The Beauty Run : Business

Artist Resources - Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Pro Makeup Discounts: 100 Brands You Can Save Money With As An Artist

... As a makeup artist, searching for all the pro discounts on offer can be a task not many of us are willing to endure. Essential to busine...

With the growing rise of Covid-19, there is no doubt we’re all worried. Whether you work full time and take beauty service bookings on the side, or are completely self-employed - maintaining good business etiquette during this time is more crucial than ever.

Those of you that are completely self-employed may be worried about the future of your business during these uncertain times. But fear not, we’re all in the same boat.

We wanted to give you some tips on how you can keep and maintain your client relationships during this time and come back from this better than ever.

Be flexible - But encourage postponement over cancelling

With the whole world on lockdown, naturally people are halting their own plans. Therefore it's inevitable that people will want to cancel their bookings and ask for a refund of deposits etc. As a business owner, who is running their business to a high standard - you should always try and honour this.

We’ve seen instances of beauty treatment business owners say that they won’t be offering any refunds of deposits regardless of the situation which is really bad client management. This will 100% leave a bad taste in your clients’ mouth, and after this passes they will avoid doing business with you again.

You may be concerned about how you will continue to pay your bills, so try and encourage your clients to postpone their session for a later date. You can also offer gift cards that will stay valid for a number of months as a way to encourage future bookings.

A lot of weddings and other big events have been postponed due to the virus, so let your clients know that you can still offer your services, and anything they have paid so far will be transferred to the new date.

Issue a public statement

From a PR perspective, public statements are important. Make sure your statements are informed and look professional. Whether you're sending them via email, or on social media... when writing your statement, keep your clients at the forefront of your mind and be kind and flexible. Show you care.

Offer refunds where clients have requested, and more than anything be understanding. You should be showing that you value safety over profits, both in regards to your staff (if you run a small business with more than 1 employee) and your clients.

Get creative & stay connected online

Although it may be hard, keep posting content. Stay connected with your clients and audience so that when this all passes, you’re still at the forefront of their minds. Be genuine, and continue to post your work.

This is the time to get creative with your content. Post Q&As on your stories (so your clients can learn more about you and your brand), host live sessions talking to your audience about your area of specialism.

Whilst the outside world has come to halt, the online world is thriving. Don’t stop posting and continue to stay engaged. Now is the time to do the behind the scenes work that will help grow your business.

Photo: OPI

Hone your craft

With a lot more time on your hands, now is the time to hone and perfect your craft. Read books, draw inspiration, create new looks. Whilst on lockdown this means you will have to use your own face as the canvas! Sign up to online courses and techniques you've always wanted to test out.

Anything that helps improve your craft, do it. Work may have stopped for now, but it doesn’t mean your creativity has to also come to a halt.

Offer resources & tips

A lot of your clients will be stuck at home with not much to do, or are even wondering how they can maintain their beauty rituals at home. Now is the time to offer resources & tips on how they can remove their nails at home, maintain their lashes, and even makeup & beauty demo tips and tricks.

Whether you decide to charge a fee, or offer it for free your clients will appreciate your efforts, which will help your business in the long run. Get creative!

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Build your business

As creatives, it's sometimes hard to find the time to work on the business side of your art. Now is the time to reassess your goals and think about how you will get there.

Do you have dream clients you want to work with? Are there any new services you want to offer? Do you want to re-market your brand? During this period of downtime is the ideal time to get back on top of your business and think about your overall targets.

When this pandemic is over, your beauty business come back bigger and better than ever if you use your time wisely. Stay safe and keep positive.

The Beauty Run x

Artist Resources - Monday, March 30, 2020

How To Maintain Your Beauty Business During Covid-19

With the growing rise of Covid-19, there is no doubt we’re all worried. Whether you work full time and take beauty service bookings on...

Artist Resources - Friday, March 20, 2020

Makeup Hygiene 101: How To Keep Your Clients Assured

... As a makeup artist, practising good hygiene has always been important. With the growing international pandemic of Covid-19 , and the...

