Beauty Boot Camp

Dear future beauty brand owners,

Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of participating in the development of a large number of cosmetic products and following the emergence of numerous new beauty brands. Each of them started with an idea, great enthusiasm and a desire to create something special. And almost every one of them asked the same question: “Where to even start?”

What has surprised me most over the years is not how many people have good ideas, because there really isn’t a lack of ideas, but rather a lack of understanding of everything that comes after them.

I’ve seen packaging chosen for months before the product has even been defined. I’ve seen thousands of euros invested in design without anyone even considering the stability of the formulation. I’ve seen products that looked beautiful in photos but failed stability testing. And I’ve seen great formulations that never found their place in the market because they weren’t developed for the right customer.

None of these mistakes were made because people weren’t capable enough, but rather because no one explained what the development of a cosmetic product actually looks like.

The beauty industry often looks very glamorous. We see finished products, beautiful bottles and successful brands on social media. What is not seen are the months of development, numerous laboratory prototypes, stability testing, regulatory requirements, Challenge Tests, safety assessments and dozens of decisions that need to be made before a product even hits the shelf.

If I were to start over again today, I would do a few things differently.

• I wouldn’t look for the perfect cream first.
• I wouldn’t choose the packaging first.
• I wouldn’t think about the logo first.
• First, I would learn how cosmetic product development works.

Because only when you understand the process can you make good decisions.

That’s why we created the Beauty Startup Bootcamp, a free online training where I want to share my experiences working with numerous beauty entrepreneurs. We won’t just talk about formulations, we’ll talk about the decisions that determine whether your project will be successful or will unnecessarily cost you time, money, and energy.

If you’ve been thinking about your own beauty brand for a while, I’d love for you to join us, because maybe one of these lectures will be the reason you avoid the mistake I’ve seen many times in the lab.

Mirela Ilenic
Head of Cosmetics Product Development