Why Bobbi Brown Wanted to Start a Wellness Brand
Welcome to Beauty Boss, a reoccurring series in which we spotlight the power players driving the beauty world forward. Consider this your chance to steal their get-ahead secrets, and grow from the real-life lessons they’ve learned on the job.
Bobbi Brown is a household name, even for those who aren't that into beauty. She pioneered the no-makeup makeup look, creating an empire with her brand of everyday essential cosmetics products. Throughout her career as a makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur, she's championed the idea that beauty starts from the inside out; not by layering on a ton of expensive makeup. Brown's simple, pared-down approach to beauty is what makes her shift into the wellness industry a natural progression.
After leaving her namesake cosmetics line in 2016, Brown went back to school, became a certified health coach, and began work on a new endeavor, EVOLUTION_18. The line of easy-to-use supplements launched exclusively at Walmart earlier this year as an affordable option to the expensive capsules, powders, and gummies on the market.
Here, we caught up with Brown to get her advice on when to know it's the right time to make a career change, why so many wellness products are expensive, her tips on how to start using supplements, and more.
How did you know it was the right time to step away from your cosmetics brand and start something new?
You never really know if it’s the right thing to do, but to quote my 86-year-old Aunt Alice, “It was time.” It was time for me to be an entrepreneur and be a boss again.
What inspired EVOLUTION_18?
When I left Bobbi Brown cosmetics the first thing I did was pull out my book, Beauty from the Inside Out. I spent years teaching women how to look healthy and have a glow and even out your skin. I realized that beauty really starts from the inside and if you’re not eating properly, no amount of makeup or artistry is going to make you look like that. I was always personally interested in wellness and have always incorporated it into my work. The other thing I did was go back to school to become a certified health coach. I did an online program with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. I did this because I'm someone who's always been curious about what foods are right and what's not working. This is a journey we're all on because things are never perfect when it comes to diet and how what we eat affects energy levels, breakouts, dark circles, etc.
So when I had the opportunity to create a line of supplements, it was really easy for me to sit down and visualize what was missing from the market and figure out what I personally wanted to make. I worked on four products and launched them on QVC, then we went direct to consumer. Walmart noticed us, and approached us to see what we could make for them. So, we went back and created a dozen different formulas that were simple to understand, easy for women to use, and enjoyable to taste. The supplements are beauty focused, but also wellness concerned because I believe they are interconnected.
RELATED: Everything From Bobbi Brown's New Wellness Line Is Under $20
Supplements tend to be expensive. Was it challenging to make ones that are affordable and high quality?
We made sure that we were able to keep the cost down by creating single-focus formulas and paying attention to the scale of the order for our retailer.
VIDEO: 5 Healthy Supplements Worth Your Money
If someone is new to supplements which ones from the line would you suggest they try?
I believe everyone needs a probiotic because they can help with everything from digestion to mood to clearing up skin. Also, collagen is another miraculous ingredient that people are starting to realize makes a difference. It’s not just for your skin, it’s also for your joints, so it's great for people that exercise or generally move around a lot. Plus, it’s flavorless so you can put in your coffee or throw it in a smoothie. The gummies are another great option. They have a little bit of everything for everyone and they’re easy to take.