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After battling with dermatitis and eczema prone skin for years, Lucy Cardwell decided it was time to tackle this by setting up her own skin care company called Lucky Cloud Skincare in 2015. Specialising in botanical products that are made for people with dry, damaged and sensitive skin - her brand uses quality raw ingredients to create moisture rich, nourishing and soothing skin solutions. We sat down with the entrepreneur to discuss what inspires her, how she started her business and more...

Hydrating Super Balm

Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey so far…

Originally from Australia, I moved to Scotland in 2008.

I was one of those many people who had suffered from dermatitis / eczema prone skin, for what feels like forever… I was diagnosed with it when I was in late primary school and then spent the next 20 + years using various steroid ointments, cortisone creams and trying to find skin cleansers and moisturisers that didn’t exacerbate the problem areas. It would come and go in waves and when it was bad, it as baaaaad (think cracked & bleeding skin, blisters and itches so bad they made me cry). So I became really reliant on the steroid products, because it felt like they were the only thing that really “fixed” it. The thing was, these creams were only ever a temporary respite… and often made things worse, but back then I didn’t care… if it stopped the itch - good.

A few years ago after another nasty bout, I had a realisation. I just couldn’t continue slathering my skin with products that not only were full of horrible sounding chemicals but were also not actually helping my skin health. This coincided with a weekend mucking about in my kitchen playing with lip balm recipes – and things started to come together!

I began a lengthy journey (which is still on-going) to learn about more natural products. I’d always had an interest in more natural remedies and knew that plant based ingredients were really good for us, but I’d never delved into the world.

One of the key things I learned was just how dry my skin was. So I began reading, learning, researching and experimenting on my own skin. And now? I haven’t touched a steroid cream for nearly three years. Happy days!

Lucy Cardwell

Have you always wanted your own business?

Not at all! My background is visual arts. I went to Art School in Australia, and worked for a long time in galleries, museums, events etc. Running my own business was never really something I strived for. Saying that though, I think it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done!

When I moved from office work and began Lucky Cloud full time, I thought I would miss the “office banter” and feel lonely working on my own. But I actually quite like it.

I’m also lucky that my office and workspace is in a large building with lots of other amazing small businesses. So there’s a fab creative, supportive energy around me.

Nourishing Cleansing Balm

We’re aware all of your products are natural, and vegan friendly. Was there anything in particular that inspired this?

I guess my skin issues are what began the journey into the plant based industry. I’ve always had a belief in the “power of plants”, but once I started researching ingredients and trying to understand, to some degree, what goes in to products my eyes were opened.

Like a lot of people these days as well, there is a greater awareness of and desire to reduce the toxins and nasty chemicals that we’re using.

Lucky Cloud Skincare

How do you formulate your products - what does the process look like?

I describe it as sort of working backwards. I generally try to think about what I want the product to do and who it’s for first before experimenting with blends. I’ll give you an example:

Balancing Face Oil

So, I wanted to create a face oil (which is ultimately a face moisturiser) for people with combination / acne prone skin. It needed to include oils that would soften, hydrate and nourish the skin, while at the same time not be too heavy, help to re-balance sebum production and target the acne-prone areas diminishing and calming infected areas.

And so I began a lot of research, questions and note taking. Which oils do I already love using? Which of those will be suitable? What other oils have I wanted to experiment with?

Once a “first draft” is created, I test it on myself for a period of time and refine it depending on skin feel, smell and skin condition after a few applications etc. Then I gather a group of product testers, who get to try them out and in return I ask them fill out a lengthy survey. With this information I then tweak recipes if required.

You might think it’s then ready to sell? Nuh-uh. I’ve then got to submit each product for a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR), compile my own Product Information File (PIF), upload product info on a European Cosmetic Online Portal, write the product description and directions, have the label designed and printed, get the product photographed and THEN I can start to sell it…. Phew.

Balancing Face Oil

What does 24 hours usually look like for you?

As soon as I wake up, I try to do a bit of yoga and stretching to waken my body up and get it relaxed and feeling strong for the day ahead. Then, after breakfast I walk to work, which usually takes about 20 mins – I like the fact that I can incorporate some physical exercise twice a day with my normal routine.

