Some people chase the spotlight; others build it. Thelma Lawson is one of Nigeria’s most recognisable faces from Big Brother Naija (BBN) Season 10, and it is safe to say she is evolving far beyond the screens that first brought her fame. Over the years, she has worked her way into becoming a thriving entrepreneur, skincare expert, and influencer, a living proof that beauty and business can coexist powerfully.

After her memorable stint on BBN, Thelma refuses to be boxed in by reality TV fame. Instead, she is taking that momentum and turning it into a brand empire. She has put plans in place to ensure her brand, Bellissimo Store, becomes a trusted name in Nigeria’s fast-growing skincare industry —a sanctuary for quality products, expert guidance, and self-care made simple. Through Bellissimo, she’s not just selling beauty; she’s redefining it, advocating for confidence, authenticity, and wellness-driven lifestyles.

Beyond her entrepreneurial strides, Lawson is steadily building a strong digital presence that feels personal yet aspirational. Her Instagram feed blends glamour and grit, a mix of chic aesthetics, skincare reviews, and honest conversations about her skincare journey. It’s this balance that has endeared her to fans who see in her not just a celebrity, but a relatable force of nature.

In this exclusive interview with THEWILL DOWNTOWN’s Johnson Chukwueke, Thelma Lawson speaks on her entrepreneurial journey, from starting out as a hustling student to building a brand and gaining visibility through one of Nigeria’s biggest platforms. Her story is one of ambition and resilience, a reminder that with motivation and drive, anyone can turn their vision into reality.

What inspired you to start Bellissimo Store, and how did your vision for the brand come to life?

Back then, in school around 2015, I won a makeup scholarship in an Instagram competition run by House of Tara; it was a one-month, professional-class-type thing. So I started as a makeup artist, and by the time I got admitted to the university, I had already built an audience. I think at that time I already had around 16k followers, and I didn’t want to lose that crowd because I was in school full-time from 8 am-5 pm. What I did was switch to selling makeup products. Because they knew I was good at my craft, whenever I recommended something to them, they trusted it, and just like that, I started my store in my self-contained room while in school.

The name “Bellissimo” is Spanish and means “Beauty/Beautiful” in English. I was trying to run a faceless brand because, at the time, I was getting a lot of backlash from my peers for taking me like 2 years to get into the university. So I just went with Bellissimo Store. I wanted to name it “Beauty Store,” but it sounded so ordinary, so I chose a different language.

I began getting more demand for my products, and the kind of customers I had grew from just students to people outside the school environment. They didn’t want stories of me being in class, so I got myself a store shortly before the COVID-19 outbreak. My main target for my store has always been people on a budget. As the business grew, I began stocking high-end products as well. I must add that I started the business just to have money, honestly. You know, have some extra money to buy data, buy food, snacks, or clothes, and eventually it became my biggest cash cow, so I took it seriously.

The skincare industry is highly competitive — what unique value or philosophy sets Bellissimo Store apart from other beauty brands?

I have a personal relationship with most of my customers, especially the long-term customers. When I say long-term, I mean the customers I have grown up with, right from when I was a student, till now. My business thrives mainly on referrals, and I started doing vlogs, reviewing products, and explaining things to my customers. At one point, I was offering free skincare consultations, and then I made them affordable. So if someone has a skincare issue, they come to me, and, seeing my reviews, they know I know what I am doing. So these things brought more audience to me. It became easy for them just to sit down, talk to me, and trust my recommendations. When I post, they see that I am not just selling the product; I am also living it. So yeah, things like that make my brand stand out.

How did your personal skincare journey influence the products and approach behind Bellissimo Store?

In my personal skincare journey, it took me some time to really understand what skincare was about, and then my business reached a stage where it was more than just random recommendations. I was hearing terminologies that I wasn’t used to, and this made me go to a skincare school. Actually, I did a cosmetic course and a manual facial at a beauty therapy institute, which is a South African company with schools in Nigeria. The reason I took that course was that I wanted to learn more about ingredients and their functions. After gaining that knowledge, I would say it influenced my buying. I began buying what the customers needed, and not just something that was trending at that time in the market. If I identify that a certain ingredient can solve the problem, that’s what I get.

So my personal experience comes in handy when I am doing product reviews. If I use a facial cleanser and it feels good on my skin, I begin stocking on that product, recommend it to my customers, especially since I have used it and it was good on me. If you go to my store, I don’t necessarily have a wide variety of products, but the ones that you see at the store are products I have personally used or my siblings have used. This way, I can make genuine reviews on the products.

One of the sponsors of Big Brother is a skincare brand. I hadn’t used any of their products until I got into the house, and when I did, it felt good on my skin. I decided to open discussions with them to become a major distributor of their products. So yeah, that’s how my personal journey influences the products I sell.

