Starting Your Own Beauty Brand 101

If you’ve been following me since the inception of Beauty Kitchen back in 2012, then you are well aware that I have a beauty brand. But it’s much more than a beauty brand. It’s grown into a full-blown empire that I work on diligently, every day. And since I’ve built this little slice of heaven, I’ve been able to help other individuals create and expand their brands as well. I often get asked, “Where do I begin? Where do I sell? Where do I market? How do I choose what to sell, create, or private label?” This is where I come in. I have nearly ten years of experience in this space. From starting in my garage, to navigating everything from expansions, bottle and packaging sources, hiring employees, and insurance — you name it, I’ve done it, and can give you all the shortcuts to success.

Beauty Kitchen and Marianna Naturals own our own manufacturing facilities and source all of our ingredients responsibly. We have a “turn-key process” that can create, package, and label all of your products, making them retail ready, all in one space.

This creates less costs for you as the brand creator because we don’t have middle men. We also offer low minimums and pre-sale, one-offs to help you create demand before having to invest in a ton of inventory! It‘s very important to choose your manufacturer wisely, because they can disappear or cut you off without warning, causing you to start the whole process over again. I know a very well-known celebrity spray tanner, who has had many issues with his manufacturers over the course of our friendship, and has lost millions in legal fees, patents, and lost potential revenue. Always choose a manufacturing partner you trust, with great references. Here are a few testimonials, and some links to brands we have helped create! I am very proud to be a small part of their success.

Testimonials:

-Bridget Moore, CEO of Sugar Me
-Amanda Root, Co-Creator & CEO of Seanoevil
-Tyler Yoder, Creator of Toxx Lab

Brand Links:

-Sugar Me
-Yaaganix
-Sacred SKN
-Showgirl Cupcakes
-Krissy D Cosmetics
-#blessed by charles scott
-The Apothecary Stores
-Toka CBD Wellness
-Simply Radiant Med Spa
-Le Jolie Medi Spa
-Needle Me Now
-Toxx Lab
-Marianna Naturals

Those are just a few examples of brands we have worked with, but there are thousands more. It doesn’t matter if you’re a celebrity, or if have a small following and an even smaller budget, there are definitely options available to you for creating your own product and brand.

You may be asking, “How do I get started with my own brand, and how do I partner with you to create it?” First off, send me an email Heather@Marianna.Ca. That’s the best way to contact me. If you are thinking of starting a brand by launching a product, here are some questions to ask yourself and think through, then email me your responses!

-What do I want to do with my brand?

It’s not just about making money (although that is great). How does the brand you want to create reflect you as a person — your personality and what you portray in your daily life? For example, one of my clients, Raquel, the creator of Sacred SKN is really into crystals and meditation and is a very earthy girl so her brand is very centered around that. Her eye creams have crystals in them, and her product names also reflect that brand image, as well as the photoshoots for her products.

Are you a fitness girl/guy? Maybe create a yoga matt spray, an after-gym shower wash (antibacterial is big right now). Are you a makeup girl? Maybe we work with you on creating a makeup setting spray, a lip line, or lashes! We also work with an amazing makeup manufacturer and worked with Nilsa from the show Florabama Shore to create her complete lip line. The ideas are really endless, I’m full of them! I have plenty to give!

-How many products do you want to start with? You really only need one winner.

-What’s your budget? Do you want to focus on pre-selling? That’s always a great option to generate interest.

-Where will you market? Will you sell in an online platform or physical location? Will it be marketed on social media, in print, on TV, or by word of mouth?

-What’s your timeline? I like to work on goals Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 and crush them.

-What kind of packaging do you like? FYI, the current trend is simple, clean, bright, and minimalistic logos.

Another question I am hearing a lot right now is, “Is this the right time? We’re in the middle of a pandemic!” YES! It’s actually the perfect time. Self-care sales are through the roof, especially online. If this is the space you want to be in, then now is the time to dive in. The pandemic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and most things are moving online and away from in-person sales platforms. The days of going out to sample products are over. Skincare stores are closing left and right, and indie brands are soaring with all of the support for “Made in the USA” and “Shop Local” in this pandemic. It’s time to shine!

If you are interested in starting your own brand, learning from me and my team, getting daily, one-on-one support to encourage you and give you the shortcuts to pricing, where to sell, what to sell, etc, then go ahead and send me an email with responses to all of the questions above. I look at every email sent to me and will respond. We have many packages available. If you have a quick question, and want to text me directly about an idea, etc, find me here on Cameo via direct message.

Here is a breakdown of what you’ll get by partnering with us. These are also things you would need to ask anyone that you partner with as a manufacturer. We offer way more than just sending you products and saying, “Here you go happy selling.” Our goal is to help you succeed.

We offer the following and so much more:

-Complete creation of your product line.
-Access to our graphic designers and photographers for product label design and product photography/mockups for your website, as well as business card design or logos creation.
-Retail ready products.
-Samples at each process, shipped directly to you.
-Packaging options shipped directly to you.
-Video content during the production process from our factories for your marketing.
-Support for wholesale opportunities, product descriptions, tag lines, etc.
-Daily support though our private, client Facebook Page (if you wish to join).
-Email and text support.
-Lists of retailers that we work that you can contact.
-Bundle and package creation.
-Launch event opportunities or pre-sale options and info on how to pre-sell successfully.
-And so much more!

Remember, the state of retail is ever evolving and so should you. When I started in my garage, I never ever thought I would be preparing to go public on the stock exchange. I manifested all of this and continue to put in the work every day. I am excited to help new brands soar, it’s my passion. No matter what your passion is, make sure you go for it. Skincare, blogging, travel, modeling, whatever it is… go for it, and pivot to meet the world we’re in today and the future that lies ahead. It’s time to evolve, adapt and soar!