Olivia Alexander, the CEO and creator of Kush Queen, has created a line of cannabinoid-infused products that highlight the body’s biggest organ — the skin.
Although her line of vibrantly colored bath bombs has proven popular, Kush Queen didn’t start off as a self-care brand.
When deciding on what products to make, Alexander thought of her background as a budtender and the knowledge she picked up while working in dispensaries.
“The first product that really got me was a crystal vape. It was a Swarovski crystal vaporizer and that vape pen was hand crystalized and we started selling those, which helped me find the Kush Queen audience,” says Alexander.
Because of the risk to consumers’ lungs, Alexander was inspired to make CBD and THC-infused cosmetics, and in turn, create products that could help break the stigma surrounding cannabis use.
Alexander then created what has turned out to be the most popular product in the Kush Queen line — bath bombs. The bath bombs are gentle on the skin and can be used by any age group to promote relaxation.
“I wanted to create wellness products that were also way more approachable and mass-marketed, and help people arrive at the conclusion that we need to use cannabis every day,” says Alexander.
Kush Queen’s 10-person production team is constantly creating bath bombs, pain relief lotions, edibles, wellness supplements, and skincare products infused with CBD and or THC.
As CEO of the company, Alexander oversees her nineteen employees and finds herself wearing many hats throughout the workweek. “I could have days where I have a bunch of calls where I am talking to people like you, and I could have another day where I am in the shipping department helping, because of people calling [in absent] due to COVID,” says Alexander.
Due to the high risk of catching COVID-19 in common areas, employees have been missing work, which has put Alexander back into the physical motions of working.
Alexander herself uses cannabis as a natural sleep aid, and to promote wellness — that is what Kush Queen stands for and wants to portray as a brand. As a woman in the cannabis industry, there is a lot of fetishizing women who smoke cannabis — that has pushed the Kush Queen brand to break barriers and respect women in the cannabis community.
In terms of communities of color in the industry, Alexander says she feels a sigh of relief that the Black Lives Matter movement is bringing more attention to minority groups and the LGBTQ+ community. It’s allowed her to create a bigger voice for her brand.
As a cannabis user and woman in the industry, she has been shut out. But Alexander says her company is becoming a part of many conversations that need to be discussed and supported.
By Victoria Martinez
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