As soon as I arrive at work the computer is on – and to be honest that’s where most of the day is spent! There is a lot of admin involved in running any business. Answering emails, updating software, website changes, SEO, writing blog posts, researching potential new stockists… the list goes on! I usually take a break from the computer mid morning to pack up any online or wholesale orders.

If I’m running low on any products, then I’ll spend some time manufacturing. This takes more time and I’ll usually shut all tech down and turn the music up and get to work!

I usually tend to do more admin stuff in the afternoon. I've always got lots of lists, which help me remember what I need to focus on throughout the week

Have you faced any challenges in your entrepreneurial journey so far? And if so how have you overcome them?

I think anyone running a business will have faced challenges. It can be tough when you’re the sole decision maker. Sometimes things pan out, sometimes they don’t, but the most important thing I’ve learned is not to let those tough times totally overwhelm me.

It’s a huge learning process being an entrepreneur. A constant learning process. Find like-minded people who can inspire and support you. I’ve joined an online group called WE Mean Business, which is a group for women entrepreneurs. They are the best, most bad-ass group of women who all support each other. I’ve developed real friendships through it, discovered new stockists and networked with inspirational women.

Coconut Lip Butter

Who and what inspires you?

Nature and my friends and family. I love the smell, colours and patterns of nature; flowers, leaves, trees, sand, sunsets and clouds. My friends & family are an incredible source of support and inspiration - from their constant complimentary feedback to telling me what they’re looking for in future products or what they currently love to use.

What is your most proud moment to date?

I think the proudest I feel is when strangers leave me reviews or comment on my products. Knowing I’ve created something that someone really loves and is helping them feel better about their skin is so heart-warming. I do actually cry sometimes when I read things like this…

“Love your body balm and even use it on my face, it's excellent! A little goes such a long way! Face oil next for me; thank you for such lovely cruelty free skincare it's a delight”

Nourishing Face Oil

What would you say are three attributes needed to make a young woman successful?

Determination – it all takes a lot of hard work

Positivity – you have to remain positive, even when things feel like they’re falling apart

Patience – nothing is going to happen overnight, but you’ll get there if you want to

What advice would you give to The Beauty Run readers who are interested in starting their own skin care line?

Do your research. Find your niche. Be aware that there is a lot of research, experimenting and paperwork to be done before you’ll get anything ready to sell commercially. There are a lot of legal requirements throughout the product development and there’s no way you can take short cuts.

Oh and don’t try and do everything yourself… hire a graphic designer, a photographer, a web-developer, a copy writer – whatever area you don’t have strong skills in… I think women are particularly bad at thinking we can do it all ourselves. And while we’re incredible, it’s ok to not be able to do it all

Shop: www.luckycloudskincare.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/luckycloudskin

Interviewed and edited by: Malika Isles

Beauty - Wednesday, October 25, 2017

SPOTLIGHT: Lucky Cloud Skincare Founder Lucy Cardwell

... After battling with dermatitis and eczema prone skin for years, Lucy Cardwell decided it was time to tackle this by setting up her o...

...

In 2016 So Versailles Lashes was born, as fashion blogger Cassie realised there was a gap in the UK market for quality mink lashes. Selling 5 different styles, juggling a 9-5, running the successful hip hop & high fashion blog So Versailles, and also working on other projects – we sat down with the entrepreneur and all round girl boss to discuss what inspires her, how she started her business and more...

So Versailles Lashes

1). Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey so far...

So, I'm 24 I'm from near Doncaster in the UK, but ethnically I'm a weird mix of English, Ghanaian and Russian. For forever I thought I wanted to be an Investment Banker (I was so wrong), so pursued that for a bit all the while loving fashion and everyone expecting me to do something within that industry.

I went to uni to study Economics and whilst I was there I did an internship at a fashion brand which I ended up hating so much. So, I quit and kind of ruled out the fashion thing. Then I graduated, got a job in energy and started a fashion blog (ImSoVersailles.com) which is two years old now.

