Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe - Lo Bosworth | Vaginas, Being a Woman & Loving Yourself Well (REPEAT)

Episode Date: May 28, 2024

#740. REPEAT OUR GREATEST HIT EPISODES: About half the population has one, and yet there is STILL shame? We’re talkin’ vaginas, Vinos! Lo Bosworth joins Kaitlyn in NY to share what she’...s learned as the founder of an incredible women’s wellness brand, Love Wellness. From vaginal health to business advice and everything in between. These two talk about destigmatizing discharge, why women’s health is so reactive, and how the brain, gut, and vagina are all in cahoots. (Who knew?) This episode is packed with so many tidbits of knowledge, it’s the education we wish we had in school. Plus, Lo and Kaitlyn get into the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of self-care, and the luxury of having a good night's sleep. Oh, and Lo tries convincing KB to hop on the Sex and the City train – will she do it? Who knows! Cheers to celebrating womanhood and kicking vaginal stigma out the door! Find more resources at lovewellness.com or @lovewellness on Instagram If you’re LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below! PLUS, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST INSTAGRAM HERE! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: (3:52) - Discussion on what every woman should know about their vagina. (7:39) - Connection between the gut and the vagina: how gut health impacts vaginal health! (28:09) - Reflecting on how being known from Laguna Beach and The Hills influenced personal growth and career perception. (37:18) - Playing the game "What Can't Lo Live Without." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Starting point is 00:00:53 please contact Conix Ontario at 1866-531-2600 to speak to a advisor free of charge but mGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with i gaming ontario off the vine hey everybody welcome to off the vine i'm your host katelym bristow vaginas that's what we're talking about today i've got low bosworth on the pod half the population has one let's talk about them we talk about her starting her own brand what you need to know and where you can get started enjoy how many shows you recording today just two you're
Starting point is 00:01:27 No, I had four yesterday. Holy shit. Yeah. And then two today. So honestly, I was at the end of yesterday. I was like, and then I had to go to a dinner and I felt like I was a zombie. And then, like I said earlier, I come alive at night. And then I got my second one right when I was trying to go to bed.
Starting point is 00:01:44 And I was like, no. But I got a little sleep in this morning. I feel very energized and good. Yeah. I'll probably crash again after this because that's what I do. The four is just so much for your brain just to handle. Oh, my God. There's just something about talking.
Starting point is 00:01:57 for four hours. It's exhausting. That's exhausting. Yeah. But I also get exhausted very easily. Like I was telling somebody, I don't know what it is about sitting on a plane to go to somewhere that's like an hour time difference. I'm like, I'm exhausted.
Starting point is 00:02:12 Like, what was I doing? Just sitting. I know. I think it's, I don't know what it is, but I completely agree with you. I get exhausted. But I've also had COVID four times. Have you had COVID four times? I just took a test this morning and just because I like to take tests.
Starting point is 00:02:26 I woke up this morning. I thought it was, I was like, it's either AC, the AC in here or COVID. And so I took a test, negative. Thank God. Yeah. I wouldn't be here. No. And it was as soon as I got up and drank water, I was fine. And then I took the test. I was like, oh, it was clear. Do you ever stay in AC and the air conditioning just like attacks your throat? You know, I have my air conditioner on year round in my bedroom. So like. You like to be chilly when you sleep. Yeah, 66. 66? Yeah. Oh, I'm like a 72 toaster struel. I hate that. Oh, I love being cozy and warm. And that is, that would make me not want to get out of bed. I think. Because I'd want to stay in the covers. You know how in, um, what country is it where they like
Starting point is 00:03:08 leave their babies in their little strollers on the sidewalks outside restaurants in the cold? What? It might be a Danish tradition or something. What? Like the cold helps the baby sleep. And it actually has been proven that a cold environment helps you fall asleep and stays. Really? Mm-hmm. Yeah. Oh, maybe I should try it. Yeah. My mother also used to like put a in like full flannel pajamas, flannel sheets, flannel everything growing up, sauce, and you just fry at night. So now I've gone the exact. You're like, it's like a resentment thing for you.
Starting point is 00:03:35 You're like, back in, I'm going to sleep in the cold. I grew like. I'm going to be so hot. Now I need to freeze. Oh, gosh. Well, thank you for coming on the pot again. It's nice to see you again. I ran into you last time I was in New York.
