It’s no secret that indie beauty is a global phenomenon and no surprise that each entrepreneur has a particular idea of what it means to be an independent brand in the personal care, cosmetics, and fragrance marketplace. Whether Sara Monster’s indie of indie is somehow tied to life in The Netherlands, I can’t say. But her ideas about indie are certainly informing how she’s growing the Sara Rosalie business.
Here, the beauty entrepreneur shares a profile of herself and the brand.
Name: Sara Monster, Founder and Owner
Indie Beauty Company: Sara Rosalie
Launched: May 2016
Headquarters: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
Cash flow: Sara Rosalie is 100% funded by me.
And, seeing the trust of my customers who keep coming back and order every couple of months, adding more products in each order [feels like at financial milestone].
Indie how? I consider a beauty brand independent when you don’t have to adjust to the market but are able to make your own choices based on creativity, gut feeling, knowledge and research. In the competitive market, it is expected you play by the rules of the corporate cosmetic companies and an investor will expect you to make sacrifices on quality, sustainability and creativity in order to make bigger profits. I think an independent brand will not feel the pressure to commit to the mainstream but can make extraordinary things that surprises the consumer.
Team work: 3 part-time employees, an intern, and myself fulltime of course
Distribution: Sara Rosalie sells mainly via our own platform sararosalie.nl, and via local retailers that focus on natural and sustainable skincare. To be honest, we have to get better [at working with] retailers. In the beginning it was our plan to only do direct sales; but in the end, you need the platforms and reach of others to grow.
Years in beauty: This adventure, started over 4 years ago with doing research, is my first real experience in beauty. Before I worked in media, which gave me the knowledge on how to do marketing, communication and branding.
The business: Sara Rosalie is, in one sentence: Luxurious natural skin care for real sensitive skin. We work as sustainably as possible, i.e.: local production, recycled materials for packaging, educating our customers instead of forcing sales.
The wow-factor: Luxurious and hypoallergenic skincare for people with skin problems such as eczema or rosacea. People really like the look and feel: our branding is modern and minimalistic.
The consumer: Women from 25 – 45 years, mostly young working moms with interest in natural skincare, sustainability and minimalistic living.
Milestone moment: Full page publication in the biggest glossy of The Netherlands: LINDA.
Advice for fellow beauty entrepreneurs: Ask for help, but trust your own ideas and feelings.
Just one: Asked about her go-to product, Sara says, it’s definitely our Sara Rosalie Lip Balm with lanolin. You can use it for everything: dry skin, irritated skin, to keep your eyebrows in shape, etc.
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.
