Industry analysts confirm that beauty consumers are eager for such products. Personal care brands ought “to cater to the growing consumer desire for beauty that offers bespoke solutions at a molecular level [and] develop smart products and portions to optimize mind and body across every demographic,” advised Claire Hobson, EVP global business director of The Future Laboratory, speaking at a CEW global trends event in New York City this spring.
To learn more about how brands manage the ingredient inventory, formulation, and distribution of custom products on a large scale, Cosmetics Design reached out to Francisco Gimenez, CEO of eSalon, an online hair color service that specializes in made-for-you shades.
One bottle at a time
eSalon ships to some 15 countries and boasts having blended over 110 thousand distinct hair color application kits. “We have created proprietary technology and equipment that makes it all possible,” Gimenez tells Cosmetics Design.
“We have created systems and technology to manage everything from the tracking of the bulk materials that we turn into finished goods to the mixing equipment that is actually blending every single hair color application once an order is placed.”
Personalization is by nature a high-touch venture and can’t really be scaled to reach every potential consumer. Gimenez explains that it’s the need for client consultations that sets the parameters for the business.
“The only limiting factor from a distribution angle is our need to interact directly with our clients. In order to achieve the personalization and precision that eSalon is known for, we must directly communicate with clients just as a stylist would in a salon,” he says.
Staying relevant
The beauty business innovates quickly. So even personalized brands need to stay on trend and bring fresh products to market. “eSalon is continually testing and developing products to introduce to our clientele,” says Gimenez.
“In regards to hair color, a client can receive a new custom formulation as many times as she/he desires. The process of changing a shade or tone of color is as simple as logging into your account and leaving a note for your stylist.” From there an eSalon stylist reformulates the client’s hair color, explains Gimenez.
And, as with all beauty and grooming routines, there are accessories. Those allow personalized product companies an efficient way to supplement their revenue model. At eSalon, Gimenez says, “We recognized the need to expand our in-home salon experience past hair color and created an entire line of hair care, styling, brow products and tools.”