Starting point is 00:03:47 Yeah, you guys were at that restaurant. I forget what it's called, but delicious. Delicious fish. Delicious. Yeah. Amazing cocktails. The food was insane. No, it was good. I really enjoyed that spot. I can't remember the name of it. I think that was the first time we've met, but I've, like, obviously followed you for so long and, like, have high awareness of you, but. Oh, was that? Oh, because we did over Zoom. And then I met you at that restaurant. Oh, yeah. Yeah. You're right. So that was, that was our first time. God, I love in-person interviews. I love, in-person is just superior to the rest. I'm so sick of Zooms. And then last time you're on the pod, we talked about,
Starting point is 00:04:25 how you started love wellness and all of that. And you were suffering from anxiety, depression, and chronic yeast infections, which nobody has time for. I mean, it sounds gross. That's, you know, like calling it a yeast infection just sounds gross. But it happens all the time to people. And you were like, what is going on in my body? Yeah. I guess this was when I first started the company, I mean, sort of the origin foundational story of the business. Yeah. Yes. So what have you you learned that you think all women should know about their vagina? So. You're like a lot. Where do I start? So with Love Wellness, we're on year seven, year eight of the business now. Yeah. Congratulations. That's amazing. Thank you. Oh my God. It's been
Starting point is 00:05:11 a wild ride. Yes, I bet. I'm finally taking a short vacation next week. Good for you. Where are you going? London just for a couple of days. Yeah. I love that for you. Yeah, for my birthday because we didn't do any. Well, we did all work travel this summer. Yes. But so when I first started the company, it's because I had a whole host of health issues. I'm like a sickly Victorian woman. Like I've had COVID four times. I had mono. I had a TBI. A door fell on my head. Like I just, oh my God. In 2019, a heavy ass door in a restaurant came off its hinges and fell on my head. You've got to be kidding me. Yes. And I had the worst concussion. And I'm very forgetful. Oh, no. You're like long-term COVID and. Yeah, so if I lose my train of thought mid-sentence, just for my... At least you have an excuse because I, that happens to me and I don't
Starting point is 00:06:00 have any excuses. So I'll help you out, though. But yeah, when I started the company, I was dealing with all these health issues and saw doctors for almost 18 months before I had any sort of like concrete data that I could go off of in terms of test results, things that actually showed something was wrong inside my body. Because when I was... was really unwell. It was like depression, anxiety, UTIs, these infections, kind of like you said. And it took me 18 months for a doctor to even run a blood panel for me. I went to the doctor over and over again and they're like, you're just stressed. You're just like, you need to sleep more. Like, here's some Prozac. I was like, okay. I'm going to try all these things,
Starting point is 00:06:40 right? But as a woman, you really have to advocate for yourself. And finally, I got, because I think they were sick seeing me in their waiting room. Good. Because at seven, they're like, let's do a blood test. Yeah. Give the girl a blood panel. Yeah. And it turns out I was suffering from some really severe vitamin deficiencies. And it took me a while longer to kind of understand how that had happened. But at first, when those results came back, at least I had a starting point. And I felt less like I was being gaslit by myself. You know, because I think you start to wonder at a certain point. You're like, am I making this up? Like, am I, is this? Is it in my head? Because the brain is a powerful thing and it really can trick you sometimes. Completely. And anyway, once I had that information,
Starting point is 00:07:27 I was able to go back to different doctors and do my own research and understand that I think a lot of my issues like at the baseline level were being caused by a major gut health problem, which is very typical for people of our age. Like, we were the antibiotic generation. We grew up taking antibiotics many times a year. And of course, antibiotics are incredible, but, um, life-saving, but, you know, they can, they don't discriminate when it comes to bacteria, right? No, they get, they wipe out all bacteria, right? Yeah. And so, you know, like we grew up the antibiotic generation, taking ibuprofen and, you know, things like over-the-counter pain medication, alcohol, preservative, sugar. Like, there's so many things that can cause gut dysbiosis or, like, you know, disruption
Starting point is 00:08:18 of your gut microbiome, which can lead to having to be way harder for your body to absorb nutrients. And it also can lead to things like leaky gut, which can cause depression, anxiety, also supported by those vitamin deficiencies. The vitamin deficiencies I had were directly tied to the neurological symptoms that I was experiencing, which is pretty spooky. And then the gut and the vagina are also connected on the same axis. So the brain gut vagina live on the same axis. The gut influences the brain and the vagina. And when it comes to the gut, your gut microbiome, if it's in good shape, it basically, like, we like to describe it at level.
Starting point is 00:08:57 And this is like the bacteria, like, text each other from the vagina to the tummy. And like the gut bacteria, if they're doing well, they can influence the behavior of the vaginal microbiome, either positively or negatively. Right. So if your gut health is in bad shape, it's likely that you may experience, you know, a breakdown in, like, the immunity of your vagina as an immunity organ. Right. Because the vagina is actually an immunity organ. If you think about it. Like, you have your vaginal microbiome, which dictates or determines your vaginal pH levels.
