Lara Smith, a visionary leader with over two decades of retail expertise, wakes up in service of women in menopause to make them feel beautiful and be comfortable.
With a career that spans renowned luxury brands like Ralph Lauren and Gucci, Lara's journey into the world of sleepwear began with a profound personal experience. Inspired by her sister's battle with breast cancer and the uncomfortable side effects of night sweats, Lara founded Lusomé, a pioneering pajama and sheet brand. Fueled by a desire to blend beauty, comfort, and science, Lusomé quickly became a beacon of innovation in the sleepwear and bedding industry.
After 10 years of serving menopausal women desperate for sleep solutions, Lara and her team launched The Sweaty Pillow Podcast to provide education, resources and community to the millions of women craving support.
How do you Micropause
In midlife, establishing daily wellness rituals can contribute significantly to well-being. Can you share a personal daily ritual or self-care practice that has had a positive impact on your overall wellness during perimenopause or menopause?
LARA: It was Emily that inspired my new self-care ritual before bed when she shared her bedtime ritual on our podcast. Sleep used to be an elusive thing for me, long before I was in menopause. For the last few months, I have gotten very prescriptive about the hour leading up to bedtime. I used to barely wash my face and collapse into bed. Now I pour a glass of kombucha (in a beautiful crystal antique glass), turn on some Parisian music in my room (current fave playlist Paris Cafe), change into my LUSOMÉ’s, do proper skin care, crawl into bed and then flip to a podcast or funny TV. What I have stopped doing is looking at work emails on my laptop before bed. Total game changer!
Wisdom in Challenges
Life inevitably presents challenges, especially during midlife. Can you share a challenging experience you faced and the wisdom or strength you gained from overcoming it, particularly in the context of perimenopause or menopause?
LARA: When I started peri menopause I was dealing with the death of my dad, getting out of an abusive relationship, and fighting off a hostile take-over of my company! Looking back there was a combination of early symptoms of menopause like brain fog and sleeplessness, but it was wrapped up in stress and grief. Learning to compartmentalize helped immensely. Asking for help and rallying my people was new for me, as I hated to bother anyone. Making sure I got one outdoor walk daily bolstered my mental health. Learning to say no to anything that added strain whether it be social events or making homemade meals nightly (hello Uber Eats). Simplifying my life and harnessing brave moments were the recipe to survive and thrive.
Relationship Dynamics
Midlife often brings shifts in relationships, be it with partners, friends, or family. How have your relationships evolved, and what insights can you offer on maintaining and strengthening connections during this transformative period?
LARA: I went through a period of evaluation with friends where I asked myself the following questions: Is it a reciprocal relationship? Is this friend a cheerleader? Does this friend bring positive energy into my orbit? Would this friend be there in a crisis? If the answers were no, then I cut out the friendship. 5 years late I am such a happier person and have wonderful relationships. Less is more!
Legacy and Impact
As we progress through midlife, thoughts about legacy and the impact we want to leave become more pronounced. How have your aspirations and priorities shifted during this stage, and what mark do you hope to leave on the world?
LARA: Approaching midlife I started to care about different measures of success. It was less about financial rewards and more about freedom and quality of relationships with family and close friends. In business we shifted gears to more social impact. We always cared about servicing women with superior luxury products and treating them with grace in our customer experience. We launched our Sweet Dreams program that partners with women’s shelters throughout North America to donate care packages of pyjamas and various essentials, wrapping love and comfort around the brave women in shelters.
