Lo Bosworth, a former ‘The Hills’ star, faced ridicule for launching a vaginal health brand. However, the brand is now being sold in Walmart.
Lo Bosworth, a former 'The Hills' star, faced ridicule for launching a vaginal health brand. However, the brand is now being sold in Walmart.
Love Wellness: From Skepticism to Success
Image Source: Fortune
When Lo Bosworth, best known for her appearances on the reality TV series Laguna Beach and The Hills, launched her brand Love Wellness seven years ago, little did she know it would be met with confusion and skepticism. Love Wellness initially focused on vaginal health products, a topic that was seen as stigmatized and not commonly discussed in public. Headlines such as “Reality TV star sells vaginal health treatments” didn’t make for an easy debut. But Bosworth’s brand has come a long way since then, breaking barriers and expanding its product line to cater to a wider audience and achieve remarkable success.
“It was not an immediate success,” Bosworth acknowledges. “The media was confused. The brand was made fun of and I was made fun of.” However, Love Wellness didn’t let these initial setbacks define their journey. They persevered and evolved, expanding their assortment to include popular wellness products like probiotics, sleep aids, and anti-bloating pills. Love Wellness products, priced around $25 a bottle, are now sold in major retailers such as Ulta, Target, and Walmart.
Love Wellness, currently employing about 45 people, is a testament to the power of retail shelves. Bosworth discovered that by providing women with the products they genuinely need, in a place where they feel comfortable, the brand could achieve the desired results. Love Wellness strategically places its products in the natural beauty aisle at Target and the digestive health aisle at Walmart. Bosworth explains, “If you go into the condom or tampon aisle, you’re running in and out—it’s not a place you want to stay to hang out. But in a different part of the store where you’re more comfortable picking up products and reading labels, you’re much more open to discovery.”
Starting a brand like Love Wellness was Bosworth’s personal journey of self-discovery. She wanted to transition away from the entertainment industry, where the uncertainty of finding the next job made it challenging to be the master of her own destiny. Bosworth moved from California to New York and found her “sweet spot” as the founder and operator of a consumer brand. Through Love Wellness, she could shape her own future and make a positive impact on women’s health.
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Looking back at the skepticism they faced initially, Bosworth is gratified to see other wellness brands embracing the women’s health space that Love Wellness entered. Startups like Evvy and Uqora, focused on vaginal health, validate the importance of the category Love Wellness pioneered. Bosworth reflects, “I’m relieved we were so early to the category.”
Love Wellness’s success story not only highlights Bosworth’s resilience and determination but also the untapped potential of addressing women’s health needs. By challenging taboos and creating products that are easily accessible, Love Wellness has carved a niche for itself in the wellness industry.
As Bosworth stepped down as CEO earlier this year, she entrusted Love Wellness’s future to Maria Dempsey, a seasoned executive with leadership experience at Nest, Lancôme, and Clarins. The brand’s growth and expansion continue under the new leadership, reinforcing its status as a force to be reckoned with in the world of wellness.
Love Wellness serves as an inspiration for other entrepreneurs venturing into uncharted territories. It demonstrates the importance of authenticity, effective distribution strategies, and the power of providing solutions that truly resonate with consumers. Bosworth’s journey from skepticism to success exemplifies the limitless potential of transforming personal discoveries into thriving businesses.
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- Call it a comeback: After weathering a period of uncertainty caused by sexual abuse scandals, Simone Biles and USA gymnastics are set to return full stride. Sponsors, previously hesitant due to the scandals, are now aligning with the program again, as evidenced by Nike’s record sponsorship deal with the gymnastics federation.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
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PARTING WORDS
“If they see our shirts someplace and somebody knows a Linda, we give them a card.”
—Linda Gray, a member of the L.I.N.D.A. Club, a group for women named Linda. The club aims to recruit younger members and foster connections beyond the shared name.
This article was curated by Joseph Abrams for The Broadsheet, ANBLE’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Subscribe here.