Starting point is 00:09:31 Yeah. Your vaginal pH to be acidic because an acidic pH or environment helps prevent the overgrowth of, like, bad bacteria, yeast, pathogens, right? protects you from bad stuff. And so, like, if your gut health is out of whack, your vaginal health could be out of whack, and it could lead you down a road of chronic infections. It could be yeast infections, BV, UTIs. Like, it's all the same kind of area and bacteria. So anyway, once I had that information, I was like, wow, my doctors finally started to point me in the right direction. They were like, why don't you try probiotics? Why don't you try boric acids depositories? But it really took so much self-advocacy for me.
Starting point is 00:10:10 to figure out and put the puzzle pieces together. And that was really frustrating for me. No kidding. But the experience did show me that there was a huge opportunity in women's wellness, a huge white space opportunity from a product innovation standpoint and from a brand standpoint, right? When I started the company in 2016, it was the early days of like Glossier and Casper, right? Like consumer brands with a capital B were really in their early heyday.
Starting point is 00:10:40 And so I thought, can I make a women's wellness brand that tackles or, like, turns some of these things that we have been embarrassed by that are stigmatized into just routine, like into a wellness routine, right? Yeah. And can we like address these things head on and get ahead of them and work to actively prevent these things from happening through, you know, the wellness routine that we put out versus having to just be reactionary to these things. It's crazy because we have been like so, there's been so much shame. around stuff that happens with the vagina that nobody is talk to us about. Like, I remember having to ask my sister, like, why does stuff come out? Like, what is this? And she was like, it's called discharge.
Starting point is 00:11:21 And I was like, why is this happening? I thought I was the only one it happened to. Should we be ashamed of the snail trail? We should get Dr. Horton on here to talk about vaginal discharge, but I'll do my best. And that's the doctor you work with for your company. One of our medical experts. Yeah, she's an amazing OBGYN. So it changes over the course of your month, depending on your hormones.
Starting point is 00:11:43 Yeah. So like the consistency changes. But basically, like, what comes out of you is just like your body's natural cleansing mechanism. Yeah. It's like dead skin cells and stuff. Yeah. Just like being sent out of the body. You have this stuff like on your website, right?
Starting point is 00:12:01 Like how, like, people. Yeah. What I love about the brand is that we give you the education that you didn't actually learn in school. Exactly. And a lot of what we're sharing. has been, you know, discovered in the past, like, 10, 15, 20 years, like women's research is so far behind when you compare it to research surrounding men's sexual wellness and health. Right.
Starting point is 00:12:25 And, you know, when I started the company, nobody was talking about vaginal probiotics and, like, the benefit of that. People didn't even know what I was talking about. They're like, I eat yogurt. I'm good. Yeah. And so, you know, sort of consumer. understanding has changed dramatically, you know, in the last 10 years when it comes to subject
Starting point is 00:12:45 matter. But, I mean, really, like, we, I had, like, maybe 30 minutes of sex ed in school. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Same. Right. And like they were not. It was like one day. They were like, we're doing this today. Correct. It's like pregnancy and STDs. That's it. You don't actually teach you how your body works. And so we're left in the dark. They still don't. They still don't. And you have to, if you want really good guidance from your doctors, you already have to be well researched and well read to come in armed with questions and like have otherwise how would you know exactly like and have a general understanding of kind of at least how you feel and what's going on to be able to like ask the right questions why do you think we are so reactive
Starting point is 00:13:28 when it comes to women's health i i think it's because we have been taught since day one that you know, these are your private parts. Like, this is your private business. Yeah. Yeah, that's true. You know what you mean? That's true. It's like between you and your doctor, at least now I think women's issues are more
Starting point is 00:13:50 of a conversation within a community of women. Yeah. You know, we have come that far where more women I see are comfortable talking about these things to each other. Yes, totally. But it didn't used to be that way. No. When I started the company, I was like, am I the only person on the planet having these
Starting point is 00:14:05 problems. I didn't have, I wasn't armed with consumer research, right? You know, it's my first time starting. You're like, is this even going to be a thing? Exactly. I had no idea. I was like, is this just me? And if so, sad. But it turns out it wasn't just me. It can't be. And you're like, oh, wait, it's probably like. It's probably everybody. I was going to say it's probably 100% of women either need knowledge, feel shame, have something going on in their body that they're unsure about, questions about like certain things that you've again never learned about in school and now we can finally start talking about it as women together yeah i mean we just launched in walmart so if that tells you anything it should tell you a lot about like the state of the category and where we're at that's cool
Starting point is 00:14:47 walmart yeah nice vagina is going super mainstream yes i love it i mean that's why we're here talking about it today yeah i think it's great it's and like you said about advocating so hard for yourself, it takes like 102 doctor's appointments to even confirm that I, like, I found out I have PMDD. And that was never, like, even still, I had to go through a few doctors to find that out. Women's health is fascinating to me in general, but especially when you're dealing with something like that people have found such a taboo topic around. Do you have anything, do you have PCOS or PMDD or no? I mean, I get like bad PMS sometimes. Yeah. There has historically from me, like, when I was experiencing really bad depression and anxiety, like my PMS was really, really bad.
