10 questions with clean beauty brand Lost Lover
When Kaleigh Vaughn found herself at a crossroads in her life, she turned to what she loves most: beauty and people. Transforming from a hair color specialist to a small business owner, Vaughn created her natural skincare brand Lost Lover, bringing it to Baton Rouge starting in December of last year when she became part of the MidCity Makers Market. Her new venture is motivated by a goal to help people cultivate a “lifelong romance” with themselves, prioritizing self care over tiresome trends. Read on to learn more about her journey:
1. How did you come up with the idea to start Lost Lover?
The journey of Lost Lover came into fruition during a very challenging time for me. It was when COVID began to shut down everything. I was healing from personal trauma and figuring out if I would ever be able to work in a salon again (dramatic, I know). Before the name Lost Lover came about, I wasn’t really certain about what I was creating. I knew I loved beauty and I knew I loved people. So when I was not in the salon, whatever I took on next needed to involve those two things. My mother actually talked me into creating beauty products. I thought it was the silliest idea ever, but she was on to something. I started my research and development and eventually ended up with the Earth Mask, which is my best-selling powdered facial mask.
2. What is your professional background?
I spent the last 10 years of my career behind the chair as a hairdresser, and have always been passionate about connecting with people.
3. What do you hope people get out of your products from Lost Lover?
The purpose of these products is to remind people that our body is our home and we must always stay connected to it. The intention when I was creating them was to give people an opportunity to take the time to assess their skin’s needs—then mix, apply, and tune in. We live in a world where we are constantly on “go mode” and I think we all owe it to ourselves to schedule a time where we do this consistently. And when we do this, we can show up better in the world. I also want to add that it’s got to be fun! Throw your hair up (or don’t), put on your favorite song, pour a glass of wine or whatever, and just make it fun!
4. Who/what is your biggest inspiration?
One of my biggest inspirations is my grandmother. She taught me a lot about holistic healing and how the Earth has so much to offer (like some of the plants and herbs I use in my products).
5. What is your day-to-day like?
Currently, I am a one-woman show. I do everything from sourcing my ingredients, mixing, packaging, labeling and shipping to running my social media accounts, my website and newsletter. The list goes on. It can be very challenging at times to balance my own self care while managing a business that I’m bootstrapping. But I just keep moving forward in hopes to hire help in the near future. I’ve been very lucky to have such an amazing support circle. My partner, family and close friends have been everything through all of this. I’m also very fortunate to say that I have great support on social media.
6. What is one thing you want customers to know about Lost Lover that they might not be aware of?
Every purchase you make with Lost Lover plants a tree with One Tree Planted. I want to give back to the Earth as much as it has given to us. My goal is to bring on more organizations in the near future so that I can continue to give back in bigger ways, especially to environmental causes.
7. What has been your favorite part about creating Lost Lover?
My favorite part about bringing Lost Lover into the world has certainly been meeting new faces and sharing a story people can connect with. There is a deeper meaning behind what I’m doing than just face masks and body oil. I have been so grateful for the responses I’ve received and how much people really like the products.
8. How did you come up with the name for Lost Lover?
My brand message is all about cultivating this “lifelong romance” with yourself. The name “Lost Lover” actually came to me in a dream where I was packing my products. The name just clicked, and I ran with it. It’s really special to me because when I was going through this particularly tough time—or any tough time for that matter—I am always the person I have to come running back to.
9. Do you have any future plans for Lost Lover?
My future goals for Lost Lover are very big! I definitely plan to bring on a few more products. But the ultimate dream is to partner with boutique hotels and wellness retreats to welcome a unique self-care experience for their guests.
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10. Where can customers find Lost Lover Co.?
You can find Lost Lover online at lostlover.co (not .com) and you can check me out on Instagram at @lostlover.co and @kaleighv.
