Tennis Star Sloane Stephens Launches Bodycare Brand She Says Got Her Through the 'Hardest' Matches (Exclusive)

The star athlete tells PEOPLE how she created Doc & Glo, which debuts with an all-gender deodorant and body mist, from the ground up

As an athlete Sloane Stephens has “pretty much tried it all” when it comes to bodycare. To be exact, the tennis champion, who has a Grand Slam title to her name, has spent 15 years testing the latest in beauty and wellness.

It's a long list of rituals that includes multistep "everything showers," red light therapy, dry brushing, cold plunges, saunas and cryotherapy — all of which she's done to help her body recover after rigorous days of traveling, training and competing.

However, Stephens, 31, admits that her complex routine was actually devoid of the most “basic" yet necessary steps. So, she created her own products to fill those holes, which is how Doc & Glo, her all-gender bodycare brand, was born.

Related: 7 Style and Wellness Essentials Sloane Stephens Can't Live Without

“This has been four years in the making,” Stephens tells PEOPLE. “Making custom formulations, everything from scratch, was a process. I didn't want to rush anything. It was very much my passion project: beauty has always been something I've been really passionate about.”

Ultimately, the question she kept top of mind was, “What actually am I trying to accomplish?” which led her to make a universal brand for the “movers, the shakers and all in between.”

Doc & Glo's debut products are the No. 3161 Game-Changing Deodorant ($18) and the 24/7 Hustle Deodorizing Body Mist ($22).

The fragrance-free mist neutralizes odor while working to improve the skin barrier and protect it from environmental stressors and bacteria.

The roll-on deodorant — a must for Sloane, whose underarms are constantly on display while she dominates the tennis court — is made with an aluminum-and-fragrance-free formula that also neutralizes body odor, as well as brightens the skin and soothes irritation. Bonus: it doesn’t leave a white cast or buildup.

Sloane says she tested each when playing her "hardest" matches.

Related: Former U.S. Open Winner Sloane Stephens Shared Her Nighttime Routine with Us, Including This $10 Drugstore Find

Both products have easy-to-read ingredient lists that are in tune with Stephens’ straightforward outlook on beauty.

“I'm a very simple gal, [and] very thoughtful with the products that I use and [the ones] that I'm recommending to my friends and family.”

Sustainability is a big part of Doc & Glo’s branding too. Stephens assures she and her team were "not wasteful queens." Beyond production (during which imperfect formulas were improved upon for use rather than tossed out), Stephens also made sure to house her products in refillable units and reusable packing so shoppers can restock their stash responsibly. “Single-use plastic is out,” she adds.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

While she wanted to appeal to the masses with her beauty venture, Stephens included some small details referencing her personal life as well. The name itself is a sweet nod to grandma and grandpa, a former OB/GYN who always told her to go natural with her deodorants since she struggles with hidradenitis suppurativa, a skin condition that causes painful lumps deep within the skin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.

Throughout this journey, Stephens discovered a great deal about the business of beauty. What she quickly figured out is that “entrepreneurship is not for the weak.”

“Learning a new business is a whole different beast,” she tells PEOPLE. “It's finding retailers, cold emailing people, messaging them on LinkedIn, finding the right manufacturer — things like that.” Even when plans went awry, she always found a way to “pivot" and be nimble.

“It's definitely something that you have to be totally ready for," she adds of being her own boss.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Stephens also learned the importance of work-life balance and she says that anyone who wants to should indulge in their beauty and self-care routines. Her motto: "Don't cheat yourself, treat yourself."

“You only have one life to live, so treat yourself as if you're the queen, as if you're the princess," she says. “Once you realize that, if you can do something every day for you, you'll just feel better.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.