Starting point is 00:15:36 Yeah. But I feel like it, like, fluctuates, you know, depending on overall health. What do you do? Do you have any self-care routines or practices that you do in that time that you find helpful? Yeah. I mean, we actually make a great product at Love Wellness that we make specifically for PMS. Yeah. But there are a lot of natural ingredients that have been clinically studied that support and ease the symptoms of PMS and PMDD.
Starting point is 00:15:59 And so Mood Pills is one of those products that has like organic chaspery root in it, you know, which is like a miracle ingredient for women's bodies, Oshwaganda, which is a great adaptogen, things like that. St. John's wort, which, you know, is for some people, not for everybody. But, you know, medicine comes from plants, right? Like the prescriptions that we get are like the chemical forms for the most part of like plants. And so it like, I don't think it takes a time. of brain power to make the connection that you can look to the earth for, you know, ingredients from nature to help support your body, right?
Starting point is 00:16:37 Like you are what you eat. Right. Truly. At the end of the day. And I think when it comes to PMS and that time of the month, too, just, I mean, I'm PMSing right now and I just didn't interview with somebody. And I was like, you know, I'm PMSing. I'm just going to get the bagel.
Starting point is 00:16:51 Like I know the gluten kind of f*** me up. But like, I'm just going to eat it anyway because I want it. It's about balance. Right. And she was like, me too. I'm getting the bagel too. Perfect. We're in this together. Yes, we're in this together now.
Starting point is 00:17:02 But, I mean, PMS is like, God, like, I've started to look at other people who exercise differently throughout their cycles, and I've started to adopt that practice. Yes. Like, do you notice a difference? This, well, like, this week I'm so tired. And I started running a couple of months ago. Oh, good for you. Like, jogging really slowly. Yeah, of course.
Starting point is 00:17:21 Yeah, jogging slowly. That's what I do when I run. Yes. Yeah. Jogging. I'm the slowest jogger on the West Side Highway. Hey, you know what, you're out there. No shame in your slow jog game.
Starting point is 00:17:32 But I was like this week, I was like looking at my, I don't know, period tracker and I was like, oh, it makes sense why I'm so exhausted. It's the week before my period. And like, should I be out there running six miles? Probably not. Actually not. You know what I mean? I don't even do that on a, you know, and I'm not being amazing. Yeah, I think like exercising according to your cycle has definitely helped.
Starting point is 00:17:52 Yeah. I'm like, just getting enough rest and listening to your body. And like, if you're in a bad mood, that's okay. Like just be in a bad mood Being a bad mood It's fine You don't have to like squash those feelings
Starting point is 00:18:01 Don't bury it Just be in your bad mood I'm Just be in your bad mood It's I feel like When I ask people Like how are you doing And they give me an honest answer
Starting point is 00:18:09 Like I'm actually having Such a bad day Or this happened to me But I'm like thank you I love when people Can be honest about that kind of thing You should move to New York girl Everyone's honestly
Starting point is 00:18:18 That's true I'm in the south More people will tell you They're having a bad day Than a good day here In New York City I'm literally in the south where everybody's just like, oh, bless your heart.
Starting point is 00:18:28 And they like, their hair is done to go to the grocery store. And it's just everybody's happy, go lucky. And everything's great and perfect. Everyone's happy all right. Yeah, no. Remind me if you have a, do you have a medical background or you just have done so much research on your own? No, I'm just a hyper nerd. I mean, I wish that I was a doctor.
Starting point is 00:18:44 If I could go back and do my life over again, I would have gone to medical school and, you know, be practicing. But I just have a deep interest in the subject matter. And you're very hands-on. I have done a bunch of research. Yeah. I mean, I have always led our product innovation at Love Wellness from day one and continue to do so. I hired a new CEO in March. I was the CEO for the last seven years and was like, okay, we need a real career CEO now.
Starting point is 00:19:11 Right, right. I was like, I don't know how to manage 40 people. Seriously. The managing people is the hardest part. It's so hard. It's so hard. You've never done it before. You're a first time founder.
