Happi International Top 30 leader Unilever is leaning into the broader shift toward “health as a lifestyle,” where traditional category boundaries are increasingly overlapping. It is also known for brands such as Nutrafol that recently made Happi headlines for a men’s 50+ line.

Lori Lauersen, senior vice president of global research and development for Unilever Wellbeing, is involved firsthand in this process as she leads the strategic R&D platform for a portfolio of science-backed wellness brands including Olly, SmartyPants, Welly and more. In this role, she oversees global scientific strategy, clinical approach and technical standards, ensuring innovation is grounded in evidence-based science across an international portfolio.

With more than 20 years of experience in global product design and development across health, wellness and consumer care categories, Lauersen is known for building high-performing global teams and translating scientific rigor into scalable, consumer-relevant innovation.

Laurenson spoke with Happi about wellness trends and Unilever’ latest innovations.

Happi: What are the key shifts shaping wellness products today and how are those trends translating into consumer demand and innovation? 

Lauersen: Wellness has evolved from a niche, product-led category to a mainstream, lifestyle-driven pursuit centered on longevity and quality of life. Consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are shifting their focus from short-term results to long-term vitality, resilience, and everyday performance, with a growing emphasis on extending health span, not just lifespan.

This is driving demand for products that support ongoing wellbeing over time, with supplements becoming an increasingly common part of that routine — now the third most common behavior consumers adopt to extend health span, after diet and exercise.

Adoption is also broad and growing, with 46% of millennials and 35% of Gen Z taking vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) for this purpose, alongside 60% of women and 44% of men overall.

As demand for science-backed products continues to accelerate, Unilever Wellbeing’s approach to innovation and storytelling has evolved to lead with benefits—grounding everything in real consumer needs and clearly communicating the outcomes people can expect. This means designing products that are truly benefit-led—like Liquid I.V., which delivers functional hydration to support energy and endurance; Nutrafol, which takes a whole-body, clinically backed approach to hair health; and Olly, which offers targeted solutions for sleep, stress, and women’s health—unrestricted by traditional category boundaries and focused on delivering tangible, science-supported results that prioritize long-term vitality, resilience and overall quality of life.

Happi: The wellbeing category is rapidly evolving beyond a product-first approach toward a more holistic, benefit-led ecosystem where beauty, health and lifestyle intersect. How is Unilever Wellbeing aligning its innovation platforms to reflect this?

Lauersen: Consumers are no longer thinking in silos — they’re seeking brands that deliver both wellbeing and beauty benefits in an integrated way. In response, our innovation is focused on addressing core consumer needs, including sleep, hydration, women’s health, and beauty-from-within, allowing solutions to cut across categories and support individuals holistically.  

This reflects a growing consumer understanding that areas like skin, hair, nutrition, and mental wellbeing are interconnected. As a result, Unilever Wellbeing’s innovations are increasingly focused on addressing root causes and whole-body health, grounded in shared R&D capabilities and clinical research that can scale across the portfolio.

Brands such as Liquid I.V. and Nutrafol demonstrate our commitment to meeting consumer needs at the crossroads of health and beauty, supporting how people look, feel and function over time. Liquid I.V. offers science-based hydration that supports energy, physical performance and skin health, while Nutrafol takes a holistic approach to hair wellness by targeting root causes like stress, hormones, and nutrition.

Happi: There is a growing consumer expectation for higher standards across the wellness category, from credible, science-backed claims to greater transparency and inclusivity in research. Tell us about the latest R&D and testing methods regarding these standards.

Lauersen: Scientific credibility and trust are now non-negotiable in gaining consumer trust in today’s wellness market. This has long been foundational to our approach, with a strong emphasis on putting innovations to the test through rigorous clinical validation and evidence generation.

In 2025 alone, we completed 17 clinical trials across the business, reinforcing our commitment to science-led innovation. This includes major developments like Liquid I.V. Sugar-Free—our largest innovation to date, supported by multiple studies demonstrating equivalent efficacy—as well as clinically studied solutions like Olly’s Mellow Menopause and Nutrafol’s extensive portfolio of physician-formulated, clinically tested products, with 18 studies completed since its founding.

Alongside this, credibility is reinforced through third-party validation and transparent standards across our brands. For example, several Nutrafol products hold a NSF Certified for Sport certification, underscoring its commitment to quality, safety and trust.

More broadly, we apply rigorous standards across the product lifecycle—from ingredient vetting to manufacturing practices and ongoing monitoring—while ensuring claims are backed by clear, clinically proven outcomes. This allows us to translate complex science into accessible, meaningful benefits for consumers, supporting informed decisions and building long-term trust.

Happi: As consumers increasingly seek wellness solutions that fit seamlessly into their lifestyles, demand is rising for convenient, enjoyable formats ranging from powders to gummies and beyond. How is Unilever evolving with this?

Lauersen: Unilever Wellbeing is thinking beyond just what wellness products deliver, but how they fit seamlessly into everyday life. We know that long-term wellbeing outcomes depend on consistency, so products must be not only effective, but enjoyable and easy to use daily.  As a result, we’re evolving our portfolio with formats that meet consumers where they are, from powders to gummies and other sensorial experiences designed to be both convenient and enjoyable. This builds on our strength in making wellness more approachable and engaging, with formats that people not only trust for efficacy, but want to use consistently every day.

The business has invested heavily in formats that combine efficacy with experience, like Liquid I.V.’s hydration powders, Olly’s approachable gummy vitamins or SmartyPants Vitamins’ tasty solutions. Formats are being designed around real-life usage moments, on-the-go, at home or as part of daily rituals, helping turn functional benefits like hydration or sleep support into consistent behaviors rather than occasional interventions. 

Happi: Any future launches or projects we need to know about for 2026 into 2027?

Lauersen: We’re continuing to expand across verticals where science, consumer demand and white space intersect — including beauty-from-within, sleep, women’s health, hydration and general nutrition. These are not passing trends, but areas tied to real health needs and we’re advancing our capabilities accordingly, with greater investment in clinical validation, as well as more predictive, data-driven and increasingly personalized approaches to wellbeing.

This includes exploring next-generation models such as diagnostics, AI-powered recommendations and subscription-led ecosystems that support more connected, measurable consumer journeys.

At the same time, Unilever Wellbeing is focused on scaling localized innovation to meet cultural and regional needs around the globe. For example, Liquid I.V. Sugar Free recently launched in the UK, while Olly continues to build momentum in women’s health and menopause support, alongside China-specific products like Olly Love-Your-Eyes and Liver Detox Jelly.