and I went back to work 10 days in. Now, this is not something I advise for everyone. That was just something that I really wanted to do. You know, I'd see. Like I'd overhear calls and I'd interject even like before it was my time to go back and to work just because I love my work and it was exciting to go back. Of course, it wasn't like I was working 16 hour days upon my return. And still, I'm not doing that. I'm just seven weeks at the end of the day. But like, you know, definitely back into it and present in every facet. Like I would say 10 days. onwards. And it really did. It was important to me because I it's not that I did it because I had to do it. You know, we had set up the systems. Of course, when you're an entrepreneur, you know, so much still like rides on you. Speaker 2 (7:17) But Speaker 1 (7:17) at the same time, we had set everything up. It's just I was excited to go back to work. And I keep thinking about, you know, how is it that I want to bring up my daughter? And Speaker 2 (7:25) a Speaker 1 (7:26) core thing that I really want to teach her is that she can achieve whatever it is she wants with. enough rigor and effort and intentionality. And I want to show her that I am someone who enjoys working so that hopefully she embodies those same values in the future. And so I think it's I get to work. Speaker 2 (7:49) I'm Speaker 1 (7:49) so grateful that I get to work. I'm grateful that I get to wake up and work on something that makes a difference in people's lives. And I'm proud to do that. And I agree with you exactly that, you know. It feels like something for me. Speaker 2 (8:01) And Speaker 1 (8:02) I was also never someone again, everyone is very different, you know, but I was never someone who was going to be satisfied with just being a full time mom. Yeah, I think it is so honorable and incredible for people who do. But it's just it was not for me. And Speaker 2 (8:18) I think that for viewers like either and I've seen it both ways. I've seen people who especially dermatology colleagues, and I'm sure you've seen people where they. they have their child and they're like, you know what, this, this right here. And then they'll scale back on work because they want to. And I think that you can decide, you can decide which way you want to go. And I think that's the beauty of it. And I think that I love that you're bringing that up and I've brought it up before too. It's like, you don't have to lose yourself and you don't have to necessarily scale back. But I think being more intentional with your time and also like. Pacing might be a little bit different. Like deadlines might be a little bit different because we literally have a child. Yeah, Speaker 1 (9:00) exactly. And for example, you know, before having my daughter, I would start my workday closer to 830. That may not be possible on some days right now. You know, now I may not get to my computer. I mean, I'll get in on calls at nine. But, you know, if I can't be in front of my computer because I'm feeding her or whatever it is till 10. That's OK. Yeah, you know, and with us, like even for other women in my team who have children or, you know, just lives, we don't monitor who's going to be in front of their computer at what time. And oh, my gosh, like you weren't there at nine oh one. Yeah. How dare you? I mean, I just don't think it's a productive way to work. Yeah, Speaker 2 (9:41) because things things come up, especially if you do have a child. And I feel like just being a founder, you have to be very like. type a like that have you noticed that that has changed and are you okay with that not controlling every because you can't control yeah Speaker 1 (9:56) you definitely can't so i think i'm i was talking about this um with a friend of mine and i was like i'm a type a entrepreneur but a very type b Speaker 2 (10:04) parent and i'm okay with that and in terms of you know just my Speaker 1 (10:09) role at work. I mean, I think what I did get more comfortable with as I was going through the pregnancy is starting to hand things off and, Speaker 2 (10:20) you Speaker 1 (10:21) know, not necessarily being there for every little detail Speaker 2 (10:24) because Speaker 1 (10:25) I don't quite frankly, I don't need to be. And so that's really the only thing that's shifted. And then, of course, like if I can't get somewhere at like X. time I think that flexibility has really because I'm for example the most punctual person you'll ever meet Speaker 2 (10:39) I Speaker 1 (10:40) think I've had to let go of that a little bit because you know there is a factor out of my control and yeah I've also been surprised at how accommodating people are as well like I mean thankfully my team is also 99 % women and so you know if I'm running late to a call or whatever it is everyone's very understanding or like they'll start and they'll catch me up and or I'll get like a recording of something. You know what I mean? So it's just it's helped me trim off the fat a little bit. Speaker 2 (11:04) Yeah, that's really nice. What are some systems and boundaries you have in place or in your fashion week? You brought little girly with you, but you also, you know, brought some help. And I feel like I. Speaker 2 (11:18) It takes a village for sure. Where are your parents up in Canada, by the way? So Speaker 1 (11:23) my brother's in Canada. My parents are in Bangladesh right now. Okay. Yeah. Speaker 2 (11:27) Got it. That must be tough, right? I mean, Speaker 1 (11:30) yes, but they visit a lot. Yeah. And also, I will say I'm so close to my family. I'm truly like best friends with my parents and my brothers. But at the same time, I'm also a very independent person. Speaker 1 (11:45) Even right when we had Rain, we didn't want either sets of parents there. Speaker 2 (11:51) We wanted them Speaker 1 (11:52) to come a little bit later. Also, for us, it was important to have help outside of our parents because I don't want to rely on my parents. I want my parents to be there and just be like the fun grandparents. You know, I don't want them to be like, well, I have to take care of this baby now. I'm like, just come play with her. Hang out like I'll hand her off to you when I need to be doing something. But outside of that, we have help. And I really do want to be so real about this because. I, I think it's very difficult to do. it all all on your Speaker 2 (12:24) own. You know, and Speaker 1 (12:26) I mean, when it came to the intentionality behind having timing when we wanted to have our baby. It was really important to us to be in a financial position to afford the help that we wanted because neither of us were willing to take a backseat with our careers. And so, you know, we have help with our baby. We took her to New York with us. It's also been like baby boot camp for us because neither of us have, you know, nieces or nephews. We've not really been in front of babies at all. How's Speaker 2 (12:54) your husband showing up? Speaker 1 (12:55) He's the best. I like honestly, they really do step up. Speaker 2 (12:58) He is. Speaker 1 (12:59) He's so obsessed with her. It's so it's like the cutest thing ever. I feel like I have been so in love and so obsessed with my husband in the best possible way. And I didn't think it was possible to love him more. And yet somehow right now I do because I see him with my daughter and I'm like, oh, my God, this is the cutest thing I've ever seen. Yeah, he is. very unfazed by the diapers. I think it's a boy job, quite frankly. And in our household, it's a boy job. They are Speaker 2 (13:27) good at it. And I think that that is something to delegate. You're over here feeding. You're doing all the other things. And that is like a very easy thing. Speaker 1 (13:35) You Speaker 2 (13:35) can change the diapers. Literally, literally. And honestly, they don't mind it. Speaker 1 (13:39) Oh, they don't mind it at all. Speaker 1 (13:43) completely unfazed by it. He's like, so if it's really not that bad, I'm like, are we looking at the same thing? Because to me, this is this is bad. I know when they're a baby like Speaker 2 (13:51) that, it's like nasty. I mean, it gets kind of worse. I know. Speaker 1 (13:54) That's what my best friend