Starting point is 00:19:22 How are you supposed to develop talent? Right. Like when you have not done that yourself, right? Like you are developing as an individual within your own company. How are you supposed to manage the development of like a young UX designer? Right. When you don't know how to do that. Right. Right. So bringing in that CEO was critical. And it's given me so much more time and like energy back so that I can focus on innovation, on marketing, on like the brand and who we are and we want to communicate. That's awesome. So what is, do you have like a brand slogan? Love yourself well, which takes on a couple of meanings. Next year we're doing a big rebrand, which I'm really excited about. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, we're like, can I talk about this, Anna? Meg's going to kill me.
Starting point is 00:20:12 Give people excited. I love it. Yeah, we were coming out with a rebrand next year with, like, updated, like, color systems so that people can better shop the brand and understand what products for what categories and things like that. So we're really excited for sort of like the next, the next phase. Yes, I love the growing and evolving as a brand. And I love, I'm all for a revamp.
Starting point is 00:20:32 Yes, it is so fun. What is, I mean, there's so many people out there that want to build a brand and that are looking to have their own business. And what do you think your biggest learning lesson has been through all of this? Yeah. I would say that one of the things that I think is really challenging for business owners right now is just and this is like kind of high level and it's not super personal advice but it's important advice is that the economy is in a really challenging place right now like a recession is real
Starting point is 00:21:04 it's really hard to raise money and I think that there has been such a bubble built around consumer brands there are so many consumer brands that have launched in the past couple years and we're seeing that bubble burst like it's like a tech bubble that like goes bust right you know what I mean you're like seeing a bunch of companies go under a bunch of companies being sold left and right. And it's because D2C is an old business model now. You know, you can start as a digitally native business, but you have to be Omnichannel to be profitable or even be close to profitable because to acquire a customer on the internet now is so expensive versus the heyday of 2019, you know, where you could get like a seven ROAS like on an ad. It's not like that anymore
Starting point is 00:21:45 for any D2C business. It is really hard to be digitally native. And so I would think really really hard about starting any kind of consumer brand in the next probably two to three years because we're seeing so many brands be really challenged just because generally, you know, the state of the economy, which is like a big nerd answer. No, I actually love that answer because it's, that's like what I really think. And I have seen trends change as as my business has like grown and developed over time. You know, like, we're not immune to the, to the trends, you know what I mean, and to the changes. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:22:25 And so it's like, what's happening around you is really relevant. Yeah. No, that's actually really great advice. So don't quit your job and go start a nail polish company, is my advice. Not right now, anyways. Not right now. Right now is all the time to do it. What do you think your, like, ultimate goal is for the brand?
Starting point is 00:22:42 I think international distribution would be a really wonderful goal. Yeah. We have affected so much positive change here in the United States, and we're only distributed in the U.S. Because vitamins, cosmetics, like once you go international, you are subject to a whole different governing body, rules, regulations, label requirements. And so we just don't have the team size and bandwidth to be like, guess what? We're launching in, you know, 10 European countries, you know, and our labels are now in French and German and whatever. It's a lot. That's a lot.
Starting point is 00:23:16 Right. Like, there's enough. to kind of do at home for now. But ultimately, if we could be an international brand, I think that would be just so amazing. I think, well, I always want people to dream the biggest they could possibly dream. So that sounds like, you know, if you're putting it out there and you believe in it, it can happen. We're going to do it. You're going to do it. It's going to be in French and German and it's going to be international and you're going to be an international sensational businesswoman. You are a business woman. It's which owning a business I know can be
Starting point is 00:23:47 super demanding. So what does your day-to-day look like? How do you balance? I don't even know if I believe in balance, but how do you do like life and work? How do you manage that? So we're in the office three days a week. Our team is in New York. We kept our Monday, Friday, work from home schedule, but we've been back in the office for since the beginning of 2021. Nice. And I think it's really helped our team. It's really helped me as an individual because if I, don't have some place to get up and be during the day, that's like when my isolation tendencies start to set in and, like, I get depressed and lonely, right? Like, when you're home all day by yourself. So I actually love going to work. But I have a really healthy work life balance,
Starting point is 00:24:36 and it's something that culturally is just a part of who we are at love wellness. Like, we work like 930 to 5, 5.30. Like, you don't need to work on the weekends. Like, you don't need to. You don't need to do so much all the time. And I think we really try to practice what we preach, right? Like, we're a health and wellness brand. And to be well, you have to have time for yourself. You can't just be going all the time. That leads to burnout. That leads to health problems. Disease, illness. Like, take a nap, man. Yeah. Okay. I will after this. I am great at like leaving at five and going for a little run or a jog and taking a tub and going to bed by like 9.30. Good for you. My gosh. I wish. I'm glad do you have that balance because
Starting point is 00:25:24 I mean, truly think about what a luxury it is to be able to go to bed. Yeah. For any person, whether you're single, partnered, a mom, a not, right? Being able to go to sleep is like such a luxury. And so if you have the ability to do it more often or with greater frequency, like do it. It's the little things you got to be grateful for in life. You know what I mean? Absolutely. Which to some people, that would be a really big thing. You obviously are known from Laguna Beach, The Hills. Do you feel like that helped you with your growth? Or do you think that you had to prove yourself more in that industry because of it? I think both. And this is a question I get a lot.
