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May 16, 2023

TRYWELL: Thoughtful, Delicious Vitamins You’ll Look Forward To Taking

Started by mother-son duo Kathy and Tashon Thompson, TRYWELL was created to address the nutritional shortfalls of people of color and their lack of visibility in the wellness space.  Founded in the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic, their mission is to instill the importance of health in groups most often overlooked, especially African Americans, who were disproportionately affected by the virus in its early days. The brand’s vitamin-rich gumdrops (that come in flavors like lemon, mango and peach) make taking proactive, rather than reactive, steps towards healthy living something to look forward to. 

Brand name: TRYWELL
Founders: Tashon and Kathy Thompson
Date founded: 2020
Current Location: New Jersey
What are the words you live by?
Tashon: “In all you, do TRYWELL”. Half the battle is trying and showing up. As long as we do that daily - try our best, try to be well, do well, eat well, live well and treat others well - we will absolutely win. 
Who first taught you about wellness and what attracted you to this industry?
Tashon:  My great-grandmother was the first person who taught us about the importance of wellness and it was from the viewpoint of religion. Scriptures like Corinthians 10:31 were constantly spoken in our house. After her, my grandmother went to the gym and explored nutrition on a daily basis. She also reinforced that self-esteem, body image, and mental wellness all impact your overall health and wellness.
What was your background before starting Trywell? 
Tashon: My mother has worked at a university in New Jersey for over 20 years and my background is in fashion and marketing. 
What inspired you to start TRYWELL?
Tashon: Our inspiration came from the desire to fill a gap in the vitamin market. Healthy, vibrant people of color are not represented by many brands. Our own journeys and those of our family members with health challenges also inspired us. Our goal was to create a product and build a community where people of color could focus on being proactive in healthy living rather than reactive, which is quite often the norm. 
What was the first product you developed and why did you create it? 

Tashon: 92% of African Americans are significantly deficient in Vitamin D - it was super important for us to start there. 

Vitamin D Trywell

Vitamin D

 What has been your best selling product? 

Tashon: Our top sellers are Hair, Skin & Nails and Daily Immune - Elderberry. Everyone wants to look and feel their best and have healthy hair, glowing skin and strong nails. Coming out of COVID, immunity and elderberry have become crucial in people’s daily vitamin regimen. So, it’s great that we have gummies to meet these needs. 

Hair, Skin + Nails Trywell

Hair, Skin & Nails

 

Daily Immune - Elderberry

Daily Immune - Elderberry

 Which TRYWELL product do you think is a sleeper hit and why?

Tashon: Omega + DHA for sure! Omega & DHA may help reduce inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease. On its own, DHA supports brain function and eye health.  On top of the nutritional benefits, the orange and lemon flavors are amazing. 

Omega + DHA

Omega + DHA

 

Your products go through two third party tests for efficacy - can you explain why you do that? 

Tashon: It's not super common to do because of the cost, but we are fortunate enough to work with a few US-based, highly qualified supplement ingredient suppliers that make it easy. Their goal (and ours) is to exceed all FDA, GMP NSF, Organic Certification and Halal Certification standards. Going through two third parties also ensures that our suppliers have clean, compliant facilities and follow proper manufacturing practices. 

What does your daily wellness routine look like?

Kathy: My self-care routine is all about relaxation: taking a bath, practicing mindfulness, reading, and engaging in hobbies. Also, a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables and regular exercise.

Tashon: Sleep! As much as possible! 

Which TRYWELL vitamins do you take daily? Do you change what you take depending on the season? 

Kathy: I absolutely adjust my intake depending on the seasons. In general, I take our Adult Multivitamin and Omega + DHA daily. During the colder months I add Vitamin D and Biotin to my rotation. 

Tashon: Daily I take the Adult Multivitamin and Vitamin D. I also take our Vitamin C gummy twice a week. 

What other beauty products are you both loving right now? 

Tashon: I’m in love with all things Dr. Barbara Sturm. The Lip Balm and The Good C drops are my favorites. Also Costa Brazil makes an amazing Face Serum that I love.  

Dr. Barbara Sturm Lip Balm $55
Dr. STURM’s colorless Lip Balm
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C $145
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Concentrated Vitamin C Serum
TRYWELL Vitamin D $20
TRYWELL Vitamin Gummies 60ct Vitamin D
TRYWELL Omega + DHA $20
TRYWELL Vitamin Gummies 60ct Omega + DHA
TRYWELL Adult Mulitvitamin $20
Adult Mulitvitamin Orange, Cherry, Strawberry Flavored
TRYWELL Biotin $20
Biotin Supplement 60ct Cherry Flavored
TRYWELL Vitamin C $20
TRYWELL Vitamin C Gummies 60ct

Kathy: I was just recently introduced to Beautycounter Skin Twin Foundation and really love it. It’s the perfect amount of coverage.

Beautycounter Skin Twin Foundation

Beautycounter Skin Twin Foundation

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever received? The best?

Tashon: The worst advice was that you’ll be happy once you’re successful. Totally wrong! Happiness comes during the pursuit. It’s in every step towards the goal. 

The best advice was to start TRYWELL, from my mom. 

Who do you look up to in the beauty world?

Tashon: I really look up to Pat McGrath, Rihanna and Tristan Walker. They are all people of color who saw a void in the market and built amazing communities and businesses. 

Who would your dream collaboration be with?

Tashon: We would love to collaborate with Pattern Beauty on a hair health vitamin or supplement pack. We love everything they represent and stand for. 

If you could get a peek into anyone’s medicine cabinet, who would it be?

Tashon:  I’ve kind of already seen it - it’s Naomi Campbell. Everyone should watch her YouTube video where she takes you through her vitamin routine and skin routine. It’s amazing. I’d also like to peek into Pharrell’s cabinet! 

What can we expect from the brand in the future? Any exciting news you can share?

Tashon: The future is near! We are launching a few new gummies this year, including apple cider vinegar and collagen. We are also working on a few vitamin-enriched topical products.

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