Beauty Biohacking: Sisterly’s Founders on Smarter Supplements, Sea Swims and the Future of Women’s Wellness

Some wellness brands are born in boardrooms, others on yoga mats. Sisterly began somewhere a little more 2020: a string of cross-continent Zoom calls. For barrister Jennifer O’Connell in Dublin, nutrition coach and former investment banker Aoife Matthews in Madrid, and brand strategist Louise O’Riordan in LA, those lockdown catch-ups quickly turned into something bigger. What started as friends comparing tips on how to stay sane and healthy mid-pandemic became a shared realisation – the supplement space was overwhelming, confusing, and frankly a mess. What to take, in what dose, which brands to trust? Nobody had nailed a simple, consistent solution that worked for women.

So they built their own. Armed with their collective experience – Jennifer’s strategic precision from law, Aoife’s finance-to-wellness pivot, and Louise’s two decades shaping luxury lifestyle brands – the trio co-founded Sisterly. Their mission: a one-and-done sachet that delivers everything women need in a daily nutrient routine, backed by a dream team of scientists. No endless capsules, no mysterious “proprietary blends,” no guesswork. Just a science-backed powder designed to support energy, immunity, hormones, and beauty in one smart ritual.

But Sisterly is more than a sachet. For its founders, it’s about consistency, community, and creating something they’d happily give their mothers, sisters, and friends. From hosting monthly sea swims to swapping cold plunges for infrared saunas, the brand has built a wellness world that feels less intimidating and more inclusive. “We made this for our mothers, sisters, girlfriends and ourselves and that has remained our north star with every decision along the way,” Louise explains.

Now, the three friends-turned-founders are reimagining how women approach supplements – blending science, storytelling, and lived experience into something that feels both smart and accessible.

Beauty Biohacking with Jennifer O’Connell, Aoife Matthews and Louise O’Riordan

About the founders and the brand…

Louise: As three friends of old, we co-founded SISTERLY during COVID. Like many friend groups, we would take regular zoom calls for a catch up. I was living in LA, Aoife was in Madrid and Jenny was in Dublin. We were sharing tips and tricks on what each of us was doing to stay healthy. It was clear during many conversations that we had a shared frustration with how confusing and overwhelming the supplement space was. What to take, in what form, in what dose, what works synergistically with what? Also, none of us had found a routine we could stay consistent with. We set off on a mission to create a one and done solution specifically for women that would deliver all of your essential vitamins and minerals in one easy to take powder sachet. No more downing multiple capsules, no more guess work. We engaged a stellar team of scientists and tasked them with creating the ultimate multi nutrient that addressed energy, immunity, hormonal balance and beauty using only the best forms and optimally dosed specifically for women. The Elevator was born! We started hosting events to really engage our community and help each other stay consistent and active. We made this for our mothers, sisters, girlfriends and ourselves and that has remained our north star with every decision along the way.

Our journey into biohacking…

Louise: It wasn’t one single moment – it was a blend of curiosity and necessity. I had periods where my energy felt misaligned with how I wanted to feel. I started exploring longevity research, nutritional science, and biohacking tools not to “fix” myself, but to better understand how my body worked.

Living a lot of the year in LA feels like having a front row seat to all the latest innovation the health and wellness industry has to offer, the good, the bad and the ugly! I’m naturally curious so being in this environment sparked the journey and it’s always evolving.

A beauty-tech device I can’t live without…

Jenny: My Spotlight Oral Sonic Pro Electric Toothbrush – it’s amazing, easy to travel with, stays charged for ages and I really couldn’t be without it. I love the Spotlight Oral brand as all of their products are made by dentists.

A useful wearable…

Aoife: I rely on my Garmin watch to track my runs and rides with accurate stats like pace, distance, and heart rate, which helps me understand my performance better. Once synced to Strava, I get the added boost of community support and recommended new routes no matter where I am in the world.

Morning rituals…

Jenny: I’ve recently upgraded my morning routine after reading James Clear’s Atomic Habits. I take my SISTERLY sachet in a shot of water and afterwards, I sit down for a 5 min body scan and set my intentions for the day. As part of another new habit stack, I’ve introduced 10 press-ups before and after brushing my teeth. My mornings are about charging my body and calming my mind. The CoQ10 in SISTERLY really hits the spot for energy throughout the day.

A successful wind down…

Jenny: It has a lot to do with the day leading up to it. If I’ve gone for a run or a cycle I’m more inclined to get a better night’s sleep. There is a potent dose of magnesium in SISTERLY which has really improved the quality of my sleep. I wear a Garmin and track my sleep and my deep sleep has really improved since taking high quality magnesium daily. I also try to switch off my phone and leave it outside the bedroom so I’m not falling asleep preoccupied with anything.