About a year ago, I was looking for cool mink lash brands in the UK and found it hard to find the styles I was looking for – so I kind of took it upon myself to provide them for myself and anyone else who was looking for that too, and then So Versailles Lashes was born.

So Versailles Lashes

2). Have you always known that you wanted to be a blogger and entrepreneur?

Absolutely not, I would never have put myself in this bucket that I've found myself in haha. As I mentioned, I thought I wanted to be in banking but I guess that was because I kind of suppressed the fashion stuff because I didn't think I could do exactly what I wanted to in that industry. I fell into the world of lashes because of a need I was looking to fulfil in the UK and couldn't. I just had the ideas and decided to run with them.

3). What does 24 hours usually look like for you?

So I have a full time job which keeps me busy from 9-5. Outside of that I'll go home and I'll focus on one thing – so either I'll focus on the blog and finalise posts for the week (I write most of my stuff on my commute to work). Or I'll be like "this is a Lash day" and work on the business such as looking into different styles etc. Sometimes I have blog events after work that I'll go to, or a random meeting to do with blogging. Just when you thought I don’t do enough, I’m also working on a new clothing brand with my mum at the moment so I’ll designate days to do that too.

Cassandra Thorpe

4). On So Versailles Lashes, you sell five different styles. What does the process look like – from buying, testing and even designing your packaging?

So when I first started I reached out to a few mink lash manufactures to figure out which quality and service I liked the best. After that I sampled about 30 different lash styles in one night… my eye-lids were ravaged! I settled on the 5 styles I liked best – then the naming happened.

With the packaging, and the whole experience of So Versailles Lashes I'm very specific about what I want so it takes a lot of back and forth usually. I don't like it when people say "no we don't do that" or "we can't do that" so a lot of the time I'm finding ways around that to provide exactly what's in my head for the customer. So Versailles Lashes has also just had a bit of a rebrand and change of packaging, so it takes a lot of trial and error... especially as someone who's never done this before, and as I’m doing it by myself. But you learn a lot and I enjoy the process of learning to be honest.

The beauty industry is also something that changes all the time so I have to make sure I keep up with the trends.

So Versailles Lashes

5). I’m aware you sold your products at The Clothes Show last year. What was that experience like?

Sooooo different! Having gone from selling online to in person was so weird. It was a great experience though because one downside of online shopping (especially with a product like lashes), is that you can't try them out. So I had a little area with a mirror and sample sticks with the lashes on them so people could see what the lashes looked like on.

6). Have you faced any challenges in your entrepreneurial journey so far? And if so how have you overcome them?

As I mentioned earlier it's been hard when manufacturers tell you "no", especially when you're someone like me who has it all planned out in their head as to how you want things to be. So I’ve had to work around that – such as getting some stuff done with my main manufacturer, and the rest done with someone else.

7). Who and what inspires you?

Everything… the most random stuff inspires me. But mostly films and music. For example, I'm heavily influenced by hip hop music... it motivates me so much! And then films like Legally Blonde give me so much inspiration, as does 2000’s Paris Hilton (she pops up on the So Versailles lash 'gram from time to time).

So Versailles Lashes

8). What is your most proud moment to date?

Wow. Hmmm… probably when Tyme The Infamous used my lashes in a tutorial – that was ridiculous to me, I'd watched her for years and for her to use So Versailles Lashes was too cool.

9). What would you say are three attributes needed to make a young woman successful?

I don't know if I'm qualified to give this advice but I'll have a go:

1. Don't accept no’s – find a way, there's always a way

2. Don't give up – so cliche but so so many people give up just before they make it, keep going and don't be one of those people.

3. Keep evolving – it's so hard but you have to stay relevant, whether it's with branding or products. You have to hold your customer's interest because there's so much competition nowadays... they can easily go elsewhere.

10). What advice would you give to The Beauty Run readers who are interested in starting their own beauty business?

The biggest step is doing it. So many people think about it but keep coming up with reasons why not to start, but the hardest thing is starting and then you just learn as you go along. You won't know everything and you'll make some mistakes but you'll figure it out.

