How To Start Your Own Beauty Brand

"Regardless of your own ethnicity or that of your target audience, begin with products and concepts you're passionate about,” Caitlin Johnstone, who founded Shiro Cosmetics at the age of 19 (now 25), wrote to The FADER in an email. Though her products cater to everybody, her primary focus is on “geekery” — the first Shiro collection was Pokémon-themed. “I didn't start my business with my [Asian-American] heritage in mind. You could start with a specific source of inspiration, or a certain type of product, or anything at all that makes you feel the drive to pursue your new project through to its completion."

The beauty industry is more competitive than ever, so it’s important to know what makes your brand special. Dark Diva Dolls addresses an issue unique to Singapore. Founder Sathiya Priya explains, "We realized that it was difficult for women of color in Singapore (generally Malays and Indians) to find affordably priced, quality cosmetics suitable for tan or dark skin tones. We wanted to fill that gap and develop high quality and affordable cosmetics — and they had to be able to withstand the humid climate."

“Twitter has really helped us,” says Danielle Bahi, 20-year-old founder of Bahi Cosmetics. “We ask questions, have discussions, and look at how we can have a fresh spin on popular things on the market."

Florence Adepoju of MDMFlow adds, "I have an open conversation with my followers about what I'm producing and what they want. You have to be bold about what and who you represent; it's not an easy thing to do."

Shiro Cosmetics perceives all criticism as constructive, "Don't be too defensive or unable to take criticism! View criticism (even if it's unkindly worded) as a tool to help you improve."

"If you promise to ship orders within five business days, make sure that happens," says Johnstone. "Most companies I've seen fail [do so] because they fail to send out orders, or to keep in contact with customers once they've fallen behind. [It’s] always best to under-promise and over-deliver, never the other way around."

Bahi Cosmetics operates on a principle of openness, as Danielle explains: "Our first focus was towards women of color, but we want to be able to sell our product to everyone.” Shiro Cosmetics is encouraging of all people who want to use their brand, "Don't be non-inclusive!” says Johnstone. “Makeup is great for everyone: ladies, gents, non-binary people of all skin colors and of all skill levels.”

"Whenever things get slow for me, I find a few artists on Instagram that I love, and offer them free makeup in exchange for a look or two on their page," says Johnstone, whose emphasis on the photo-sharing platform has earned her a cult following. "Coupon codes and flash sales can also be useful in a real slump, but I would caution anyone against having constant sales — otherwise it will be impossible to sell products at full price.”

"We try to have several major new releases every year, inspired by currently popular trends,” explains Johnstone. “Color of the Month guarantees a small new release every single month.” Take their eyeshadow series “No Oscar For Leo DiCaprio,” “Still No Oscar For Leo DiCaprio,” and “Finally An Oscar For Leo DiCaprio.”

Makeup technology is developing at such a rapid rate that cheaper drugstore brands such as ColourPop and Wet 'n' Wild are able to produce high performance products at a fraction of the cost of high-end companies. If you want your brand to compete, you need to get in the lab. "I had a really crap lipstick formula for the first two years of my business," Adepoju explains. "I sent lipsticks to customers in Brooklyn that kept breaking and I reformulated and resent. Now my product is amazing. I'm working on my hustle."