Meet the women shaking up the wellness industry
It wasn’t so long ago that wellness could be summed up by dust-covered supplement bottles in a health food shop and videos of men with bulging biceps pumping iron. Now it’s considered one of the top industries for female founders and CEOs, who are determined to change its image and values.
We may also be big consumers of its products and experiences, but there’s a lot more to wellness than just the lure of a green juice and Zen yoga class. As women we're invested, both emotionally and physically, in wellness – and that has been born out of necessity, notes Chloe Pierre, the Black founder of disruptive wellness platform thy.self.
“Women understand the nuances of wellbeing in everyday life – not just as a commodity but as a necessity – and some of us have found ways to build businesses that reflect that," she says. "From creating inclusive spaces to challenging outdated beauty and health standards, female leaders in wellness, like myself, are reshaping the industry to be more accessible, holistic and diverse."
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Not to mention our bodies go through a lot in a lifetime. “We go through so many internal changes—hormonal shifts, pregnancy, menopause—all of which impact how we feel and how we show up every day," says Vida Glow founder Anna Lahey. "So wellness isn’t just something we dip in and out of—it’s a huge part of our lives.”
But another reason that women are drawn to wellness is that they want to redress the balance. The gender pain gap – where pain in women is more poorly understood and mistreated compared to pain in men – means women's health issues are often diminished.
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“The reality is, women have long been underserved in the health space," Anna says. “Too often, our concerns are dismissed or overlooked, which has forced us to become our own biggest advocates. We’re demanding better, creating real solutions, and driving real change. That’s why you see so many female founders in wellness, shaping an industry that truly understands and supports women’s needs.”
Debunking stereotypes is the real future of wellness
Having shed its woo-woo reputation, the wellness industry is predicted to be worth $9 trillion globally by 2028. This is largely down to the growth of ‘well-tech’ – high-performance supplements that put clinical proof first, making ingestibles sexy while also busting hippie stereotypes.
Female-founded brands such as Artah, Diome, Vida Glow and Lyma are leading the charge with evidence-based supplements offered at exact active levels to profoundly affect sleep, gut health, mood and even skin.
While these scientific advances in the wellness space are to be applauded, there is still a lot of work to be done in one area: diversity. By its very nature, wellness should be about giving everyone the tools to be healthy and happy but, says Chloe, “mainstream wellness still largely caters to the privileged demographics. That doesn't just mean slim, fit, wealthy and white - it also excludes mixed abilities and refuses to welcome and meet people where they are at.
“This industry has long been shaped by exclusivity – through price, representation, or accessibility – and that hasn’t shifted as much as I'd hoped. The commercialisation of wellness still prioritises aesthetics over actual experience, truth, skill, wellbeing or inclusivity. I say it in every discussion but it continuously sidelines the communities that pioneered many of these practices."
Dami Howells, founder of Damihow – an active wear brand, which represents Black fitness – echoes this sentiment: “There is a view that only a certain type of ‘look’ represents wellness, whereas wellness comes in so many shapes and forms. There isn’t necessarily a once size fits all."
To break the bias, Dami and Chloe agree that it's important to unlearn stereotypes around wellness – and to demand inclusivity by supporting brands that drive real change.
“What every woman can do is personally challenge herself to redefine what wellness is and looks like to her - to really invest in learning as well as unlearning,” Chloe says. “Many mainstream wellness trends are rooted in Indigenous and non-Western practices and moulded to fit a very narrow view. We need to learn to openly credit and compensate the cultures that have long held this knowledge, rather than co-opting and repackaging it for profit.”
In practical terms, thy.self gives people from disadvantaged or marginalised groups access to wellness facilities, community-led events, b2b activations and collaborations with big brands such as Nike and ASOS that amplify diverse perspectives.
“True wellness isn’t just about individual self-care; it’s about collective care–human connection and connection to the world around us," Chloe notes. "True wellness doesn't ignore others' plights–it actively listens, learns, builds respect and then supports.”
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With its chic sports bras and leggings, Damihow is committed to spreading confidence in the wellness community and to provide opportunities for under-represented Black individuals in the fitness world.
“You don’t have to look one way to be considered fit and healthy,” says Dami Howells, founder of Damihow. "Being considered fit is not only about if you go to the gym. We aim to push and celebrate the diverse ways of staying healthy and most importantly feeling confident in that.”
