Maxine Laceby: The Everyday Woman Who Built a Multi-Million-Pound Collagen Empire

Maxine Laceby is a name that has become synonymous with late-life entrepreneurship, resilience, and redefining what success can look like after 50. Best known as the co-founder and CEO of Absolute Collagen, she transformed a simple kitchen experiment into one of the UK’s fastest-growing wellness brands. Her story resonates not because it followed a traditional business path, but because it didn’t. It is the story of an everyday woman who chose to begin again.

Maxine Laceby: Early Life and Background

Maxine Suzanne May Laceby was born in March 1966 in the United Kingdom. From an early age, creativity played an important role in her life, particularly through art. She later attended Oldfield Girls’ School in Bath, where she studied fine art between 1977 and 1982.

Although art remained a lifelong passion, Maxine’s early adult years followed a more conventional path. She worked in sales and marketing, including a role at a country house hotel. It was during this period that she met her future husband, Rob Laceby, a glass merchant.

Education Later in Life: Returning to Art

One of the defining aspects of Maxine Laceby’s story is her return to formal education decades later. In 2015, she enrolled at Wolverhampton School of Art, completing a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art in 2018.

This decision was not driven by career necessity but by personal fulfilment. Maxine has often described this period as transformative, helping her rediscover confidence, creativity, and a sense of identity beyond traditional roles. This return to learning in her late forties would later influence her entrepreneurial mindset.

Family Life: Motherhood and Personal Change

Marriage and Separation

Maxine married in her mid-twenties and spent many years as a stay-at-home mother. She and her husband Rob had two daughters, Darcy and Margot. After approximately two decades together, the couple separated in 2009 and later divorced.

Despite the separation, Maxine has stated in interviews that they remained on good terms and continued to share mutual respect.

Children and Grandchild

Maxine Laceby is the mother of:

• Darcy Laceby, co-founder of Absolute Collagen

• Margot Laceby, her youngest daughter

In 2025, Maxine became a grandmother following the birth of her granddaughter, Isla Grace, born to Margot and her partner Liam.

Maxine Laceby Age and Date of Birth

Maxine Laceby’s age and date of birth are well documented in public records. She was born on 5 March 1966, making her 59 years old as of 2025, and she is set to turn 60 in March 2026.

Rather than downplaying her age, Maxine has made it a defining part of her story. Her widely followed “60 things before 60” challenge highlights her belief that confidence, ambition, and personal growth do not have an expiry date, reinforcing her message of ageing positively and powerfully.

The Birth of Absolute Collagen

From Kitchen Experiment to Business Idea

The story of Maxine Laceby Absolute Collagen began not in a boardroom, but in a kitchen. While exploring nutrition and wellness, Maxine began experimenting with bone broth, intrigued by its potential benefits for skin and overall health.

As she researched further, she became particularly interested in collagen, its decline with age, and its role in skin, hair, nails, and joints. This curiosity sparked a bigger idea: could collagen be delivered in a simple, effective, and accessible daily format?

Founding with Her Daughter

In 2017, Maxine founded Absolute Collagen with her daughter Darcy Laceby. Their partnership combined lived experience, research, and a shared desire to challenge beauty norms. Rather than promising unrealistic results, the brand focused on consistency, quality, and transparency.

Building a Market-Leading Brand

Product Philosophy

Absolute Collagen is best known for its liquid marine collagen supplement, made from premium hydrolysed marine collagen. The formulation was refined over time, prioritising:

• High absorption

• Clean ingredients

• Ease of daily use

This attention to detail helped differentiate the brand in a crowded wellness market.

Growth and Recognition

Under Maxine’s leadership, Absolute Collagen became one of the UK’s fastest-growing collagen brands. The company achieved:

• Multi-million-pound turnover

• National retail presence

• Multiple industry awards

• Strong customer loyalty and thousands of five-star reviews

The brand’s success is rooted as much in trust and community as it is in product innovation.

Leadership Style and Business Values

Maxine Laceby’s leadership is shaped by authenticity rather than corporate tradition. She openly identifies as an “everyday woman”, a phrase that has become part of her personal brand.

Her approach is guided by several core principles:

• Transparency over hype

• Empowerment over perfection

• Consistency over quick fixes

These values are reflected in the company’s “Strong In Your Skin” campaign, which encourages people to feel confident at every stage of life.

Charity, Challenges, and Personal Campaigns

60 Things Before 60

As she approached her sixties, Maxine launched a personal challenge to complete 60 experiences before her 60th birthday. This initiative is not about spectacle but about growth, courage, and self-kindness.

Physical and Charitable Achievements

Among her most notable challenges:

• Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, despite sustaining injuries

• Participating in awareness campaigns for breast cancer

• Supporting children’s health charities

These experiences reflect her belief that age should not limit ambition, while also recognising the importance of listening to one’s body.

Public Image and Philosophy

Maxine Laceby is often described as inspiring precisely because she is relatable. She does not present herself as flawless or extraordinary, but as someone willing to learn, fail, and try again.

Her most quoted philosophy captures this mindset:

“Own who you are, be who you are, love who you are, and most of all, own the skin you’re in.”

This message resonates strongly with women who feel overlooked by traditional narratives of success.

Maxine Laceby Husband

Maxine Laceby’s husband and marital status can be clearly and respectfully summarised. She was previously married to Rob Laceby, with whom she shared many years of her early adult life and raised two daughters. The marriage ended following their separation in 2009, and Maxine is now divorced.

Since then, she has chosen to keep any current personal relationships private. By openly acknowledging her past while setting clear boundaries around her present life, Maxine Laceby has maintained a balance between transparency and privacy, a choice that has earned her respect rather than unnecessary speculation.

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Conclusion

Maxine Laceby’s story is not simply about business success. It is about reinvention, self-belief, and the courage to begin again when life changes course. From art student to stay-at-home mother, from divorcee to founder of a multi-million-pound wellness brand, her journey challenges the idea that opportunity has an expiry date.

Today, Maxine Laceby stands as a powerful example that success does not require perfection, youth, or privilege—only persistence, honesty, and the willingness to trust yourself.

FAQs

1. Who is Maxine Laceby?

Maxine Laceby is a British entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Absolute Collagen, one of the UK’s fastest-growing collagen supplement brands.

2. How old is Maxine Laceby?

She was born on 5 March 1966. As of 2025, Maxine Laceby is 59 years old and will turn 60 in March 2026.

3. What is Maxine Laceby known for?

She is best known for founding Absolute Collagen with her daughter Darcy, turning a kitchen experiment into a multi-million-pound wellness business.

4. What is Absolute Collagen by Maxine Laceby?

Absolute Collagen Maxine Laceby refers to the UK-based beauty and wellness brand she founded with her daughter Darcy, specialising in premium liquid marine collagen supplements for daily use.

5. Who is Maxine Laceby’s husband?

Maxine Laceby was previously married to Rob Laceby. They separated in 2009, she is now divorced, and she keeps her current personal relationships private.

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