Starting point is 00:26:08 Damn it. Try to be original. No, it's okay. It continues to evolve as time passes. My feelings on it continue to change. So it's actually, whenever I get the question, it's actually kind of fresh. Okay. Oh, good. So, you know, when I launched the company, I had an initial immediate success because I had an audience on social media, which came from being on television. Right. So to be in a position of privilege where you can communicate with hundreds of thousands of people, what you're feeling or your experience is a mighty one.
Starting point is 00:26:41 Do you know what I mean? And so for me, being able to launch with that type of. of platform and network was incredibly beneficial. I think what was challenging was why should I take you low seriously in this position, right? Like, you're not a doctor. Right. Like, you're, you haven't operated a consumer brand before. Like, why you? And the reality is that if you have a deep enough passion for something, like, you can learn enough about it to make it happen. And ultimately, I never wanted my long-term career to be in entertainment. it was always something that kind of made me uncomfortable.
Starting point is 00:27:19 And so I was always trying to seek out for myself an alternative, right? And again, I started to share my story and it's quite an authentic one. And once I started to do that, I think because the conversations were being had for kind of the first time, like not a lot of people at that time were like talking about vaginal health. or urinary tract health or gut health or whatever, that it was really easy for a big portion of the audience to identify because they were going through the exact same thing. Yes. And it was like the light bulb went off for people. And they were like, holy shit.
Starting point is 00:27:59 Because it's one thing if you're just trying to sell a product. It's another if you can speak to it from personal experience and something that you've been suffering from and found ways to help yourself and here's what it is. Yeah, absolutely. And I think, you know, that authenticity factor, you know, is a huge part. of why we were successful out of the gate and continue to be successful. Also, the products work really well. So the innovation is incredibly effective and, like, has been validated. Yeah. Like, our products work. Yeah. Yeah. And they're, like, game changers in the category.
Starting point is 00:28:30 And so I think that was also a huge relief for people, you know, like, if you keep getting UTIs or BV or whatever, you're, like, at your wit's end. You can try anything to, like, solve your problem, right? And so it doesn't matter if somebody who owns a business that was on a reality show owns that business. Like, you will try it. And if it works, like, amazing. And then you're going to tell your friends. And then you've now built this community of women who can talk about these things. And I always talk about how community is one of the most important things when building a brand. And I think that's, that is such an important community to have women that can talk to other women about things. You never learned about your bodies about not feeling shame about what works for
Starting point is 00:29:10 you, try this out. And again, your website has so much information on it and good resources. So what is that love wellness community like? Are they just like a bunch of vulnerable women who come together and talk about vaginas? What is it? You know, it's evolved over time. I think for people initially, it was like really a place of discovery where these conversations, like I said, were being had for the first time. And I think we have a lot of people that sort of participate in community, but we also have, like, a big silent community of people that still don't want to, like, leave a comment on an Instagram post talking about their body, which I completely understand, right? We've never asked people to, like, shout about this from the rooftops. You know what I mean? Like, you are as comfortable with it as you are, right? So I think that there's, like, a big contingent of people who are just there for the education and absorb the information and consume the products. And then there's definitely a group that is much more vocal about how helpful and life-changing the brand has been for them. And both are incredibly important and valid. Totally. But yes, you're right. And where can people kind of keep
Starting point is 00:30:21 up with the community if they want to be part of it? I would say our social channels, for sure. You know, we have always wanted to build like a true community platform. And we've like had sort of like beta tests of that here and there. But I would say our social channels. And even like, the reviews on our website is like where you see a lot of community building happening. People ask questions. Other customers respond. You can find a lot of information in the reviews products on Lovewellness. com, which is really, really interesting. That is. I love that because I feel like there's so many women, maybe listening right now, that. Joe's, Upside? Oh, that's so nice. I was like, is it Joe's or Upside? Sorry, a pizza got just got delivered.
Starting point is 00:31:09 I literally was just like, is that pizza? I haven't eaten anything today. I'm so excited. PMS lady over here. I'm like, pizza. Yeah, please help yourself after this. It's for everybody. It's for everybody.
Starting point is 00:31:19 Oh, I cannot wait. I just had a bagel. I'm actually full. Oh, okay. Well, take a slice for the road. You're lucky. A pizza from Joe's show up. I'm very excited about that.
