It’s quite common for independent personal care and beauty brands to partner with investors as they scale and advance their businesses, which is what MyChelle Dermaceuticals has done. The skin care brand is a late-stage startup, owned by an investment firm.
Generally, the Indie Beauty Profile here on Cosmetics Design features founders and the brands they launched and own. But here, in a departure from the regular format, yet right in line with the shifting business objectives of a growing brand, MyChelle’s profile features the company’s chief marketing officer. Accordingly, the insights she shares have a distinct tone and sensibility. And there’s something particular to be gained by listening to the voice of the brand at this moment in its development.
Name: Kimberly Heathman, Chief Marketing Officer / BioChemist
Indie Beauty Company: MyChelle Dermaceuticals
Launched: 2000
Headquarters: Louisville, Colorado
Annual net sales: Heathman proffers that, according to industry sources, MyChelle has about $20 million in sales during a fiscal calendar year.
Team work: 35 employees
Distribution: MyChelle products are available at MyChelle.com, nationwide at Whole Foods Market and select Kohl’s department stores, regionally at independent natural retailers, including Pharmaca and Sprouts, and in Canada at Murale and on BeautyBeautique.ca.
Years in beauty: 25+
Years at MyChelle: 3 years
Experience: My roles have included board member, CMO, vice president and director responsibilities in product development, strategic brand management, integrated communications and marketing with both retailers and wholesalers, including Nordstrom, Allergen, DevaCurl, and Dr. Brandt.
The business: The pioneer and expert in advanced, bioactive skin care, MyChelle transformed the natural beauty industry by being the first to use anti-aging peptides, plant stem cells, and clinically proven dermatological ingredients.…our full line of highly effective targeted treatments includes cleansers, moisturizers, serums, oils, nourishing creams, and sun protection for unmatched, professional results. All MyChelle products are vegan or vegetarian, cruelty-free, and free of phthalates, parabens, sulfates, ureas, artificial fragrances and colors, petroleum, GMOs, and gluten.
The wow-factor: From our beginning, we have always seen natural, clean science as an expectation, rather than a trend. Our 360-degree approach to beauty is to provide clean, conscious, and comprehensive skin care products that are bioactive, ethically sourced, and formulated with high-performance ingredients for superior, professional results without compromising personal health and safety or the wellbeing and conservation of our environment.
The consumer: Our target market has remained the same since we were founded. MyChelle has always developed products based on the demand for skin care that was active enough for professional use in spas and clinics, a category that had not been available to conscious consumers and estheticians looking for safe, effective skincare. All of our products are, and have always been, vegetarian, cruelty-free, and free of phthalates, parabens, sulfates, ureas, artificial fragrances and colors, petroleum, GMO’s and gluten.
Milestone moment: Winning a NEXTY Award at Natural Products Expo West for our Perfect C PRO Serum. It was such an honor to be recognized for our innovation in effective, natural beauty skin care. We are proud to be a part of the movement in breaking down stereotypes that natural products can’t be as effective as conventional products.
Advice for fellow indie beauty entrepreneurs: Live each day as if it’s your last. I read a quote recently from actor Christopher Walken that pretty much sums it all up: ‘None of us are getting out here alive, so please stop treating yourself as an afterthought. Eat delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you are carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There is no time for anything else.’
Just one: Asked about her go-to product, Heathman mentions the new Perfect C PRO Serum formulated with 25% L-Ascorbic Acid.
And as the winner of the NEXTY Award for Best New Beauty Product” at Natural Products Expo West, it’s a natural industry favorite as well. Clinical studies show that l-Ascorbic Acid, naturally found in the skin, is an anti-aging super star and essential for skin health. And it’s the ONLY ACTIVE form of Vitamin C for skin rejuvenation, photo-aging, and anti-oxidant protection. L-Ascorbic Acid increases skin’s natural renewal process, protects skin against environmental damage, stops inflammation in its tracks, brightens dark spots, and helps to combat acne scarring or pigmentation spots.