She also stresses the need to be open-minded. "Accept that what works for one person, may not work for the other. Listen to other people’s stories and don't judge people’s capabilities based on their looks or background.”
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Tara Chandra and Susan Allen are the co-founders of Flo, a UK-based organic and natural femcare brand. This B-corp company prides itself on products such as its Bamboo Pads, which are made from organic eco-tex bamboo and packaged in compostable plant-based wrappers.
As well as being good for the planet, Flo’s bright packaging and humorous messaging also normalises periods – which is brilliant for our self-confidence, too.
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There have been several credible studies suggesting that taking collagen supplements can reduce lines, improve firmness and even pigmentation – but it depends on the type of collagen (marine or bovine), the size of the molecules and dose.
Vida Glow is a beauty editor favourite collagen brand because it invests in both independent trials by dermatologists and double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to show how effective its natural marine collagen is at improving skin elasticity, hydration and firmness.
“One of the biggest wellness trends right now is skin health longevity—looking beyond traditional ‘anti-ageing’ and focusing on keeping skin strong and healthy from within,” says Vida Glow founder Anna Lahey. “This is exactly what Vida Glow is all about. It’s all about giving people real, results-driven solutions that fit seamlessly into their routines.”
These results include a boost in hydration and a 42% reduction in fine lines in just three weeks of using the Pro Collagen+ supplement, which is powered by the tiniest collagen peptides on the market for better absorption.
thy.self started as a wellness platform, but has evolved into a powerful movement for diversity in the space.
“We go against the grain, building inclusive and relatable wellness experiences," says founder Chloe Pierre. "We train people and organisations on how to inclusively hold space and be truly reflective of the world we live in. We centre marginalised voices in whatever packaging they come in. We create spaces where everyone feels seen and able to make changes individually as well as part of a wider community, and to push for real representation – not just tokenism.”
To date, these curated events and self-love discussions have taken place in major cities such as London, New York and Paris. thy.self also offers resources on its website for those who want to discuss or educate themselves on topics around diversity. “We’re not just consumers, we're architects of change, ensuring that wellness serves all, rather than just a privileged few and that it has real legs to actually take ‘us’ somewhere better."
“Women tend to have a more natural personal connection to wellness brands, particularly in areas where we are underserved or feel ignored in the traditional medical construct,” says Artah's founder Rhian Stephenson, an ex-athlete and naturopath, whose methods combine cutting edge science with Eastern medicine. “I think as a result of this, we're inspired to empower other women who may be looking for the same solutions.”
For Rhian, nutrition is at the heart of this conversation. "We want to help people understand how food impacts every aspect of their health, and help inspire them to make the positive changes that result in lifelong health,” she says.
To that end, she develops targeted, natural supplements to help restore balance and improve function, “whether you want to optimise fertility, support longevity, improve energy or boost your mood. Everything is easier when you are feeling and functioning well, and we want to help you feel that.”
“As the primary caregivers in most households, women are redefining how they care for themselves and their loved ones, prioritising proactive and holistic approaches to health,” says Diome supplement founder, Jianne Jamil, who believes that women are "leading the way toward a more conscious and health-focused world.”
It is these supportive communities, she says, that are also inspiring women from diverse backgrounds to step into the wellness space.
With a mission to create medical doctor-formulated nutraceuticals, it took Jianne and her female-led team over three years and six versions to perfect Rested, a supplement powered by seven plant extracts including chamomile and California poppy, and four essential vitamins – all designed to promote restorative sleep and energised mornings.
After a personal health scare in 2012 and a chance meeting with Dr Paul Clayton – an Oxford professor and world authority in nutritional science – while convalescing, Lucy Goff quit her job in PR and together they launched Lyma with The Supplement in 2018.
You won't find the usual garden variety vitamins and minerals on the ingredients list, though - hence its heftier price tag. “Most supplement brands include a fairly generic list of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, when, in fact, it’s far more beneficial to eat nutritious, unprocessed foods, rather than pop a multivitamin,” says Lucy. "We take a different approach. We exclusively formulate with patented ingredients that you can’t find in effective doses through food.”
These ingredients are backed by over 200 peer-reviewed medical journals and include cynatine, which contains keratin for hair and skin, cognizin for supplying the brain with energy and the most bioavailable form of curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory.
For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR's Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton.
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