Starting point is 00:31:29 Wow. So for like women that are listening that have questions, do you guys have like a team that they can reach out? too? Yeah, we have a major customer service. Amazing. Yeah. And, like, we would die without our CX team. Yes. It's, is it maybe eight full-time people now that manage our CX team and a great VP of CX? And not only are they responsible for customer inquiries, but they're also responsible for a huge portion of the education on the website. So we have, like, different tools on the website where you can go ask it a question
Starting point is 00:32:05 and probably find your answer without having to actually reach out to somebody on our CX team. But if you can't, like, the team is absolutely amazing. Because I feel like a lot of people might get overwhelmed with what they don't know. So if you don't know where to start. Yeah, exactly. So you have people that can obviously help them with that. Yeah, absolutely. And we do that a lot.
Starting point is 00:32:27 Some of the most frequent inquiries we get are where do I start. Yeah. whether it's because somebody just loves the brand from afar and they like don't really have major health issues that they're trying to address. Yeah. So then they really don't know where to start. They just know that they like the brand and they want to try a product. Right, right.
Starting point is 00:32:47 And there's definitely like day-to-day products that we absolutely recommend. Like bye-bye bloat is a great one that anybody can take. I use bye-by bloat. Yeah. Take some before you eat your pizza. Yeah, I should. And then people that do have more serious issues that are much more specific. right? You know, like, I keep getting, like, infections over and over again. And, like, I know what to do
Starting point is 00:33:07 to treat the infection, but do you have something that can be preventative long term? And then we can point you in the right direction. Because it's probably hard for you to, like, people always ask me what, out of all my wine brands, like, which, like, which wine is my favorite, the red, the rosé? And I'm like, I don't even know how to answer that. It depends on my mood. It depends on the weather. It depends on the day. It depends on, like, what, you know. Do you have a favorite product or is it kind of the same? Like, it depends on what I need in that day. It kind of depends on what I need, but I mean, I consistently take our Good Girl probiotics and healthy V vitamin. Those are daily, and I take them every single day.
Starting point is 00:33:42 They're really preventative for infections of all kinds. But then bye-bye bloat and sparkle fiber are my sort of like touch-up ones that I go to just for bloating, whether it's food related or it's water weight from PMS or sparkle fiber, just if you're like, oh, my God, why haven't I pooped in three days? Yeah, that's, so the sparkle fiber literally, how fast does it go through you? Oh, it's not like, it's not like a, it's not a danger. Yeah. It's not like, it's not like, it's not like, the flat tummy teeth. No, oh my God. You're just like have to shit your pants for?
Starting point is 00:34:15 No, I was thinking, you remember like when ballerina tea is a thing? No. I think it's the same as a flat tummy tea. Or it just makes you shit. Where like in an hour, you like violently have to go to the bathroom. No, no. Yeah, this is the healthy way to do it. This is just a couple increased grams of fiber.
Starting point is 00:34:31 Yeah. But I would say, like, by the next day, like, you probably can go to that. Yeah, yeah. Gentle. It's, like, not horrific in any way to perform. That's what it should be. Gentle. I do really use the bye-bye blow it all the time.
Starting point is 00:34:42 It's so good. It's so good. It's the best. Okay. I just want to know a couple quick things that you can't live without. Okay. I don't know why I like these games so much, but I always like learning about people with this.
Starting point is 00:34:53 So shout out to Stacy. She's one of our listeners. Hi, Stacy. She had this game idea. So I've listed categories and you tell me one thing you can't live without. So what is like a food you cannot live without? Pizza. Yeah. God, you live in New York. You get the best pizza of all times. So lucky. Okay. Who's a person you can't live without? My sweet dear mother. Oh, really? Yeah. That's nice. Both of my parents. Yeah. Oh, that's nice. Mom and pa. That's sweet.
Starting point is 00:35:19 What app can you not live without? What app can I not live without? Well, now that I'm a runner, the Strava app. Oh, I love the Strava app. Okay. Like tracks your like runs and things like that. Did you, when you started running, were you like, I hate this and then you started getting that runner's light? No, I went cross-country in high school, so I've always loved running. Okay. But it's because for me, I go to pace that works for my body, and I am able to just zone out. Yeah. So I don't physically struggle during it.
Starting point is 00:35:46 I don't force myself to struggle. Yeah. And then it's totally pleasurable. God, I can't do it. Every time I try and run, I want to run so bad. And every time I try my hip joints where my butt, like, connects to my hip on the side, it like turns into a rock. and is so painful, and I cannot run. Oh, no.
