Question

Topic: Other

How To Start A Make Up Line?

Posted by Anonymous on 7/30/2009 at 1:03 PM ET 250 Points
I have an idea for a travel/on the go specific make-up line, but don't know how to start or where to start. The idea may incorporate pitching the idea to other make up companies to have their products shrunk down to smaller, portable, interchangeable products so that consumers can buy their favorite brands while mixing and matching in one small compact that allows them to switch out whatever they want to use. For example, they buy a small case that can fit in a tiny purse. That case will have 3 empty smaller compartments and one larger one. From the website, they can order as many "re-fills" of a certain brand that can fit the size of the compartment depending on what kind of case they purchase. The website will sell the "miniature" versions of that brand and other products that they already have in travel sizes.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Levon on 7/30/2009 at 1:22 PM Accepted
    A business plan will help you lay out your business concept and foundation.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 7/30/2009 at 1:49 PM Accepted
    What's your goal? Get investors? Find make-up companies willing to work with you? See if there's a need in the marketplace? Determine the price point?
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 7/30/2009 at 7:48 PM Accepted
    Dear drinkthisdesign,

    Who is you ideal customer? Her age, name, occupation; where does she live, who are her friends, what are her hobbies, where does she travel?

    Why are you selling make up? Why should my 24 year old daughter buy from you, and will she be able to find your refills in Bangkok, or Sydney?

    And yes, as dull as this sounds, you need a business plan, backers, affiliates, suppliers, and a whole host of other essentials that ought not be ignored.

    Consult your state's small business department and trade department for more details, figure out your financial needs, how much you'll need to borrow, your timeline to become profitable, and so on and so forth. Dull? Yes. But necessary.

    I hope this helps.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA
  • Posted on 8/10/2009 at 9:35 AM Accepted
    1. As others have said, you need a business plan. You need to have a clear objective in mind, and develop a set of strategies that will lead to the objective.

    2. One reason large companies would probably not find this idea attractive is that they know that people use more product when they have more on hand. When there's just a little they use less each time. (a/k/a the "scarcity" mindset)

    3. By all means submit your idea to Procter & Gamble. They won't steal it and they might just help you move it along. They are, after all, one of the largest cosmetic marketers in the world. Not much to lose. (Use the link in the post above.)

    4. Have you prototyped the idea yet? Have real people actually used the product in the form you're considering? If not, you probably ought to find a way to get some real, live human beings to try it out and give you honest feedback. Their input will help you decide how much of your time, effort and money the idea is worth.

    5. Good ideas -- even great ideas -- are plentiful. Nonetheless 9 out of every 10 new businesses fail. Obviously it's not enough to have a great idea. You need a business plan and a clear idea of how much you're prepared to invest, how you'll invest it, and what the likely outcome is going to be. You'll even want to consider a range of scenarios, from best case to worst case, and a few stops between. You'll want contingency plans if things don't go exactly as you expect. Etc.

    Hope this helps.
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