You love the beauty industry very much. You also have an entrepreneurial spirit. Combine these two passions, and you may have what you need to create your own line of cosmetics!
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Have the Right Preparation
Step 1. Try to understand how make-up works and what are the current trends
If you really want to start selling cosmetics, you need to know in detail how and why makeup works. This goes far beyond the makeup you use every day - it means understanding the composition of the products, the techniques for enhancing the facial features and how various cosmetics can be used to solve specific problems, from dandruff to skin irritations. Some ways to increase your knowledge about it are:
- Graduated in Sciences and Techniques of Cosmetology.
- Read the biographies of the people who created some of the most famous cosmetic lines, such as Helena Rubenstein, Estée Lauder and so on.
- Learn the basics of chemistry, perhaps by attending a course.
- Learn what alternatives to various ingredients are (natural-based products are very fashionable now).
- Learn the typical compositions of the different types of cosmetics, such as lipstick, foundation, etc.
Step 2. Experiment at home
Borrow or buy books that teach you how to make your own cosmetics. Experimenting, along with studying the theory, will help you understand how to combine the various ingredients to achieve the purpose you want, whether it's softer skin or shinier hair.
- There are many excellent cosmetology manuals in the library or bookstore. You can also find good advice online, but be very careful in this case: check that they come from professionals and do not automatically believe that they will help you achieve your goal - that is something you will have to experiment on your own.
- Ask friends if they want to test your products.
Method 2 of 4: Deciding the Extension of Your Cosmetic Line
Step 1. Evaluate which cosmetic area you want to focus on
The term "cosmetics" covers a wide range of products, including those for the hair, skin and face. It even includes toothpastes and deodorants, so it's best to know what you want to focus on right from the start. Your business will be successful if it is specialized from the start. For example, Lime Crime lipsticks are famous all over the world, most likely because they are one of the areas where the company has focused the most. Focus on the aspect that interests you most, in which you know you are well versed and that can take root on the market right now.
Once your business has taken off and is stronger, you can add new lines to existing ones. Until then, focus and make your best of the starting line. Perfect it, make a name for yourself and use it to earn the respect you need to launch new ideas
Step 2. Study marketing
The cosmetics industry is a very competitive field, as there are many companies that want their products to prevail. What makes a product stand out from the others is marketing - from the packaging (the packaging) to the promises of eternal youth, you have to find the right hook to attract the attention of your future customers. Ask yourself these fundamental questions:
- What is special or different about your product compared to the others?
- Why would a customer use your line and abandon the one they are already using successfully?
- What packaging will you create to make your brand recognizable, which attracts attention and at the same time reflects the reliability and quality of your product?
- What special ingredient or factor are you betting on? Many products have something that can be considered their trademark, for example "organic", "natural", "rose scented", "with emollient macadamia oil" or whatever. And do you have scientific corroboration that validates your claims and promises?
Method 3 of 4: Open the Company
Step 1. Think about the name
This is an essential part of your company and in addition to defining it, it also emphasizes your main product line. In some cases, you might just use your name. In others, you may prefer a boring name like Backroom Industries srl to cover all administrative matters and give your line an original name, for example Stardust Face Powder.
Step 2. Decide whether to leave from home or rent an office
The latter option could be expensive at first. You could rent part of a kitchen or industrial lab to test and start production, then store everything in a safe, dry place before shipping to stores. If you want to rent out premises, keep a low profile and don't try to move to expensive areas - start low and move to more expensive establishments when you can afford it.
Step 3. Talk to financial and legal advisors to start your business
They will have to cover aspects such as insurance, permits and patents, make sure that everything respects the safety regulations for the production of cosmetics (also you you will need to know the laws governing this field) and other things like rents, loans, warehouses, contracts and employee salaries.
Register your company as soon as you have defined all the details
Method 4 of 4: Promote the Products
Step 1. Sell your cosmetic line in all possible ways
This means visiting each perfumery and asking to sell your products, online sales through your virtual store or through dedicated sites (such as Ecco Verde, Amazon etc.) or even through practical demonstrations maybe at some party.
Step 2. You need to have the fundamentals of selling in mind
Think of at least five reasons why your products are great and worth trying. Be honest and prepare a story to tell about the reasons that prompted you to open your company.
For example, you could tell people that your lipstick is brighter than the others because you added the luminous aura of the Opfiala flower collected at the stroke of midnight. You got the idea while walking in the woods behind Opfiala, desperate because you couldn't find a lipstick that was noticeable even at night … and so on, let your imagination run wild
Advice
- Find volunteers to test your cosmetics. Inform them about the ingredients that compose them, to avoid the risk of allergies. Leave them the choice of whether or not to use the products, it is their prerogative.
- Decide which age range your target market will become. It will help you better define the appearance of the product, the packaging and advertising.
Warnings
- Do not test on animals. It's a very hot topic these years, and it could make you lose potential customers.
- Having insurance is essential if you want to open your own company and protect yourself from any problems caused by cosmetics. Like food, cosmetics can cause irritation, allergies and are an environment for bacterial growth. You certainly don't want someone to sue you for damages without having your back covered.
- Study, study and study. Do not improvise yourself as a “spignattatrice” (a term you will often find around the web), the production of cosmetics is not as easy as some characters make it appear.
