LYLALAB- Valentina story

Valentina Caprio

Founder of LYLALAB

-ITALY-

What inspired you to start your brand?

LYLA-LAB means "a lilac laboratory" in which we treat a medical plant for its deeper purpose, such as providing support and relief to many small health inconveniences, not just the Aromatherapy. My mission is to educate people of the health benefits anyone could get from this plant, choosing natural remedies first.

How has your immigrant journey shaped your business?

My immigrant journey deeply shaped my business, as it was born during a very difficult period of loss and personal rebuilding while I was living abroad. My emotional imbalance pushed me to search for natural ways to recover and reconnect with myself. Being without my #1 supporter and best friend, and being now remorseful and alone in this world, it strengthened my desire to create something meaningful, rooted in simplicity and nature. Over time, this experience led me to develop a deep respect for plants and their therapeutic potential. Today, my work is also driven by an educational mission: to calm people and reconnect them, especially the younger generation, with the wisdom of natural remedies and more sustainable ways of living. I strongly believe that nature often offers the most effective and balanced solutions for well-being.

What challenges did you face building your brand?

Building my brand has come with significant challenges, especially in gaining access to retail opportunities. I spent years knocking on doors in a market like New York and, after four years, secured only one retailer, which reflects how difficult it is for small, independent brands to break through.
Participating in pop-up events also proved challenging, as the costs are often very high and the financial return is limited, making it difficult to turn visibility into sustainable income. In many cases, the focus of events feels more transactional than supportive for emerging brands.
Another challenge is the lack of customer loyalty in today’s market, where sales are often driven by direct presence rather than long-term relationships or repeat purchases.
Finally, limited resources make it difficult to build a team, as most investments go directly into production and participation costs, leaving little room for hiring support despite the workload required to grow a brand.

What are you most proud of?

My initial idea of creating a plantation for a mission, my do-it-all-alone while raising two small children, and getting positive feedback from clients who discover real health benefits.

What makes your brand unique?

The combination of a deeply personal origin and a respectful, hands-on approach to lavender cultivation and transformation. It blends traditional knowledge of plant-based well-being with careful, modern extraction methods that preserve the natural properties of the flower. The quality is also rooted in the Italian soil and climate, which give the lavender a distinct aromatic profile, and in an artisanal, small-batch process where attention to detail is essential at every stage. What sets the brand apart is not just the product itself, but the intention behind it: creating natural solutions that come from experience, care, and a genuine belief in the power of plants.

What does being part of FEMMENAS mean to you?

Visibility and real, big sales, and not just the usual empty words. It could help my brand to grow with an affordable effort and get clients becoming loyal because of the story behind it and the mission ahead.