Indie beauty conversation with Beso Wellness
1 Mar 2022 --- CBD body and hair care brand, Beso Wellness, is expanding its latest line of products to the therapy and spa sectors. We caught up with Megan Blackwell, Celebrity Massage Therapist and Founder of Beso Wellness, to discover more about its growing beauty and personal care business.
What inspired you to create your CBD-powered Weed & Wine massage whip and range of body and hair products?
I believe intention is the first step for inspiration. The urge to feel, to exercise passion and to stand firm on the shaky ground of entrepreneurship were all inspirations for creating this line. I’m a woman of cause. This product line is based on my journey to be pain-free in mind, body and spirit. Once I tap into something that works I want to share my journey with others. After all, your skin is a reflection of the life you live as it is the largest organ on the body.
Click to EnlargeMegan Blackwell draws inspiration from her travels. Source: Beso WellnessThe Beso Hair Cocktail was made for the relaxation of the mind, for scalp massage and for cranial-sacral release. That’s where it all begins! Our thoughts are who we are. The aroma helps to steady the mind and focus inward. Also, I just have BIG hair and a tender scalp! All black girls need pain relief oil when the braids go in!
Years ago, as a non-profit director, I visited an orphanage in China. It was there that I realized we simply can't survive without human touch. Those babies were so stiff. All I could do was cry and stand in awe that there are people that never have had a tender loving touch. Our signature product, Beso Therapeutic Whip, contains oil that resonates with my travels. I chose to use the highest quality cannabis and ceremonial oils that were of interest to me for health, wellness, and spiritual centering.
For example, the product’s grape seeds come after the wine has been made. It’s a reminder of how beauty in a seed comes in all shapes and sizes and parallels. The vine is the unity of all interconnection. I experimented with every oil until perfection came with Weed and Wine. It is a light oil that smells sweet and takes the pungent smell of cannabis out of the aroma.
Lastly, I wanted a daily moisturizer for joint pain that would simply smooth skin. It uses the same ingredients as the whip, with a lighter texture of shea butter. Everyday use is what will make or break a brand’s efficacy. The Beso Milk keeps the muscles loose. As a certified massage therapist, I had the platform to experiment and get perfect consistency.
What influenced your decision to bring these products to therapy and spa professionals?
I wanted something for healers. They say doctors are the worst patients, and it is similar for us “bodyworkers” - massage therapists. Beso heals the healers, in that the same pain relief during the application is also relieving the hands that apply the products.
In 2018, pre-COVID, 18% of the US population of 329.5 million had a massage. Twenty years ago, I saw the Eastern influence heading to the West, with people searching for alternative health care through natural remedies. This was my lifestyle too. Years ago, I was blessed to live in Turkey, Egypt, India and France. I was influenced by the everyday regime of self-care in other cultures too, such as starting the day in Finland with a eucalyptus sauna, in China with Tai Chi, or a relaxing lavender massage forming a regular part of daily life in France.
The stamina and energy needed to maintain a thriving practice benefit our hands, as we not only enjoy the natural effects of the products but are able to pass these on to our clients. Each person heals themselves, we just facilitate the journey by identifying pain areas and connecting mind, body and spirit to remove them.
What was missing from the CBD body and hair care markets that you have sought to fill?
I believe that the market did not offer the product variations between cannabidiol (CBD), hemp and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to address the availability in the market for consumers to access. In addition, the Beso Wellness brand launch covers all legal requirements and current educational materials that reflect what we know today.
Click to EnlargeBeso’s products have grown from kitchen to counter. Source: Beso WellnessWhat are body and hair care consumers demanding from their products?
We believe consumers want a daily use luxury product that works with pure natural ingredients at a reasonable cost.
How does Beso Wellness answer these demands?
True to our mission statement, Beso Wellness aims to provide a holistic system of never before seen customer utilization through organically sourced, professionally produced, emotionally driven CBD products and services. We value and listen to our customers, as they provide direction for product development and feedback of satisfaction to guide additional research and development.
How did you come up with the idea for the range of products? What was the process from conceptualization to commercialization?
“Necessity is the mother of invention” - I saw a need and strived to fill it using knowledge from my world travels and naturalist way of life. The Beso Wellness line’s concept was derived through an evolution of kitchen concoctions. I have spent countless hours in the kitchen making homeopathic products for wellness.
What are your plans for Beso Wellness in 2022?
The plan for 2022 is to spread the Beso love. We intend to use every effort possible to market Beso and make it into a household name.
By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, BPC Insights Senior Journalist
