Launch Fast, Learn Faster: Your 90-Day Beauty Brand Playbook

In the beauty industry, ideas are cheap, execution is gold. Brands launch all the time, trends change in the blink of a (smoky) eye. And if you’re a first-time founder in the sector, speed is where the edge comes in. From the initial idea to the first sale, you want less haste but more speed, to ensure that timing and delivery are not in competition with one another. Below you will find a guide that allows you to get the best possible blend (no pun intended) of all your priorities, and aren’t left with a warehouse full of nice ideas.

Pick a hero product

Choose a single product that provides a solution to a specific problem: a no-budge liner, a lip oil for people with sensitive skin, or a complexion stick that assists quick routines. Lock in a simple shade plan, starting with a basic selection. It can always be augmented later. Define the minimum claims for the product and the tests that you’ll need for credibility. There is no need to buy equipment or hire chemists on day one: outsource production itself to a trusted cosmetics manufacturer and then focus on your branding, packaging and social channels. Order a pilot batch of about 300-400 units so you can gauge one month’s worth of sales.

Test with demand before ordering bulk

Likes on social media are nice to have, but they are also free so it’s sensible not to set too much store by your Instagram numbers. Instead run a limited drop to a waitlist you have gathered from interested parties, then measure conversion, intended repeat orders and refund rate. Use pop-ups, seek out creator collabs, and even set up market stalls to get an idea for how people test the product and what they say about it. Keep surveys short: “Why did you buy”, “Did you have second thoughts/what were they?”, “Would you buy again at this price?”. And with permission, gather testimonials and before/afters.

Design for repeat business

A brand grows on second purchases. Hype is wonderful, but repeat custom is where it’s at. Make it easy to rebuy: standard sizes that last a predictable number of days; list usage instructions on the packaging, give clear shade naming. If possible, provide refills so as to protect your margins and reduce waste. Create a 60-day pathway that times emails or SMS with helpful tips and nudges to reorder, which will hopefully fall when the product in the customer’s home is running low.

Ship, learn, iterate

Your initial launch is draft one. Collect reviews from customers (with photos for credibility); reply to every question; log the most common requests by week. Tweak what seems to need tweaking: shades, brushes, textures, based on clear feedback patterns. If products aren’t performing, cut them loose - and for those that are, double down by expanding to a couple of complementary shades or a kit. Stick religiously to a cycle of ship, learn, improve - and scale what the data shows you should scale.

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