Starting point is 00:36:02 I know. And I really want to run. Slow jog. We can go on a slow jog tomorrow. I've tried slow jogging. I will slow you down from your slow jog. I swear. I want to do.
Starting point is 00:36:13 A risk walk. Wait, have you heard of the workout? Oh, shoot, I'm blanking on it. It's like a dance. You dance, but it's also like spiritual. But there is sometimes the corporate. No. Dang, I forget what it's called.
Starting point is 00:36:27 Like I'm going to need more specific. I'll text you once I think about it because it's, it's amazing. Okay, what skin care can you not live without? Definitely SPF at this point. That's me, yeah. Yeah, especially outside running. I slatter myself and sunscreen every day. Yeah, that's good.
Starting point is 00:36:42 I always tell people vitamin C, moisturizer, and a sunscreen. I've been a big sunscreen girl since I was 15. Good for you. Damn it. Yeah. Well, you grew up in California where you probably had to learn. You need to sit in the shade and you need to wear sunscreen. And thank goodness.
Starting point is 00:36:57 Yeah. God, that's amazing. knowledge of the young age. I'm almost like, you want a tanning bed in the house? I'll use it too. We're like in Canada, like freezing cold. Okay, what clothing can you not live without? I love anything from the Frankie shop. Oh, yes, my girlfriend who lives here told me all about this place. It's great. Can you order online? They have it on Netaporter, and they have their own website. They do? Okay. They just have the most amazing trousers, kind of like chic downtown work gear. Yes, yes.
Starting point is 00:37:28 But that's like, it's really, it's very battered. Is it true to size? I always need to ask that. Yeah. Okay. Everything is a little, well, most of the pieces are purposefully oversized. Okay. So you can do true. Because I always, when I'm online shopping, I'm always like, what is it?
Starting point is 00:37:41 Yeah. What about your favorite beverage? Just water, girl. Oh, water. That was me. What's a show you can't live without? A show I can't live without. I think old school sex in the city.
Starting point is 00:37:55 Yeah. The original. me about this. Have you never seen? No. I know. What? Girl, it's just white noise in the background. But that's Grey's Anatomy for me. That's okay. You can, you can try another. I tried sex in the city and I found the first season to be weird. That was season one. I know. Okay, so should I start with season two? No, you should start again with season one. But like get a few episodes into season one. Because when the show first started, it was very much like, this episode is about this thing and then the next episode is totally different. And it continues that way throughout.
Starting point is 00:38:26 the entire run, but then the stories start to develop on top of each other. Yes. So you should. Oh, it hurts me for you. I know. That's usually people's reactions. I know. People, that's usually their reaction for me is they can't believe it.
Starting point is 00:38:42 I don't know what it is. You'll find deep. My sister's obsessed. I took her on the Sex and the City tour in New York and I was like, okay, maybe I should, this is a thing. People are into it. Yeah. I got to go to Carrie's apartment.
Starting point is 00:38:55 What about friends? I was a big friends girl. I could reenact every friend's episode. I run by the Friends apartment every day. You do? I took my girlfriend there last time I was in New York. That's, yeah. Yeah, I know every episode of Friends.
Starting point is 00:39:07 That is, Friends is my church. What's your favorite Friends episode? The one with Ross doing the sound when he's on the keyboard. Oh, yeah. Or Phoebe Running. I love that one. What's yours? Ross, when he's stuck in the leather pants in the bathroom?
Starting point is 00:39:25 Yes, of course. that one too. Ross to me is everybody, this is so controversial, but Ross is my favorite friend. Oh, I love Ross. I love him. He's insane. Ross is who I want to marry. Really? Yeah. See, people get mad at me for that because they think he's like sexist and like doesn't treat women. Oh God. Friends was on like 35 years ago. Yeah. Come on guys. Get real. Yeah, exactly. You can't hold that against Ross. I can't hold it against him. Can't hold it against Ross. And like, remember Ross got hot like recently? Like I feel like when he was, he was feels always a handsome. Okay. I agree. Why am I trying to plead my case with somebody who's on the same page as me.
Starting point is 00:39:59 Yeah, like, we're on the same page. Okay. I believe you. So tell everybody where they can go to find all this information. I know you said the socials, but like specifically. Yeah. So lovewellness.com is your best starting point, whether it's education or products. We're at Love Wellness on all the social channels and you can find us in store at Ulta, at Target, at Walmart, and we're also on Amazon. That is huge. Congratulations on all of that. I mean, it just just goes to show, obviously you're working so hard. You've got such a good team, but it's definitely something that needs to be talked about and shared. And I'm excited for people to listen to this episode. Thanks. Yeah. I'm Caitlin Bristow. I'll see you next Tuesday.
Starting point is 00:40:41 See you next Tuesday. Thank you.

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