Shop: www.soversailleslashes.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/soversailleslashes

Blog: www.imsoversailles.com

Edited By: Malika Isles

Beauty - Wednesday, July 05, 2017

SPOTLIGHT: So Versailles Lashes Founder Cassandra Thorpe

... In 2016 So Versailles Lashes was born, as fashion blogger Cassie realised there was a gap in the UK market for quality mink lashes...

...

After graduating from London College of Fashion with a degree in Cosmetic Science, Florence launched make up brand MDMflow, which has taken the beauty industry by storm. Starting off with handmade lipsticks, MDMflow became known for it's signature gold packaging and bold colour offerings which encapsulates the essence of 90's to early 2000's hip-hop. After only 3 years on the scene, MDMflow is now stocked in Harvey Nichols, Colette Paris and even on Nasty Gal to name a few. Featured on the likes of Vogue and Cosmopolitan, there's no doubt that Florence is one to watch.

We caught up with the beauty boss to discuss what inspires her, how she started her business and more...

Lipstick in 'Bossy'

How did you start MDMflow?

I knew that I wanted to run a beauty business a while before I started MDMflow, so one of the first things I did was read up on successful brands in my industry and study their growth patterns. Once I started creating lipsticks as part of my final year project and was sure it was what I wanted, I registered as a business and applied for a loan from my university. I developed lipsticks as part of my dissertation and got amazing reactions from my peer group. I sourced the packaging, set up social media pages and launched that summer.

Liquid Matte Lipsticks

What does 24 hours look like for you?

I wake up at 6.30am most days, check my emails and Slack which is an awesome app I use to communicate with my team. I generally start working from bed on busy days or if it's not so busy I go downstairs and make breakfast. By 9.30am, I hop on the train and head down to my office in a shared working space in Hackney. Now that I'm not formulating everyday and more focused on growing the business it's mostly desk based stuff and meetings. However every day is different. I like working into the evening and leave the office between 7pm - 9pm.

We’re aware your products are handmade using formulas you’ve created yourself, how much of your time is spent creating product, developing and testing?
I spend a lot less time in the lab now as I am working on the more structural elements of my business. When I am in the lab I try to block out a day or 2 just focused on formulating. I also regularly set up meetings with suppliers to look at new ingredient technology even when I am not in the lab.

Lipstick in 'Mas Marina'

What challenges have you faced along the way, and how have you overcome them?
There are so many challenges that spring up in running a new business, but allocation of resources is probably the biggest. Everything is stretched all the time, specifically time and money. The best way to overcome this is taking time out to think and plan. Pressure can really cloud your judgment sometimes.

Who and what inspires you?
I'm inspired by women who live out their dreams despite all odds. I am also inspired by people who are sacrificial in looking out for others and the planet we live on. Ai-jen Poo the director of the National Dosmetic Workers Alliance is a massive inspiration to me at the moment.

What is your most proud moment to date?
I'm extremely proud of launching my range in Australia with a massive retailer out there. It was super cool to meet the staff out there and visit stores. A massive reminder of how far my business has come.

Liquid Matte Lipsticks

What would you say to a young woman trying to start up her own company? And what are the three attributes would you say she needs to be successful?
Build yourself up, self confidence counts for a lot. I don't think I could narrow down necessary traits to only 3 things, it takes a lot out of you and there isn't really a way to fully prepare. Be resourceful and don't give up.

What do you wish you knew before you started the entrepreneurial journey?
I wish I knew all the support that is out there for small business owners, I did so much in the beginning feeling completely on my own, its taken me a while to join and create support networks.

Lipstick in 'Vamp'

Where do you see MDMflow 10 years from now?
I see MDMflow as a community of women who are bold and audacious in how they represent themselves. My product line would be a lot more extensive and we'd be a leading brand in the industry promoting confidence, self expression and diversity.

What advice would you give to The Beauty Run readers who are interested in starting their own beauty/cosmetics line?
Don't get overwhelmed by your dreams, keep working on it and refining it.

Shop: www.mdmflow.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mdmflow

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mdmflow

Beauty - Wednesday, October 19, 2016