How to become an entrepreneur and beauty brand owner

Do you want to launch your own cosmetic product or brand? The Personal Care Coach and Training Company can guide you on this journey.

Perhaps you have always been interested in the industry, or you have not been able to find a particular product that meets your needs or maybe you are fascinated by ingredients and how they work. Regardless of what the motivation is, the beauty and cosmetics industry is one of the most exciting. It is also remains one of the fastest-growing consumer product categories – showing that there is always room for new products. This also means it is one of the most competitive markets. While you don’t need to be a dermatologist or a cosmetic scientist to develop great products, it does mean you need to plan and find the right suppliers and formulation experts to help you be successful. 

According to Robyn Brown, founder of The Personal Care Coach and Training company, working with someone with knowledge of the industry is important.

“Although you may feel confident and want to do everything yourself, you can save time and money by getting advice and guidance on where to start, what the most important steps are and how to deal with challenges along the way,” she says.

Basic points to consider

• Knowledge is power

It will help to learn as much as you can about human skin and the various types of products for skin care, how they work as well as the most common ingredients and actives used. Without this knowledge you will struggle to achieve your goal. 

Consider training to learn more before you start developing your product. Alternatively seek a mentor who you can work with and learn on the journey. Keep an eye out for new courses and training videos developed by The Personal Care Coach and Training company.

• Start small

Identify where your product is going to fit in the market and make sure that it actually solves a problem. As innovative or nice as your product may seem – if there is no demand for it, it will not sell. Plan your strategy – whilst you may have a whole product line in mind, rather consider launching with one or two hero products and then expand over time. There are two sound reasons for this:

1. one is to reduce upfront costs
2. if something does not work, it is easier to fix the problem in one or two products than it is to revise an entire range.

This is also where partnering with a mentor or experienced formulator is invaluable. Don’t fear that a formulator might ‘steal’ your ideas, instead focus on using their knowledge to ensure your ideas become reality. A company like The Personal Care Coach and Training Company will have experienced staff who have industry experience to coach you to the point where you will be able to manage on your own.

• Choose a manufacturer

Many start-ups, particularly those that focus on natural products, begin in someone’s kitchen. However, if you are launching a more sophisticated product or range, your choice of manufacturer can be the key to your success or it can lead to disaster. 

Choose the best manufacturer you can afford and check their reputation. Your formulator should also be able to advise on a contract manufacturer which will be best option for you based on what your product and batch requirements.

• Name game

Whilst this may not seem as important as choosing the right ingredients and actives, or creating a brilliant formula, never underestimate the importance of a memorable name. Consumers are often drawn to a name first and then look at what the product actually does. Of course, results ultimately create loyal fans, but a great name and logo help create iconic brands. It is well worth investing time and money in this from outset, as trying to change a name or branding after launching a product can be detrimental to its success. Also, to remember to check the legalities of using a name – check for copyrights, trade and domain names before you create logos and start printing packaging etc.

• Brand building and marketing

Great products with no marketing are just products. Brown, who has mentored many entrepreneurs over the years, says that the importance of a marketing strategy to support a new product or brand is absolutely crucial. 

“Once you’ve done the formulation and everything is set for manufacture, it’s important that you market your products. Pay attention to the basics like setting up a website and social media pages. Traditional marketing, like direct sales to local stores, spas and salons, and direct marketing will also help get the word out about your brand.”

• Legal stuff

Regardless of whether you are planning to export or just sell locally, making sure you adhere to guidelines and regulations is important. 

“There are regulations for what can be said on labels and what claims can be made,” explains Brown. “If you are planning to export, you will also need various types of documentation about ingredients used, concentrations etc.”

• Be patient

The formulation of products can be quite tricky, it takes time and there is a lot of detail involved. You may have to go through a couple of formulas before you arrive at the final version. Get a few people to test your product, get feedback and make adjustments. You will also need to test for stability before taking your product to market. It is worth completing each step thoroughly for long-term success.  Rushing product development often leads to costly errors.

Visit the The Personal Care Coach and Training company website for more information.