My wellness go to’s…

Aoife: Strength training, lymphatic massages, acupuncture and infrared saunas. It means there’s no energy stagnating in your body.

When it comes to supplements…

Aoife: I know I’m biased, but my daily sachet of SISTERLY is my non-negotiable. With 23 nutrients working in harmony across all my systems, it’s what sustains me day to day. I used to have a drawer full of supplements that I would forget to take, so this is so much easier. I recently started to take creatine too as I work out a lot. Just as important to me is choosing whole food over anything processed — another non-negotiable in my routine.

Cold plunges & infrared saunas…

Louise: Both have been game-changers — cold plunges or cryo for mental clarity and resilience, infrared saunas for detoxification and recovery. In LA ARTHA Wellness is a great place that offers it all under one roof. I see them as emotional resets as much as physical ones and great for mitochondrial health

Overhyped beauty-tech trend…

Jenny: Any device that promises results without lifestyle changes. If you’re not supporting the basics — sleep, nutrition, hydration — the device is just an expensive gadget.

If I could invent a beauty tech product…

Jenny: A 5 minute at home manicure device that would give you amazing nails without the time drain. When I’m busy, I find beauty maintenance such a time suck but I like nice nails.

When I’ve time, it can be lovely to get a manicure but for busy days, I would love a quick fix solution that takes 5 mins and hey presto, perfect hands!

Skincare I swear by…

Louise: I love Dr Sam’s flawless range. It’s built on a simple yet transformative 4 step system. The range embraces the latest in root cause skincare, not just surface fixes. A prime example is sunflower shoot extract proven to boost NAD+ levels. Other ingredients in her range include vitamin C, niacinamide, azelaic acid and retinoids.

Blue light risks… 

Aoife: Chronic exposure disrupts circadian rhythms and increases oxidative stress, which can accelerate skin ageing. The mental fatigue from constant screen time also impacts hormonal balance, which shows up on our skin. I am actively trying to cut down on my screen time, particularly in the evenings. Having a good book on my bedside table helps.

What the industry should stop…

Jenny: I think the wellness industry needs to hold manufacturers and brand owners to a higher standard when it comes to claiming a ‘science backed’ approach. In the case of ‘proprietary blends’, which conceal the dose of each ingredient in a supplement blend, there is no way to verify that a science-backed dose of a nutrient has been included. Opting to conceal the doses in a proprietary blend only benefits the manufacturers, not the consumer and they should be called out as bad practice. At SISTERLY, we decided from the outset that our science-backed doses were something to be proud of so they are there on the box for everyone to see.

My favourite free wellness practice… 

Aoife: A dip in the ocean is my natural energy boost. It refreshes my body, recharges my mind, and grounds me in the moment. We host monthly sea swims to gather our SISTERLY community. It’s always a great morning followed by chats, coffee and cake.

Advice to my 18-year-old self…

Louise: Sunscreen every day.

My 18 year old self paid little to no attention to sunscreen outside of a holiday lying on the beach. I still love the sun and choose not to avoid it entirely. I’m just more careful to apply spf daily. Because I’m outdoors a lot I avoid some of the more aggressive lasers and peels as I know they would leave my skin more vulnerable to skin damage from the sun.

The Modems’ Byte-Sized Questions:

🛏️ First thing you do when you wake up?
Take SISTERLY with water

📱 Go-to wellness app?
Apple Watch wellness app for sleep and activity

🥇 Most overrated ingredient?
Jenny: Gold in skincare. It sounds luxurious, but there’s very little science to back up its effectiveness. I’d rather spend money on ingredients with proven benefits like vitamin C or retinoids.

💊 Most underrated ingredient?
Louise: Magnesium in supplements. It’s not glamorous, but it supports over 300 processes in the body — from sleep and stress to muscle recovery. When I started taking magnesium in our SISTERLY sachet I noticed a big shift in my sleep quality.

😬 Biggest skincare regret?
Aoife: Not using sunscreen religiously. I was more focused on getting a tan than protecting my skin. Now I won’t leave the house without SPF.

💄 Beauty hack that actually works?
Jenny: Consistency. It sounds boring, but committing to a simple, science-backed routine pays dividends. Quick fixes rarely work — the magic is in showing up every single day.

🧬 Your current wellness obsession?
Louise: Microneedling with exosomes. The results for skin texture and glow are great, and I love that it’s rooted in real regenerative science.

🚿 Hot or cold shower?
Aoife: Cold, especially after a run. It wakes me up instantly and makes me feel ready for what’s next.

🔥❄️ Sauna or Cold plunge?
Louise: Both! Sauna for the deep reset and a cold plunge for the mental clarity. The contrast makes you feel like new.

☕️ Coffee, matcha or mushroom latte?
Jenny: Coffee, preferably a cappuccino. It’s quick, comforting, and gets me out the door without fuss.