Lauren Bosworth started Love Wellness with a simple idea; self-care meets body positivity. For the former television personality, this meant a brand centered on the need for straightforward and accessible products that take an inside-out approach to health and wellness (think: pH-balancing skin care, daily vitamins, and probiotic-packed supplements that deal with everything from digestive health to intimate hygiene). Developed in collaboration with a team of women — including physicians, holistic doctors and nutritionists — Lauren’s collection is designed to take the embarrassment out of shopping for personal care products. To ensure a positive experience, the CEO and Founder imbued her brand with bright colors and cheeky names (i.e. UTI Don’t Think So), and offers routine-building kits as well as a customizable subscription service. “My goal was to create something that not only worked, but would empower women to take charge of their health,” said Lauren, who is a 2022 CEW Beauty Creators Awards Ambassador. Here, in a 5 Minutes Q&A, Lauren sits with CEW Beauty News to chat about her business background, beauty trends, and what’s next for Love Wellness.

BN: Please share a little about your journey into the beauty/wellness space. What has the experience been like?

LB: I started Love Wellness by myself in my New York City apartment after I had been struggling with severe vitamin deficiencies. I worked with my doctors to create products to help solve my own health problems and realized there was a huge white space in the market for clean, effective products with messaging that was body positive for women. For so long women’s wellness products had been legacy brands that made women feel embarrassed or ashamed or were inaccessible to the average consumer. My goal was to create something that not only worked, but would empower women to take charge of their health. Since my beginning in the wellness and beauty space, I’ve seen the industry grow with so many incredible brands starting up. It’s been wonderful to see consumers are prioritizing their health and how companies are responding to this shift.

BN: Most are familiar with your entertainment background, but can you please share a bit about your business background and how, as an entrepreneur, you are navigating this industry?

LB: My background in business is rooted in working for myself since a young age. I’ve been a content creator for many years and through that experience I built an understanding of how to connect with my audience which has been vital for Love Wellness. I started Love Wellness in 2016 and hired my first employee in 2018. For the two years in between this, I sat in every chair of the business which has ultimately helped me navigate our growth. I used to cold call contract manufacturers to create our products, answered every customer service email, and built our first website myself. Knowing these different aspects of the business has helped me to navigate being an entrepreneur.

Love Wellness Products 2022BN: What are some of your big goals for Love Wellness in 2022?

LB: This year, we’re excited to amplify education around probiotics as we continue to launch different probiotics for different body parts. This is the future of the probiotic category and because of our existing innovation, we certainly have the right to win here. Each new launch will help us to lead authentically with education in the self-care space. In addition to product innovation, we’re excited to expand our community reach. We currently have an online community forum, The Love Club in beta.

BN: As someone who is relatively new to beauty, what has been your experience so far?

LB: Being part of the beauty and wellness industry has been an exciting period for myself and the Love Wellness team. We’ve been able to connect with new retailers and consumers and make new connections. Our products help one to feel beautiful from within and we’ve found that message resonates well within the beauty community.

BN: Do you have mentors? Who are you leaning on for guidance?
LB: My parents have been incredible mentors to me throughout my career and are the people I always lean on for guidance. They are people who have my back through everything and I find them to have great perspectives on all things from life to business.

BN: What trends in beauty do you most identify with as a beauty consumer?
LB: I’m a lover of all things beauty — from makeup, to skin care, to hair care. I’ve always loved experimenting with makeup and my look. Currently, I’m inspired by the Euphoria look and trend — everything from using more color in eye makeup or adding jewels to finish off a look. This trend is encouraging because it invites consumers to play with their makeup and is a reminder that you can express yourself through beauty.

BN: Why do you think it’s important for a brand to seek peer recognition?
LB: Peer recognition strengthens the entire beauty and wellness community. As brands support one another, it helps them each to grow.

BN: What are your thoughts on CEW’s Beauty Creators Awards for smaller brands?
LB: The CEW Beauty Creators Awards are a wonderful way for smaller brands to get the recognition they deserve. The platform and recognition they can gain through these awards might be one catalyst to take them from a ‘small brand’ to the next major must-have brand.

To enter your products into this year’s CEW Beauty Creators Awards–an annual program honoring outstanding product innovation and the teams that create them–please click here. Product entries to participate in this year’s event close April 20. You can’t win if you don’t enter.