Today we’d like to introduce you to Gwendolyn Osborne.
Hi Gwendolyn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Founder and CEO of Lomolique (www.LomoliqueSkin.com).
Growing up in England with an English father and Jamaican mother, I was exposed to many cultures. From an early age, my mother instilled in me that living life in harmony with nature is what any island child does so my choices for my body and skincare routine have definitely stayed in that direction. Constantly traveling between England and America forced me to pay attention to the climate temperatures that affected my skin. Living as a professional model for so many years gave me access to every type of skin care product imaginable. I realized after educating myself on how products are made that I would stop using products that test on animals, and this remained important in my oil.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I definitely experienced obstacles and challenges growing up and in my adult life as an actor and model.
As a minority actor and model, you train yourself to build perseverance because you’re up against a higher concentration of competition due to the simple fact that there aren’t many roles offered or needed for black actors. So when you do have an opportunity to work, it’s not enough to work hard and show up on time. As a woman of color working as an actor, I learned quickly that I needed to optimize every opportunity by getting to know everyone on the set, making a brilliant impression, and trying my best to build my own professional network. All on top of doing the job I was hired to do. I truly believe that if I didn’t take the time to build relationships and alliances over the years, I wouldn’t have had as many opportunities open up for me.
My ability to optimize an opportunity came full circle when I was a spokesmodel on the “Price is Right.” I had already been on the show for a few years when I became pregnant with my second child. I could have seen this situation as the end of my career, but my innate ability to always seek opportunities also helped build my courage and not to be afraid to ask for what I wanted (and not just wait). During this time, there was a change in production management and a new host. This was my opportunity to plead my case to be the first model on the show while pregnant. When I shared my thoughts with the crew and host about showing the audience (of which women were a large portion of the demographic) that you could be a successful, pregnant working woman, they agreed. This strategic maneuver paid off and gained me the accolade of being the longest-running woman of color to work on a daytime game show.
Another test of perseverance and courage showed up once again later in my career when I was cast in the movie “Wonder Woman 1984” as one of the Elite Amazonian. I was fortunate to be working on a woman directed and lead set where the cast was diverse from different cultures and backgrounds. For the first time, on a major production, I never felt like I had to work harder or prove myself due to my race. However, I did have to shift my mindset around age. I was one of the older actors that was training and working alongside other actors half my age. I not only had to push myself physically, but I needed to release any negative connotations about my age. After decades of working in an industry that typically chooses youth over experience, I couldn’t let Hollywood’s paradigm of age weigh on me or distort my belief in myself to perform. I wanted to make the most out of this opportunity, so I had to dig deep with the courage to push through any limiting beliefs and gravity (yes, I was harnessed over 30 feet in the air) to be able to play this once in a lifetime role. That defiance has stuck with me and shaped a new way of how I see myself as an actor and now as an entrepreneur.
As a black working professional aging in an industry that doesn’t offer an abundance of opportunities for women of color, I don’t think I will ever let go of strategy to optimize my chances of sustaining a thriving career. I am not only doing it for myself but just for the simple act of showing representation on-screen, for the audience, and for other minority actors. But I know this life lesson doesn’t just apply to acting, it’s taking shape in my business ventures.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Lomolique?
Lomolique has proudly been featured in People Magazine as one of the ‘Best Beauty Tricks for Surviving Summer’ (https://people.com/style/best-beauty-tricks-for-summer/#49883b7d-6fc5-46d4-8b37-39522807b521) and a must-have in ‘Jenna Dewan’s Cool Mom Gift Guide’ (https://www.leoedit.com/gear/jenna-dewans-cool-mom-gift-edit/) by Leo Edit.
I believe women radiate beauty and strength. Whether it’s as busy moms, partners, business owners, or professionals in any industry, women are the change agents this world needs. This inner radiance deserves luxurious natural skincare that draws all women’s beauty and strength to the surface. At Lomolique, our mission is to make this luxury accessible to every woman – Lomolique takes women to the place where they feel most beautiful. Our skincare oil is the first-ever to include the high-performing anti-aging ingredient Renovage, which heals and repairs skin while empowering women to stay healthy from the inside out on their journey through life. Lomolique is also a cruelty-free facial oil with antioxidant and aromatherapy properties that I included after doing extensive research on a multitude of raw materials and ingredients.
Lomolique combines the names of my three children Monique, Malloy, and London as well as my passion for empowering women to stay healthy from the inside out on their journey through life.
Lastly, as a representative of diverse cultures and nationalities, with roots in Jamaica, the UK, and the US, I am strongly committed to supporting skin care products that celebrate the beauty of the BIPOC community with this inclusive brand and formulation.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Singing, dancing, and acting were a part of my daily life. I’ve always been a ceiling breaker with a ferocious determination to accomplish my ideas, dreams, and goals.
Pricing:
- LOMOLIQUE’S Revolutionary Age Defying Facial Oil – $78
- LOMOLIQUE’S Liquid Gold Candle – $45
- The Perfect F*cking Gift Set – $99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lomoliqueskin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lomolique
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lomolique
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIVFaTFtUVyoG-lSs9GrpNQ/videos
Image Credits
Gwendolyn Osborne Headshot Photo Credit: Dana Patrick Lomolique1 Photo Credit: Tanya Newbould Lomolique2 Photo Credit: Ali Sullivan Lomolique3 Photo Credit: Ali Sullivan Lomolique4 Photo Credit: Ricky Horne Lomolique5 Photo Credit: Ali Sullivan
