The beauty industry is already huge, but that does not mean there is no room for more beauty products, especially if those products are handmade. Selling one’s own beauty products is a great idea for a woman who wants to make a little money on the side, or who wants their product to become a business in its own right.
Building a beauty brand
There are some beauty products that are always desirable, whether they are made by a big global brand or by an entrepreneur in their kitchen. These include products for the face, such as cleansers, toners and moisturizers, or products for the body, such as body washes, shampoos and conditioners, and body lotions.
The rise of ecommerce has made selling your own beauty products easier than it has ever been, but it would be foolish to think the entire process is easy. A handmade beauty products business is just that, a business, and as such, it requires you to wear a number of hats and have a wide skillset. You may already know that administration is going to play a big part in your business life, but are you prepared for the marketing that you will have to do as well?
The first step you will need to think about is your brand. You may want to employ someone to design your logo for you, or you may want to use online design tools to help with this most important element. Getting the look of your brand just right is tricky, so consider what your products have to offer to help you reach an ideal visual motif. For example, are they made of organic ingredients? Are they for problem skins? Who are they likely to appeal to most? If you can answer these questions, you should be able to design a look for your products that embodies your brand. You will need to focus heavily on packaging, deciding whether your products will come in boxes or whether you intend to rely on labeling and other applied packaging, for which you will need to consider stickers design.
Once you have your brand established, you need to approach your target customers. You can do this by selling direct at craft and trade fairs or other seasonal events, or you could try to place your products in beauty stores where they will sit alongside other brands. Dip your toes in the water in this regard by approaching local beauty stores first. You may then be able to move onto national stores. You should also use the Internet to sell your goods, building a website to showcase your products and listing them for sale on sites such as Etsy. Also, make good use of social media to spread the word about your brand.
If you have a hobby that has the potential to develop into a business, understand first how key your branding is to success and take all steps necessary to create a strong and unique image for your products.