I am a consumer. I am just like you. I struggled for years with skin issues and after countless visits to dermatologists and tons of money thrown into facials and products, I was left with minimal positive results. I realized I was just like millions of other women who had nowhere to turn. There were a lot of products telling me, "This will really work," and several salespeople selling me a lot of products that, in the end, did nothing to help my severe acne and eczema.
It was then that I realized my results were in the ingredients of the products I was using vs. what was being marketed to me. While working on commercial and music video sets as a professional makeup artist, as well as for one of the top luxury brands, I enrolled in a post-graduate program at UCLA & received a certificate in Cosmetic Chemistry. From there, I created SkinOwl, a skincare company that allowed women to feel as good as they looked.
Based on my own struggles, I knew that I could create a successful skincare brand. It was my passion to bring the best ingredients into the hands of my clients. Approximately 80% of our ingredients are organic, 100% of our ingredients are non-toxic, and many of our oils are sourced from their original international origin.
How did you earn your first sales? Which channels are now generating the most traffic and sales for you?
SkinOwl was first sold at local farmer's markets and beauty events. Our website went up within two months of our first event. SkinOwl.com is now our number one sales generator.
Tell us about the back-end of your business. What tools and apps do you use to run your store? How do you handle shipping and fulfillment?
SkinOwl started as a private group on Facebook, where women from all over the world could ask for skincare and makeup advice. What started as 33 members turned into 1300 in 4 months. Since then, SkinOwl has thrived on all social media, with over 50,000 followers on Facebook and 15,000 followers on Twitter. Sending clients from our social media handles to SkinOwl.com has been a huge success.
In terms of shipping and processing, we have an excellent team that fulfills all orders within 24 hours. When our customers receive their order, we want them to feel as though they are opening up a gift. Our products are packaged responsibly and beautifully. Our extra touch goes the extra mile.
What are your top recommendations for new ecommerce entrepreneurs?
Customer service, customer service, customer service. We treat our clients like they are family. As the founder, I make it a point to reach out to our customers personally and make sure that their SkinOwl experience is memorable. From the moment they open their package to the moment they use our product, our customers know that each moment is curated and cared for. I encourage any store owner to take a vested interest in their customers' happiness. A happy customer is a happy business.