Hey! That Was My Cosmetic Product Idea!
*This is the second post in a 3 part series to help you flush out your cosmetic product ideas.* So you thought you had the best idea in the world for a cosmetic product. An idea that nobody else has ever thought of and thus couldn’t possibly exist. Until you punched a...
This is a Great Beauty Product, Right?
This is the first post in a 3 part series to help you flush out your new product idea. By the time you finish this series you should have refined your product idea to the point where it is flawless... or you will have determined that you need to go back to the drawing...
Go International- I Dare You 😉
Before you launch your cosmetic brand you need to know where you plan to sell your products. Most US based start-up companies default to selling in the US market. Funny thing is, so many of our product ideas are just as popular, if not more, outside of the US. How...
Funding Your Beauty Business
So, to state the obvious, it’s going to cost some money to launch and maintain your beauty brand. You should carefully consider all methods of funding your beauty business. I am often asked by aspiring brand owners if they NEED an investor. My response- How quickly do...
Launch Budget: Marketing vs PR
Whether your beauty brand launch budget is small or large, you’ll still have to decide how to spend your money. In a tight race between marketing and PR, where would you focus your launch budget? I think the answer to this question lies in the chief aim of the brand....
Launch Day: It’s all About Perspective
I'm humbled to say I’ve been an integral part of launching new beauty brands since 2009. I've learned a lot through observation both good and bad. From my point of view, there is nothing that seems to put out a fire faster than unrealized goals for the launch. If...
My Take on Beauty Brand Competition
Competition is overrated. No, really. Way too much emphasis is placed on beating the competition in a beauty product based business. I can see how it happens. In a crowded marketplace where there aren’t many truly unique ideas, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to...
Your Beauty Brand Personality
At some point in our lives, I think we’ve all been drawn in to a fictional tv show; whether your taste is Scandal, Sex and the City or Glee. Have you ever considered the thought, research and effort that go into the development of your favorite characters? I mean,...
Setting Goals for Your Beauty Brand
Before you dig into this post, take a minute to ponder these three words- Best, Popular, Profitable. What comes to mind when you read each of them? *jot that down* What is your main goal for your beauty brand? Do you want to be the best to ever do it? Are you seeking...
Reading for Your Beauty Brand
There’s just no way around it. If you want to succeed, advance, learn, be a leader; you must read. I'm willing to bet if you interviewed the top beauty brand owners and leaders you'd find they have a list of reading material that played a role in their success....
Dreaming on a Deadline
Goals are dreams with a deadline. They are so necessary for achieving success, especially if you want to get there sooner than later. Setting goals is the first step in your journey to accomplishment. There are many different methods and philosophies for setting and...
In the Lab: Product Inspiration
I gather a lot of product inspiration from fashion and home design. It may sound strange, but somehow I can translate the colors and designs of clothes and home accessories into cosmetics and fragrance. There was a spread in the July 2011 issue of Vogue that...
Cracking the Code: Shea Butter and SPF
On more than one occasion, I have heard and seen shea butter being purported as a sunscreen. While I know this to be untrue, I thought it would be a good idea to explain where this particular shea butter myth comes from, what's true and what's not.Natural, unrefined...
The Spirit of Competition
It is inevitable, every business has competition. There's always going to be another company that offers the same or similar products/services as your own. As the saying goes-- There's nothing new under the sun. In order to grow a strong, successful cosmetic company,...
Beauty Reflections
I just spent about 10 minutes in the mirror analyzing my skin... studying it, assessing the flaws and thinking of a master plan to make it perfect. This past week has been a complete disaster in the beauty department. I make no apologies for being vain... and when I...