How do you balance being the face of your brand while also managing the business side of things?

Okay, that’s pretty easy because it’s skincare I am dealing with, and if the face can move markets, then everything automatically becomes smooth. The face is pretty, the skin is flawless, and those are great for the brand, so it’s not difficult for me. Like I said, I have a personal relationship with my customers, and they aren’t getting from me because I am the best in the world, not at all; they are buying from me because it’s Thema, they want to support me, and they know I know what I am doing. At this point, I can’t be faceless; everyone knows who has the brand. It’s now my lifestyle, and I am not struggling to be the face of the brand and manage the business.

What has been your proudest moment since launching Bellissimo Store?

I would say around 2022, I was having a big break, we were getting more orders than usual. At that point, I had more money than I expected. I would restock the store, and still have money looking at me in the account, and getting a lot of demand from Lagos. We were sending out products to Lagos, and I became open to having a branch in Lagos after a trip I had to Lagos. I actually went to Benin Republic, and when I came to Lagos, I felt immediately that it had the market I was looking for. So after my final year, I moved to Lagos. Luckily, I found the shop I liked in Yaba almost immediately, and I set it up. That was a big moment for me.

Where do you see your brand in the next five years — any plans for expansion or collaborations?

I am looking to collaborate with brands directly. I don’t want to just restock, I don’t want any third-party dealings, I just want to actually collaborate with big brands from the U.K., U.S, you know, be their official distributor in Nigeria. That’s one of the reasons I went on Big Brother, to gain that visibility and be a proper wholesaler. I want to give retail prices, maintain the supply chain from manufacturers to wholesalers, and then to retailers.

How did your experience on Big Brother Naija shape your confidence and direction as an entrepreneur?

I have always been a confident person —some might say troublemaker —but I just feel it’s their way of saying I am confident and self-aware. I went into the house very confident, very self-aware. I got used to the backlash and trolls, especially back then when I made the brand faceless because of the backlash I was getting from my peers, but like I said, I got used to it. I was pretty much used to everything and ready for everything as well. Seeing that there were skincare vendors coming on board made me feel like I was definitely in the right season.  My housemates kept asking me what I was using for my skin, what they could use for theirs. I kept getting compliments, and it felt good to recommend them as well. It really boosted my confidence even more. Then, coming out of the house, I saw that my skin got lots of compliments from the public as well. I quickly gave myself a nickname, “The Skincare Baddie.”

The fame that comes after BBN can be overwhelming — how do you plan on channelling that attention into building something sustainable?

Every day on social media, I am making sure I put my business out there. Like I said, it is my biggest cash cow. I am not an influencer with a business; I am a business owner with influence. So at no point will I leave my business and start focusing on something else. I am looking to work with brands to influence campaigns, but my main focus is my business. So whatever traffic I am getting, it’s for my business. I introduce myself as “Your favourite skincare baddie, Thelma Lawson,” or when I end a tweet, I am constantly reminding people with skincare hashtags as well. I am not focusing on the negative part, so it’s going to be very hard for people to move me.

What lessons from the BBN experience do you still apply to your business or personal growth today?

I think I will say the house taught me how to wake up early, before the house I used to wake up like 10am, I can go to the shop anytime, having that boss lady vibe, but now that I have other things going on, I have to wake up very early in the day, and somehow that has helped in the energy I bring as I get to do more. I was doing a lot before going into the house really.

How do you unwind after a long day running your business and managing your online presence?

Oh, I like going to coffee stores, and I like having a relaxing time. I am going after this to where I will unwind with my colleagues. I think we would have sushi. I like trying out new food and new restaurants as well. I like trying new stuff in general. I also like having to sit by myself a lot, and just have a lot of quiet time, especially when I am thinking a lot about business.

What does self-care look like for you beyond skincare — emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?

I play a lot of Christian songs. I don’t go to church every Sunday, but I try my best to join morning devotions, and it helps me with a good start to my day. It just becomes easier when I start my day with God; that’s my spiritual care. For my mental or emotional care, I avoid people who bring unnecessary drama to me. I have blocked a lot of people on social media; it’s just not something I want to see or get involved with. I also make it a routine to check myself healthwise, making sure I am good; there’s a certain type of peace of mind that comes with knowing your body system is at its peak.

What’s one thing about you that your fans or customers would be surprised to learn?

I think it’s the fact that I just enjoy being by myself. I have so much fun being by myself, it will be surprising to quite a number of people because they know me to be jovial and outgoing, and yes, I can be up and about and be the life of the party, but to be honest, I would rather be by myself in bed.

 

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