Inside Black Girl Vitamins: How Anna Palomino Is Building Wellness Products Black Women Actually Need

The wellness industry is massive. Global dietary supplement sales are projected to surpass $300 billion by 2030, with women driving much of the demand as they search for solutions for hormones, mood, energy, and longevity.

But for Anna Palomino, the work behind Black Girl Vitamins starts somewhere far simpler.

It starts with a question.

What problem are Black women actually trying to solve?

Palomino leads product development at Black Girl Vitamins, the fast-growing supplement brand created to address the specific health needs of Black women. While the supplement industry has exploded with trendy formulations and social media–driven products, she says every idea at Black Girl Vitamins is filtered through a much more focused lens.

“Every single product we develop begins with understanding the state of Black women’s health,” Palomino explained during her conversation with Black Beauty Founders. “If there isn’t a real problem we’re solving, the product doesn’t move forward.”

That mission is deeply connected to the brand’s origin story. Black Girl Vitamins was founded after co-founder Maxine Ugwu discovered she was vitamin D deficient and began researching the broader nutritional gaps affecting Black women. Studies have long shown that vitamin D deficiency is significantly higher among Black women due to melanin reducing the skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight.

For Palomino, that realization is where the work begins.

Before a product ever reaches the market, she immerses herself in the condition the brand hopes to address. That means diving into clinical research, reviewing medical journals, speaking with physicians, and studying how women are already trying to manage their symptoms.

“I need to understand everything about the condition,” she said. “I like to say I need to become a master of it before we move forward.”

The process can take months. Once potential solutions emerge, Palomino works with a team of medical advisors, chemists and researchers to refine formulations and ensure the science behind the product is sound.

That careful approach is one reason Black Girl Vitamins has built a loyal community of consumers who are increasingly informed and intentional about their health choices. Today’s supplement buyers are no longer satisfied with generic multivitamins. They are seeking specialized support—from hormonal balance and mood regulation to menopause relief and gut health.

Palomino sees that shift clearly.

“Customers are doing far more research now before purchasing anything,” she said. “They know exactly what they’re looking for, whether it’s mood support, hormonal balance, or something else specific.”

The company’s expanding product lineup reflects that change. Black Girl Vitamins has developed formulas targeting concerns like menopause symptoms, vaginal health, collagen support, and overall wellness—all areas where women are actively searching for answers.

But what makes Palomino’s work especially compelling is her background.

Before stepping into wellness, she built experience across finance and behavioral insight and is also trained as an attorney. That foundation shaped the way she approaches both marketing and product development.

Her philosophy is simple: follow the data.

“I’m obsessed with data,” she said with a laugh. “That’s the only way you can truly understand your customers.”

That mindset carried over from her earlier work in marketing leadership. She explained that every decision—from product formulations to customer experience—should be rooted in understanding how women actually behave, not just what brands assume they want.

It is a philosophy that has helped Black Girl Vitamins stand out in a crowded wellness market.

The brand has leaned heavily into community engagement, listening closely to customers both online and in person through focus groups and other events. Social platforms like TikTok and Threads have also become important spaces where women openly discuss health struggles—from hormone imbalances to PMDD and menopause.

For Palomino, those conversations matter.

“They allow us to hear directly from the women we’re trying to help,” she said. “That insight is invaluable.”

What excites her most about the future of women’s health, she says, is the possibility of finally addressing issues that have long been overlooked.

“At this point in time, we actually have the opportunity to see a problem affecting Black women and work toward solving it,” she said. “That’s incredibly exciting.”

It is also deeply personal.

Palomino originally joined Black Girl Vitamins as a consultant on a short-term contract. But after spending time with the team and interacting with customers face-to-face, she quickly realized the mission was bigger than a project.

“I fell in love with the work we’re doing,” she said.

Today, she is one of the key minds helping shape the brand’s future.

And in an industry often driven by aesthetics and trends, Anna Palomino is focused on something far more meaningful.

Solutions.